The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-31
INVASION Has BEGUN.
Troops Began Embarking on Trans
ports Early Monday Morning.

pOENS FIHEkE nOMOut uOFhhu@.
WASHINGTON, May SO--The military
invasion of Cuba has begun. Unless the orr
ders of the War Department miscarried at
an early hour this morning the troops that
have been gathered at the gulf ports began
to break camp and march aboard transports
waiting to carry them to the enemy's terri
tory. About twenty-five of these ships, the
biggest and fastest that could be obtained
suitable for the purpose, had been gathered
ready to receive the troops. They will ac-
commodate about thirty thousand men, for.
in a short voyage like that from one of the
gulf ports to Cuba, it is possible. with
safety and comfort, to carry a much larger
number of men aboard ship than would be
admissible in the case of a cruise to the
Philippines. for instance. How many troops
started this morning, where they took ships,
where they bound, questions which
the directing spirits of the campaign refuse
positively to answer They have desire
that the Spanish should have opportunity
afforded them to gather forces to attack our
soldiers as they land. Therefore, nothing of
the details of this first movement can be
learned There is suspicion that the start
will be made from Tampa and Mobile. and
it is probable that in such case the fleets
of transports will converge at Key West
to pass under the convoy of the war ships
which Admiral Sampson has provided to
insure the safety of the troops during the
passage across the Florida straits and
against attack at the hands of some stray
Spanish cruiser or gunboat
1t is probable that there will be no less
than four separate military expeditions, and
that these will be landed at four different
points. Whether Porto Rico is one of the
points or not cannot be learned. Before the
entire force which it is proposed to use in
Cuba can be landed the transports must
make four separate voyages across the
straits. Arrangements have been made to
utilize the services of the insurgents to the
largest possible extent. The government
already has sent expeditions to large num-
ber of points on the island and landed arms
for the insurgents. Most of the parties suc-
ceeded perfectly in their object and it was
said at the War Department to-day that a
sufficient number of the insurgents have
been armed to constitute very effective
support for the troops as they land.
A war conference was held at the White
House at 5 o'clock this afternoon between
the President and his two war secretaries
Alger and Long, and Major General Miles.
In command of the army. Vice President
Hobart who accompanied the President 10
Arlington and returned with him to lunch.
was present part of the time and Secre-
tary Day, who had just returned to Wash
ington. also dropped in during the confer
ence. After the entire situation naval and
military, had been gone over, Secretary
Long retired. and Secretary Alger and Gen.
Miles remained to discuss more in detail the
military operations now about to be put q
into execution as a result OF the definite
official information that the Spanish SQUAD
son is securely held within Santiago de
Cuba harbor
Naturally those who participated in the
conference observed strict reticence regard