Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-05-12
A Company Of United States Troops
Leaves Tampa for Cuba.
BIG TRANSPORTS Being FITTED Up.
Several Spanish vessels Captured on hA'
vana and Taken to Key W1st-Repoets
Of En- counters with the Enemy's
WarshipA Uac0n frmed.

=
day, loaded with arms, ammunition
and supplies furnished by the United
States government for the use OF the
Cuban insurgents A company Of 100
United States troops from the First
regiment Of infantry will accompany
the expedition and aid In guarding the
landing Of the valuable cargo, and will,
Unnecessary, penetrate into the interior
far enough to place the supplies
in the hands Of the insurgents. The
expedition will be in charge OF Capt.
W. II. Dorst, Gen. Miles aide, who has
Just returned from Cuba. The Gussie
has on board between 5000 and 1000
Springfield rifles, about 200, 900 rounds
Of ammunition and several hundred
boxes Of provisions, consisting prin'
cipally OF canned meats and bareback.
The utmost secrecy is maintained re-
garding the point Of landing, but
in view Of Capt. Dorst's recent
landing near Havana, where he
communicated with the lnsur'
gent leader Gen. Deigado' IL is
believed that the expedition will be
headed for point not far from ma
vana The Gussie had mounted on ner
forward deck yesterday one'pounoer
rapid'tre gun ~ Is unaers'ooo' now.
ever, that she VIII DC met ~ some POM
not TOR from Key west oy a gunooa'
from the blockading squadron ana es'
corted to the Designated isnainR place;
1t is intimated that the whitney Will
follow the Gussie to Cuoa IS soon as
her arms ammunition ana supplies can
be loaded Before q week mas passed.
1t Is believed that the insurgent ieao'
ers Will nave oeen ldrn'sneo WIN
arms enough Tor at least lo'ooo men
and, with . base OF supplies estao-
llsned on the COAST . vigorous CAM
paign against the Spanish forces Will pc
inaugurated. Maj. Gen. James +.
Wade is now In command OF the army
Of invasion, by his right as senior ofii'
Ger, displacing Maj Gen. ". K. Shat
ter, heretofore in command. Orders
TO this effect were received from Wash
ington last night Large amounts OF
powder and projectiles for the block
aiding squadron are now arriving here.
Hundreds OF carpenters are at work
fitting up the big transports. 1t is be-
lieved now that all OF the boats here
will be in readiness for Loading by
Wednesday night. The engineer corps
yesterday were drilled 10 the use OF
the big canvas pontoons, which are a
part of their equipment In the capa.
cious hold Of the Alamo are stored
enough of these pontoons to form a
bridge several hundred feet In length.
They will be carried with the expedi'
ton.
KEY WEST RUMoRs'
KEY WEST, Fla, May H. -Ihe span
ish fishing smack santiago Apostal
was captured BY the gunooat May
flower of Havana and brought IN oy q
prize crew Yesterday afternoon. she
was bound from Yucatan Tor Havana
with cargo OF fish and q crew OF ten
men. She was rounded up with one
blank shot This was the only Incl
dent OF the day, which was largely
devoted to the circulation OF alarming
rumors OF the sinking OF American
ships off the Cuban coast upto night
fall nothing approaching definite
evidence OF the blockading fleet had
reached here. The story hourishing
at that hour was that heavy firing had
been heard of Havana This was
brought in by small boats, and was as
much in need OF veriAcation as the
others. Naval men here, however, In.
cline to the belief that the Spanish
batteries on the north coast will seize
every chance TO fire on American ships,
and would not be surprised TO hear at
any moment Of battle at or off Ha-
vana Intelligence OF Rear Admiral
SIMPSONS squadron was also
eagerly looked for II Is be-
lieved that 1t has already reached
its destination and that news
Of an engagement should soon arrive.
Three separate reports Of engagements
Of United States warships reached