The herald., 1898-04-13
TROOPS Will BE NEEDED
WHEN THE ATTACK ON HAVANA
Is MADE
WHEN WAR BECOMES CERTAIN
There Will Be Such q Demonstration
as Havana Never Knew, With
Rioters Rampant
Associated Press Special Wire

&sAOIC4S
Associated Press Special Wire
KEY WEST. Fla, April 12-Great inter-
est is felt here In the preparations made by
the government officials to land troops in
Cuba should such a step become necessary.
An officer of high rank with the fleet when
questioned on the subject today said that
while he was not aware OF any such ar
rangements having been made. he pre-
sumed the necessary steps In that direction
had been taken. He added that the fleet
itself could not transport a Sufficient num-
Der to make an efficient landing party.
Therefore transports must be provided,
as 1t will be necessary to d.sembark a
strong force of troops In Cuba, falling
which the first few shots fired are likely to
be the signal for rioting In the city of Ha-
vaua and elsewhere, notably in the prov
inces of Ma,anzas and Pinar del Rio. in
which case many Lives will be sacrificed.
A Spaniard of position said to an Eng
Eshman just before the latter left Havana
on Saturday last:
LAS soon as the certainty Of war is known
there surely will be such demonstration
as Havana has never known before.
dread 10 think of the consequences to life
and property. Many of the volunteers are
mere lads. They have never handled rifles
until recently and they have no idea how
to handle them properly.
1.-THE government cannot furnish protec-
ton and we shall be fortunate IL we are
able to save our skins"
Dispatches received this morning from
the Sand Key fleet show that quiet pre-
walls on those warships, but the officers and
men believe that they will most certainly
be off to Havana very shortly. The work
of coaling and watering goes on. so that
the ships may start with full supplies.
Miles Anxious to Act
NEW YORK, April ia special to the
Herald from Washington says: Should the
of Major-G General Miles,
commanding the army, be approved by Sec
retary Alger, all the United States in
fantry east of the Rocky Mountains will be
massed at Chckamauga National Park be-
fore the end of the week.
Secretary Alger, however, UP to this time
has withheld his approval OF the concentra-
ton orders, having permitted only the
movement of the Twenty-fifth infantry,
which has started for Fort Missoula,
Mont, after many delays. Six companies
of this regiment are under orders to pro-
coed to Chckamauga and two go direct
ly to Dry Tortugas.
General Miles had a long conference with
Secretary Alger yesterday in which the
General strongly urged upon
the Secretary the necessity Of prompt
action with regard to the concentration of
the available military forces of the army.
Secretary Alger will have another con-
ference with General Miles today when the
general situation. with especial reference
to the attitude of Congress, will be again
discussed.
General Miles and all the army officers
at the department consider that the Span
ish overtures of the last few days have not
in any way changed the outcome of the
situation. They regard the situation as
serious in the extreme and that war is i'm
minent. For this reason they strenuously
advocate the concentration and organiza-
tion of the troops on a war basis at the
earliest possible moment.
General Miles does not advocate the call
ing out of the National Guard in advance
of actual hostilities. Their services will
not be asked until war has been declared
or intervention in Cuba agreed upon.
Following the orders to artillery officers
on detached service to join their regiments
First Lieutenant G. l.. Anderson, Fourth
Artillery, military attache of the United
States legation at ST. Petersburg, was to-
day ordered to relinquish his post and re-
port to the commanding officer of his regi-
ment for active duty.
Spanish Preparation
NEW YORK, April 12.-The Herald
Washington correspondent sends this news
of the Spanish naval operations:
Instead of the battleshp Pelayo sailing
for the Canaries several days ago, as the
authorities were led to believe by cable
gram from Minister Woodford, she had
merely gone to sea for her final trial. A
message announcing the return of the Pc.
layo from her trial states that she made
an extreme speed of sixteen knots an hour
Her machinery stood the strain well and
she is now ready for sea. The armore6
cruiser Carlos V, the officials have been in.
formed. will be ready to join the fore.
which sails for the Canaries in three c,
four days. She will be accompanied by tn,
remainder of the torpedo boats now a
Cadiz.
Troops sent by Spain to the Canaries ar,
to be employed in manning the fortifica
tons in order to prevent the islands from
fallng into the hands of the United State
in case of war. for they are most import
ant base of supplies for the Spanish yes
sells and Spain.
That Spain will be benefited by della,
in acting,is matter of common talk in ma
val circles. The iron battleship Numanci
will be ready within very short time an
three torpedo gun vessels will be shortl
ready for service. Within three week
Spain will be in her best possible condition
not only in the way Of getting her ship
ready, but in getting them to points whey
1t will be easy for them to be quickly com
bined.
Work is being rushed with the utmos
dispatch on the armored cruisers Cardins
Cisneros, Catalina and Princess de Astur
II lac Nh nOT1DT