Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-26
LESS HURRY TO OCCUPY
Effect of the Entrance Of the Comal at a.
Cuban Port
Supplies May be Sent to the Starving
Troops May Not Be Sent Until
the Last of October.

Commander Eaton of the Resolute has
been given additional duty in connection
with the American military commission at
Havana. The exact need for this is not
known at the Navy Department. the order
having been made at the request, of the
commission but it is supposed that Admiral
sampson wishes to use the officer in max
ing examination of the Spanish naval
properties scattered among the various
Cuban ports outside of Havana. The naval
authorities are deeply concerned as to the
disposition of this property to be made
by the commission, and owing to it's pc
culiar status. being not captured. vet
actually subject to the disposal of the COM
mission, it is not easy for them to foresee
the outcome of the commissions deIibera-
tions on this point.
Ihe Agreement Regarding the Comal
Nothing has been heard from the COM
mission itself since the cablegram of YES
terday relative to the Comai. The authori-
ties here feel that by eonsenting to the
entry of the vessel with food supplies the
Spanish officials in large measure rfdded
the question of evacuation of the urgency
that attached to it. AS long as the Cubans,
starving and naked, were denied the relief
that might come to them from the Unite
states government and the Red Cross
there was powerful reason for insisting
upon the immediate evacuation of Cuba
by the Spanish government officials, in
order that. taking possession ourselves, we
might succor the distressed Cubans
Now, however, that our government is
free to do this under existing conditions
there is not the same necessity for haste
and the War Department will not be obliged
to force American troops in numbers into
cuba in the very worst part of the season.
as far as health conditions are concerned.
Compromise on Date of Occupation.
The daily reports that come to the depart
ment from Santiago make 1t appear that
even among the immune regiments made
up as some of them are of negroes, sup
posed to be almost exempt from attacks of
climatic fevers, much sickness prevails, and
1t IS only fair assumption that the or
dinary troops would suffer more were they
now sent into Cuba. Therefore, while the
American and Spanish commissioners at
Havana are still seeking to reach an agree
ment as to the time to be allowed for evac-
uat1ng the island. it may be said that the
President expects that the result viii be
compromise between the dates mentioned
on each side, and that the movement will
begin toward the latter part of October and
be conclude9 soon after New Year This
Will accord very well with the plans of the
War Department, 1t will enable 1t to
avoid sending to Cuba any considerable
number OF soldiers until the healthy season
is well under way
1t is the present purpose to make the re-
placement of the Spanish forces in detail.
not sending over any large expedition but
establishing garrison at one point after
another, beginning probably at the western
end of the island The authorities have
reached the conclusion, in view of the
spirit shown by the Cubans as reported to
1t, that it will not be necessary to have
nearly so large force to garrison the ISL
ana as was at first anticipated, and it Is
thought now that no more than % 600 men
will be required.