The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-11
sixteen War Vessels, Headed by the
Indiana, Ordered to Guard the
Fleet of Fifty Troop Ships.
DAY OF DEPARTURE UNKNOWN
MOVEMENTS OF ARMY KEPT SECRET
FOR PRUDENTIAL REASONS.
Probability that the Cruiser Charles
ton VIII Seize an Island While En-
Route to the Philippines.

WASHINGTON, June 10-Out of the
maze of doubt and contradiction as to the
dispatch of the first army of invasion to
Cuba one thing stands out clearly. namely,
that the government. feeling strong in its
present position and plan. is moving eau
tiously and with the delberation which it
believes will secure success unattended with
disasters. With this main purpose in view,
the army and navy are cooperating toward
the dispatch of the troops. some 25,OO0 in
number. under escort of strong fleet of
naval conveys, made up of sixteen war
ships headed by the battle ship 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 towards success, it was determined
not to take the one small chance of having
our troop transports menaced by some
scouting ship of the enemy. AS 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 accompany
them, assuring safe conduct from Florida
TO the point of destination. whether that
will be to-day or tomorrow the War De-
partment positively declines to say. and
there is authority for the statement that
any reports purporting to give the hour or
day when this formidable fotilla of invasion
will start Is not only unwarranted but meets
with the most vigorous of condemnation
The administration feels that the time has
come when it is of utmost Importance that
the precise movements of the invading feet
should not be published in this country,
and thus heralded to the enemy
A GREAT FLEET.
The completeness with which the trans
port OF troops has been planned is shown
In the official list of transport vessels given
out at the War Department to-day OF
TINS list thirty-four large steamships, vary
Ing from 400 tons down to 600 tons. are ar
FLORIDA ports ready to carry our troops to
the point of invasion. There are some
fifteen other craft, including vessels suitable
Tor conveying fresh water, stores. etc. and
Tor lightering 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 feet
0f cf1x4a
make formidable marine procession. ex-
ceeding in magnitude the notable spectacle
of the naval review during the worlds fair
year.
The formation of the formidable convoy
fleet is due to the reports, more or less
indefinite, that Spanish ships were lurking
between Florida and Cuba with a view of
intercepting the troop transports The
Navy Department has not given serious
credit TO these reports. yet they were more
or less circumstantial. In order to avoid
the slightest possibility of dash by some
Spanish ships against the troop transports.
this new fleet of sixteen war ships was
determined upon. 1t is strong enough. both
In numbers of ships, and individual ships
and armament, to cope with any Spanish
war ships that might be at large in the
West Indies. and 1t entirely eliminates any
possible danger that might attend the trans
porting OF the army of invasion to Cuba
captain Taylor, who commands the In
diana, is available as commander of this
squadron, although it is not disclosed
definitely who will be its chief Commodore
Watson is with the blockading fleet off Ha-
vana and cannot we'll be spared from that
position, which will be maintained efficient
ly, Notwithstanding the drafts made to
create this large convoy squadron. Captain
Taylor is regarded as one of the most
judicious and capable officers in the service
and should the squadron command fall upon
him, 1t is felt that 1t will be in good hands.
The Indiana will probably be the flagship
or the convoy squadron. There probably
VIII ne pattle ships. but 1t is not deemed
advisable. for prudential reasons. to give
the run list OF the ships in exact detail The
Indiana Is now considered one of the most
formidable ships afioat, being regarded by
naval experts as superior as fighting ma
chine to the ships of the Terrible class in
the British navy. She has a displacement
OF lo,2S8 tons and has a main battery of
sixteen large guns. besides many smaller
rapid-hre and machine guns in her second
ary battery. Her largest guns are of the
thirteen-inch class, four in number, mount
ed In turFets, two forward and two aft
SUSPICIOUS CRAFT
The desirability of forming this fleet was
suggested by the information, coming
through official channels, that Spanish
ships had left Barcelona some DAYS ago
bound for Cuban waters. This information
came 10 the State Department 1t was to
the effect that the ships included three
Spanish war ships and one transport. The
Information was regarded as trustworthy.