The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-22
VOYAGE OF THE TRANSPORTS.
Not Sign of the Enemy Seen During the
Entire Trip.

Not Sign Of the Enemy Seen During the
Entire Trip.
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.
With the United States transport
ships OF Santiago de Cuba. June 20.
noon, via Mole st. Nicholas. Hayti.
June 21. a. m.-The fleet of United
States transports having on board 10000
men under the command of General
Shafter, arrived of Santiago de Cuba
at noon to-day, being exactly six days
out from Port Tampa. The army Of
invasion left Egmont hey at noon on
Tuesday, June IA. conveyed by the
United States warships Indiana, Cas-
tine, Helena, Annapolis, Bancroft, Nor
rill and Hornet. The Massage was nee
essarily slow, as two big water barges
and the schooner st. Stevens had to be
towed. At Rebecca shoals lighthouse
the fleet was Joined by the warShips
Detroit, Osceola, Wasp and Ericsson.
When the transport fleet left Tampa
ii was the intention to take the western
course around Cape Antonio, but later
1t was decided to go via the Florida
straits. that being a shorter dis
tance.
After the fleet got into the rough
waters of the straits the transports
were formed into three lines about 1000
yards apart, while 600 wards separated
the ships. The easily advancing trans
ports presented a very impressive spec
tacle stretching for miles over the blue
waters. 1t was one of the largest fleets
ever gathered together. the grim look
ing men-of-war lowering like watch
dogs on the outskirts of the human
freighted ships.
At night every precaution was taken
to guard against any possible attack.
No lights were allowed on the trans
ports and the gunboats in the direc-
tion of the shore were doubled in num-
ber, while at frequent intervals shift
ing searchlights swept the waters in
the direction of Cuba in search of hos
tile vessels. Throughout the voyage
not one Spanish gunboat or sign of the
enemy was seen. On Friday the con-
voying feet of warships was reinforced
by the Montgomery and Porter of
Puerto Principe.
The voyage throughout was tedious
and uninteresting. To the weary SOL
diers life on board the transports is as
unwarlike as a journey on a fruiter.
The spectacle of transferring the sick
at sea was presented on Saturday. For
four hours the fleet lay to while the
ships boats carried IA patients to the
hospital ship Olivette. In the rough
waters of the Bahama channel this
work for the little boats was quite diff
ficult. and the hosting of the limp
forms to the rolling deck of the Olivette
seemed dangerous. But it was accom-
plished in safety.
The weather throughout the voyage
was excellent and consequently there
was little suffering from seasickness
But IA cases of typhoid fever and some
measles developed, the former being
especially on the boats which carried
horses and mules. The surgeons, how
ever, say the health of the men is un-
expectedly good.
The first sight of land was obtained
in the vicinity of Santiago de Cuba. and
when the topmasts of the blockadng
ships We're seen they sent a thrill of en-
thusiasm through the soldiers and they
are now eagerly awaiting the landing
in Cuba.
The men seem confident of swift
and easy victory but they seem rather
to hope for hard fighting. The heat
and long confinement i'm the holds OF
the transports have told very severely
on the horses and mules and many of
them died during the last few days Of
the VOYAGE.