Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-05-25
INVASION OF CUBA.
1t May Take Place Immediately and May
BE Postponed Until Next Fall.

BE Postponed Until Next Fall.
Although there are hundreds of
newspaper correspondents down at
Key Wey and Tampa, there is not
much news coming from those sour
ces. The press censorship is too strict.
The officials whose business it is to
see that nothing harmful is sent out,
have so little judgment as to what
should and should not be prescribed,
that they do not allow the correspon-
dents to send out much of anything.
But this does not make much difference
to the big independent dailies. Quite
/. number of government officials at
Washington know all about what is
going on, and although they are sup
posed to keep the information to them
selves, they do nothing of the kind.
The correspondents seem to have but
little difficulty in getting out of some
of them about all they know, and they
send their papers any and everything
that seems to be of interest.
The Washington correspondent of
the ST. Louis Globe. Democrat has
picked up some interesting information
about the proposed invasion of Cuba.
From what the correspondent has to
say, not only is it not known at Key
West and Tampa when the Invasion is
to take place; but it is very doubtful
as to whether the authorities at Wash
b,va tho ipf q inn
The Washington people, of course,
have the authority 10 order the inva-
sion whenever they see fit but as yet
they have been unable to definitely
make up their minds on the subject.
Less than two weeks ago the cabinet
was practically unanimous on the pro.
position to push the invasion with all
possible expedition. This was agreed
to. Since that time the cabinet has
changed its mind three times, and it is
still boiling as to the advisability of
rushing the invasion at once or waiting
until next fall.
The first plan suggested was to land
regulars, let them establish base of
supplies, and do the fighting, and then
let the volunteers come along and hold
what the regulars should win. 1t was
calculated that it would be several
weeks before the volunteers would he
needed, and there appeared that there
was no reason why the invasion should
not be commenced at once. But just
about the time everything was in read
mess for the start, the delay people
began to argue that the volunteers
would be needed before they were
available, aud it would be best not to
commence the movement until the
volunteers were fully organized.
The next plan was TO send over
5000 regulars to fight for foothold,
form a junction with the insurgent
army, and continue such operations as
might be practicable until large force
of volunteers became available. But
reports from reliable scouts, who had
been sent into Cuba to investigate the
situation, indicated clearly that the
insurgent army was more than any
thing else u rather imaginary quantity.
Just how many soldiers the insurgents
have is doubtful. They claim all the
way from $4,000 to 10000; but infor-
nation from the most trustworthy
sources do not indicate anything of
the kind. So the second scheme was
abandoned.
Then came the third plan for imme-
diate invasion. 1t went to the point
of concentrating as much of the regu-
lar army as could be spared and thou
sands of volunteers ut Tampa. After
u large force had been concentrated,
Cervera's fleet put in its appearance,
and it was considered advisable not
to make any further move until the
fleet should be disposed OF. 1t is be-
lieved that the fleet can be managed
easily enough but now arises another
difficulty.
With one delay and another, the
rainy season is now nearly on, and
those of the cabinet who want post
ponement, insist that if the troops are
sent over at this time, they will die
like flies. Not only that, on account
of the muddy sticky condition of the
roads, it would be impossible for them
TO make march as much as even 40
miles. On last Saturday, a regiment
of Pennsylvania volunteers arrived in
Washington and had to march to
camp four miles away. 1t was very
hot day and dozens of the volunteers
fell by the roadside. Unseasoned,
they could not stand even so slight an
exerlion. The delay people used this
argument for all it was worth TO carry
the point.
The president has been thinking
first one way and then the other. He
sees weight in both arguments and
feels heavy responsibility. What he
intends To do, if he knows himself,
has not yet been made public. Secre-
tary AIyer has all along been in favor
of immediate invasion, and has been
pushing preparations with all possible
dispatch. If it is decided to send the