The record-union., 1898-06-09
INVASION OF ISLANDS.
OHcials Decline to. Say Whether
Troops Have Sailed.

WASHINGTON, June S.-Secretary
Alger this morning positively declined
TO say whether or not the United States
troops had sailed yet from Tampa for
Cuba. He held that Notwithstanding
the bottling of the Spanish squadron in
Santiago, there are still sufficient good
reasons why every precaution should
be made to prevent the Spanish from
obtaining information as to the depar-
ture of our troops, the point selected
for their departure and the strength of
the expedition. He was a good deal
annoyed at the attempt of some of the
newspapers to indicate the very point
selected for landing the troops and
siege guns in the neighborhood of San
tiago de Cuba. If it were true that the
department had selected a place where
there is strong wharf upon which the
vessels may discharge the heavy siege
trains directly, the publication of that
fact, if authenticated, might very nat
urally lead the Spaniards to destroy
that particular place, and thus seriously
hamper the operations of the troops.
Careful inquiry at other places in
the War Department where informa-
ton as to the movements of troops
might naturally be expected developed
from the departure Of the military ex-
pedition from Tampa. AS the troops
are under orders to go to sea just as
soon as they can be made ready, with
out further direction from the depart
ffiment, it was deemed possible that
they will get off some time during the
day.
No further word from Admiral Samp-
at ri
ment. The bulletin made public at the
department last night in confirmation
of press reports of the attack upon San
tiago last Monday is believed to be
merely skeleton statement of Admiral
SIMPSONS telegram, which, it is sur
missed. contained a good deal more in
formation than it was deemed prudent
10 make public. OF course, to protect
the naval cipher the matter published
was a paraphrase, and it was said al
that department this morning that the
term used in the bulletin ''silenced the
works without injury of any kind was
based upon a statement in the original
dispatch broad enough to indicate that
the ships had sustained no injuries, and
that there had been no casualties
among the personnel of the American
fleet.
Naval officers to-day expressed the
belief that about all of the force landed
Monday from Simpsons fleet were ma
rines, and that their purpose was not
SO much to take military possession of
the landing, as, perhaps, to spike some
guns and destroy some batteries that
might have been reoccupied by the
Spaniards to advantage after the re-
tirement Of the American fleet after the
action.
One object of Admiral Simpsons at
tack which has escaped general obser-
walton. though exceedingly important,
was pointed out at the Navy Depart
ment This was to prevent the Span
iards from making a successful attempt
to remove the obstruction of the chan
mel caused by the wreck of the Merri
mac. Having silenced the forts at the
entrance Of the harbor, which, while
effective, obliged the American fleet to
lie many miles out at sea to keep out
of range Of their guns, Sampson will
now be able to place one or more of
his ships close to the mouth of the
bottle, where ii will lie in comparative
safety, and yet be able to command
easily with his guns the wreck of the
Merrimac.