The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-06-16
NOT SO SIMPLE
Debarkatson Of Troops Expected
to Consume Considerable
Time.
Getting the Men Ashore Only 8
Very Small Portion of the
Work.
Took a Week to Load the Expe
dition, and Unloading Is
Slower.
No Expectation That the Troops
Will Try to Carry Santiago
by Assault.

NEW YORK, June l6.-A special from
Washington to The Times says: A full
week has been used up at Tampa in
getting the $1,000 men of the Santiago
expedition afloat and presumably on
the way to their destination. War de.
partment people now talk with some
concern about the handling of this
force when 1t shall reach its Cuban
destination. At Tampa there was
pier or piers, up to which the ships
were tied while men and baggage were
put aboard. A railway brought the
men. baggage. guns, provisions. tents
and munitions to the ships sides, but
with all these advantages it has taken
. whole week to get the expedition of.
A well informed army officer says the
southern coast Of Cuba is rough and
difficult of approach at most points,
and good deal of the time the water
is too rough for comfortable landing
from vessels moored in the open road.
The men, horses. baggage and provi.
sions now on the transports must be
lightered ashore unless the government
expects to take har Dor well supplied
with terminal facilities. which is not
expected. To get the men ashore will
be simple matter. compared with the
difficulty Of landing animals and equip.
ments.
AFTER we have heard about the land.
ing Of this expedition" said the officer,
1--WE shall begin to understand why
General Miles was opposed to sending
out TO. 900 men at once, before the war
department was satisfied they had been
properly drilled. seasoned and disci.
plined. With 10000 to ship at Tampa
the confusion and delay would have
been increased. 1t is inevitable tha,
there shall be some confusion at the
Cuban end Of the trip. and that confu
sion would have been possibly fou,
times greater with four times the mum
Der Of troops"
Not to BE Taken 1t Once.
There is no expectation that the land
forces will begin operations at once K
attempt to capture Santiago by assault
and then depend upon using the har
Dor, after it had been counter minet
and the entrance cleared by blowing
up the wreck of the Merrimao. Th,
undertaking is considered one of to<
great dimensions to be accomplished i,
short order. Indeed there are SOM
army men who look for prolonged
siege of Santiago and many desperate
encounters between the troops of tn
United States and Spain. before de
| cided result is reached. Still the cap
ture may be a matter of shorter tim
than is imagined by the war depart
ment people and much will depend. i
is admitted, upon the view obtained b.
| General Shafter after he has seen tn
| country and consulted with Admira
Sampson. The first consultation ma
destroy all the preconceived notions Q
| the sanguine and the anxious at tn
war department and at the Whit
| House.
There is stronger disposition no,
than heretofore, to secure the co-opera
ton of the insurgents at Santiago
They have not yet made very dee
impression upon the army, but it is &C
mitted they may possess many quail
ties to render them invaluable in en-
gaging the Spanish forces while tn
attack is being made by Genera
Shafter and Admiral Sampson.