Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-06-09
ARMY Of INVASION.
A Belief That Troops have Actually
Embarked at Tampa for Cuba.
The PRESIDENT TIRED OF DELAY.
Mr.. Mckinley Loses Patience with 80 Much
Bed Tape and Gives Hurry Up Orders
Gen Skaters Command Under
Way BY This Time

with the strong belief that there had
been nothing in the nature Of q serious
engagement between SIMPSONS force,
and the Spanish defenses at Santiago
the navy department officials as the
day wore on and the full detailed re-
ports Of the Associated press from it,
correspondents with the feet began
to flow in, were compelled TO modify
their view, and, when the day closed,
they we're about ready 10 admit that
though without official information
on the subject, 1t was evident that
Sampson had made a strong at.
tack upon the Spanish forces The
one point upon which they maintained
their confidence was that no troops had
been landed. They were prepared To
admit that Sampson might be clearing
the way with his big guns for the
landing Of troops, or that possibly,
some marines had been landed tempo
rarily, but that forces had been put
ashore they would not admit for the
reason that no information had
reached the war department Of the
actual departure Of the soldiers from
the gulf ports for Cuba
II Is not denied, however, that every
effort Is making to put troops into
Cuba at the earliest possible moment
and, 1t Is believed, although no official
advices to that effect were at hand,
that the troops we're actually embark
Ing OF Tampa yesterday and got away
at night The reason for this belief Is
found in the admission by officials that
the troops have been under orders to
embark for some time past The diff
Guilty that presented itself was the alb
sence OF absolutely necessary supplies,
which In most cases were stored away
In some OF the thousands of freight
cars which blocked the railroad track
many miles out from Tampa
By the newspaper reports Of the
breech Sampson has made In the coast
defenses there, there Is every reason
to believe that little difficulty will be
found In the actual debarkation Of the
troops, particularly II marines are al.
ready ashore to guard the landing. A
suspicion Is entertained In some quar-
ters that Sampson was fastened in his
movements at Santiago by the news Of
the intended departure Of the troops
from Tampa, and made this attack in
order that the navy alone might have
the honor Of effecting the first occupa-
ton Of Cuban soil. II is likely that
the first troops Of the regular army TO
take up position ashore will be the
engineer battalion, although they are
SO badly hampered with the heavy
siege guns they carry that they must
be greatly delayed in making land
Ing.
THE PRESIDENT TIRED OF DELAY.
WASHINGTON, June s.-Everything
indicates that general concentric
movement Is taking place to close the
meshes around the Spaniards in the
West Indies, with view to terminal
ting the war without further delay.
The initial act in this movement is the
heavy bombardment Of the fortified.
lions Of Santiago de Cuba, of which
the sinking Of the Merrimac was an
incident, and the fierce work of Mon.
day the continuance. Later dispatches
say that battle has been raging
there all yesterday and last night came
news from the war department that
troops will be transported at once.
This acceleratlon Is due to the per-
sonal efforts Of the president who has
lost patience with the red tape methods
which have delayed action so long. 1t
was on his personal orders that the
troops concentrated at Tampa we're
yesterday supplied from the congested
stores Of which they were in extreme
need, but which none Of the
officers In charge felt authorized
to touch. Forty-six transports
loaded with troops are supposed
to have left Tampa last night They
are carrying between $4,000 and $4,000
men and are bound for Santiago This
statement Is made on the authority Of
war department officials They add
that Secretary Alger has received a
telegram from Gen. Shafter that bis
command would be on transports and
under way last night or to-day. This
telegram IL is said, was read by
the secretary at the cabinet meeting
yesterday and gave great satisfaction
TO the president