The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-06-11
Sixteen Warships, Headed by the
BattIeship Indiana,
To Accompany the Fleet Of Steamers Which
is to Convoy the Twenty-Five Thou
sand Soldiers Comprising First
Army Of Invasion.


the dispatch of the first army OF in
vasion to Cuba, one thing stands out
clearly, namely, that the Government
is feeling strong in its present position
and plan, is moving cautiously and with
the elaboration which it believes will
secure success unattended with disas-
ter. With this main purpose in view,
the army and navy are cooperating to-
ward the dispatch of troops, some To-
900 in number, under escort of strong
fleet of naval conveys, made up of six
teen warships headed by the battleship
Indiana Unattended by this strong
fleet, the troops might have left last
Friday, when one strong naval convoy
was ready for this service. Since then,
however, reports have come as to the
presence of Spanish ships in the North
Atlantic
Realizing that nothing was to be
gained by haste and that the war was
progressing steadily toward success, it
was determined not to take the one
small chance of having our troop trans
of the enemy. As a result, the troop
transports have not proceeded to Cuba,
either yesterday or the day before, as
has been repeatedly asserted. They are
in readiness to go, but will not move
until the naval convoy is ready to ac-
company them, assuring safe conduct
from Florida to the point of destina-
ton. Whether that will be to-day or
tomorrow the War Department de-
clines positively to say, and there is
authority for the statement that any
reports purporting to give the day or
hour when this formidable fleet of in
vasion will start is not only unwar-
ranted. but meets with the most vigor-
Gus official condemnation. The Admin
istration feels that the time has come
when it is of the utmost Importance
that the precise movements of this in
vading fleet should not be published in
this country, and thus heralded to the
enemy
The completeness with which the
transport of troops has been planned is
vessels given out at the War Depart
ment to-day. OF this list thirty-four
large steamships, varying from AGO
tons down to 600 tons, are at Florida
ports ready to carry our troops to the
point of invasion. There are some fif-
teen other craft, including vessels suit
able for conveying fresh water, stores.
etc, and for Tightening the troops and
stores from the ships to the beach
when the debarkation begins.
The entire transport fleet of about
fifty steamships, augmented by the
fleet of naval conveys, sixteen in num-
Der, will make a formidable marine pro-
cession, exceeding in magnitude the
notable spectacle of the naval review
during the Worlds Fair year.
The first official confirmation of the
engagement at Guantanamo last Tues
day, and was made the subject of a
bulletin. The terms in which Admiral
Sampson described the affair tended
strongly to take away the large import
ance that had been given it in the un-
official dispatches. There was a notable
failure upon the part of the Admiral
to mention anything like a landing al
though statement that the Marble
head now holds the lower bay by impli-
cation may carry with it the idea that
her marines are ashore.
Elderly naval officers who have been
in Guantanamo Bay describe it as ad-
mirably situated for the reception of
transports, with plenty of water for the
biggest of the transports. and enough
for the smaller class of warships that
might be used to convoy them. The
locality is one that would make good
base of operations against Santiago it
self, should it be decided to attack the
latter town by troops from the rear, in
stead of by the warships.
The statement coming from San
francisco to the effect that the real OBJ
ject of the Charlestons voyage WAS
the seizure of the Spanish Ladrone
Islands has a small basis of truth in
1T. When it was decided to send the
Monterey and Monadnock GEAR across
the Pacific from Mare Island to Manila
1t was well known that this could not