The record-union., 1898-06-15
War Department Preparing Force to
be Sent to Porto Rico.
Movements In That Line Made on Such Ex-
tensive Scale as to Lead to Supposi-
tion That an Attack Is Also to
be Made on Havana.

reference to the exact hour at which
the United States army left Florida for
Cuba, it may be safely said that before
the end Of the week General Shafter
will have landed with his Il, 700 United
States troops on Cuban soil, and that
the investment of Santiago by land will
have begun. There was some con-
fusion in the official mind here to-day
on the time of the departure of the
transports, though assurances were
given that they had all gotten away.
The confusion on this point is easily
accounted for by persons who know
anything of the difficulties of moving
simultaneously a numerous fleet COM
posed of vessels of all sizes and classes.
No less than three times, beginning
Sunday, was a definite hour selected
for the start, and the War Department
SO notified. Yet in each case some
untold obstacle was encountered that
required notification to the department
that a postponement had been forced.
Sailors say such delays are inevitable,
and that rarely does a fleet get off
by first intention. However. the de-
partment officials stated this afternoon
that they believed the last of the trans
ports had at last started for Cuba.
After all, the delay of a day or two
in the start is not calculated to make
any material difference in the plans,
and the only persons who will suffer
from jf will ha
camped on the tropical bay of Guantan-
amo, and obliged to maintain the great
est vigilance in repelling the BUSH
whacking Spanish irregulars who
swarm in the thickets
Having started the Santiago expedi-
ton, the War Department has now
concentrated all its energies on prep
aration for the force to be sent to Porto
Rico. Active movements in that line
have been made on a scale so ex-
tensive as to lead to the supposition
in some quarters that the attack is
to be directed upon Havana. but if this
is so there is no open indication of it,
The volunteers collected at Chat
tanooga. 1900 in number. are reach
ing degree of excellence, under the
magnificent management of General
Brooke, that would warrant the Gov
ernment in ordering them Immediately
into active service, but. unfortunately,
there is still a considerable lack of
equipment that will not permit of this.
General Merritt has brought the sec
ond installment of his force into read
iness, and sails for Manila tomorrow.
1t is believed that the advance guard,
the three transports which followed the
Charleston to Honolulu, met the cruiser
there and sailed in her company for
the Philippines about the beginning of
this month. In this case it is rea-
sonable to expect them to arrive at
Manila within a week.
The only bulletin posted at the Navy
Department from Sampson contained
the satisfactory news that an Amer
Jean naval officer, Lieutenant Victor
Blue of South Carolina, at the risk of
his life, had succeeded in encircling the
bay of Santiago and counting the
Spanish vessels therein, with the re-
suit of establishing the fact that al, OF
Cervera's fleet We're bottled up.
An unexpected complication has
arisen as to the right of Admiral Sarcp-
son at Santiago and Admiral Dewey at
Manila to use the cables which each
has secured, with a view to bringing
them into direct telegraphic communi-
cation with the authorities here. 1t IS
understood by officials here that Ad-
miral Dewey secured the shore end of
the cable from Manila to HongkonG
some time ago, and buoyed it with q
view to sending dispatches. nhe same
condition is understood to exist at
Santiago, where Admiral Sampson has
buoyed the shore end of the cable, with
a view to repairing and using it, But
no messages have been sent and the
question has arisen as to whether it is
allowable under the rules of neutrality.
for the French and British companies
owning these lines to permit Them TO
be used for strictly military purposes.
The companies control the points OK
exit, and are able to refuse to pass
dispatches along, that the holding
of the shore ends by Admirals Dewey
and Sampson does not permit them to