The times., 1898-06-13
The Many VeXatious Delays of
Gen. Shafter's Expedition.
10000 MEN TO INVADE CUBA
tiago VIII Be the Destinations
The Accident to the FIOrida-The
Dreaded Spanish Squadron Sight
ed or Conference.-The Cause of Tie
ing Up the Fleet.

on BparQ the ,OIYette, tampa Bay, June
1.-(Delayed in Transmission. )-After
Washington had started Gen. Shafter's ex-
pedition from Tampa several times had
pushed it out on the high seas and actu-
ally landed it in Cuba, the troops did make
start on Wednesday. June s. at 2:40 p.
M, but 1t was a false start. and the trans
ports in the lead were called back. It
was the climax to a long series of vexa-
tous delays and wearisome disappoint-
ments.
Orders had come from Washington to
get away at once and it was given out
at headquarters that the first transports
would steam down the bay at O'Clock
on Wednesday morning.
The big corps Of newspaper men receiv-
cd notice that If they did not go down TO
Fort Tampa on Gen. Shafter's special
train at 2:30 a. m. they would not be able
to get on board the Olivette. to which
Plant Line steamer they had been assign
ed. Nobody went to bed at the hotel
Day was dawning hot and MINDLESS. when
Shafter's belated special train came crawl
ing up.
The 2:3O train, which arrived at O'Clock.
FINALLY got off a 5, and Fort Tampa was
reached at $50.
The Olivette was lying two miles off in
the channel and from her deck an in
spring view of the fleet of transports
could be had. The Olivette was farthest
out in the stream. There were no SOL
dlers on board, but a boatload was ex-
pected at any time Next to the OIivette
laU yt-ith ha E-Tcrb VReri-
ment of regulars and one battalion of
the Second Massachusetts, volunteers.
Half a mile astern was the fleet of little
warships which were to convoy the trans
ports as far as Key West. II included
the gunboats Helena, Castine, Annapolis,
Newport, the scout boat Hornet and the
converted revenue cutter Morrill,. Then
at varying distances from the Plant pier
and without formation Were ranged the
other transports.
At 2.30 o'clock In the afternoon the
Castine at last fired the signal to start
and the Santiago began to move seaward,
followed by the Breakwater. But. after
all, II was a false start and there was
another, and this time a cruel disappoint-
ment for the army of invasion. The San
tiago and Breakwater had got a fine lead
on the rest Of the fleet, when there was a
! sudden commotion on the Castine and
| soon she set off after the disappearing
| transports as IL life and death depended
on her catching them. Five minutes la
| ter a tug ran UP alongside the Olivette.
and the announcement was made that the
| expedition had been indefinitely post
| poned, and that the Santiago and the
| Breakwater We're to be brought back.
| Nothing could be learned at headquarters
of the cause Of the postponement.
| The following morning the true reason
for the tieing up of the fleet of trans
ports came out. 1t was that a Spanish
| squadron had been sighted off Cardenas
and that it was deemed wise to hold the
| could be solved.
On her way in the Miami ran into the
| Florida and cut her down to the water
| line. The Florida having portfolios along
| her sides was one of the best transport
| ships in the fleet. The expedition, if it
should ever start, will thus lose the SER
| vices Of very desirable ship, as it will
| take month to repair the damage
| Following up the heels of the recall of
| the transports. Of which there were
| twenty-nine. came the determination to
increase the number of troops, and it is
| said that when the expedition starts
| finally it will comprise more than 10000
| men. The impression prevails that San
! tiago will be its destination, but nothing
| is definitely known here, as the men in
| charge of affairs have not given the
| faintest hint as to the War Department 5
| intentions.