The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-02

Washington, June For the FIRST time
since the beginning OF hostilIties there ap-
pears TO be something in the nature OF an
official statement OF the plan OF the cam
paiEn OF the United States government
This is contained In letter OF Secretary
Alger to the speaker Of the house trans
mitting certain recommendations and
statements OF General Ludlow, which dis
closed the purpose Of the war department
to send 10000 men to Cuba. 10000 TO start
al once and the remainder Just nc soon 60
they can be made ready for departure.
Then there was an estimate for estnb-
fishing electrical communication With the
army I'm Cuba. Porto Rico and the Philip
pine islands," showing for the frst tim3
officially an important movement hy the
government TO land troops in Porto Rico.
or course all these movements have
been anticipated by the press, hut never
thcless doubt existed and therefore an Off
cial statement OF the governments pur-
poses made even in this indirect fashion
created profound sensation here The
and the Philippines, aud pass into the
military occupation of the United States
troops
Inasmuch as the secretary says that the
second contingent OF troops Is TO 40 for
ward as soon as they can be prepared a
good deal OF interest is attached to nm o.
der that was made today at the war de-
pariment providing for the organization OF
the $4,000 additional volunteers callcl for
Tho order established the statement made
heretofore IN these dispatches that large
proportion OF the nav men are TO b. used
to I'LL up the existing regiments OF voiun-
teers' which are In most eases dsncieut In
numbers. II Is 10 ho presumed from today's
order tina, the volunteer regiments col
ieeted under the first call Will b. detained
until they are filled up In this fashion go
that the order has some bearing on the
plan OF campaign
me war department received a dspatcn
from General Brooke today in command Of
Inc forces In Chickamauga setting A, req,
the reports as TO inadequate food and
'Here Is no reason whatever for complaint
me naval officials have been consider.
aoly mystined throughout the day by the
reports OF an engagement OF Santiago. Al
the outset there was complete skept,eisu
ana disposition 10 treat the reported &C.
ton as myth, Gradually. as the day ad
yanced, the corroboratiye evidences, com
Ing from many quarters. including thoi,
from Madrid, left the officials TO conc q,
that some engagement had taken place
although they did not regard II as a esrl.
Gus one.
No bulletins were issued by the depart
ment during the day and at the close o
onice hours II was stated that no dis
patches from Commodore schley had btei
received during the day. There is reason 1
believe however. that the department re-
ceived indirect adylees through tho stat
department. positively not bearing out tn
detailed dispatches, but indicating tina
IN engagement OF some kind had occurre
at Santiago.
The impression obtained durns the a,
sernoon was that In execution of the gCi
tral instructions to all Jnited States nav
commanders on the Cuban coast to prcvei
the construction or Strengthening OF ba
tories BY tho spanlards, Commodore schle
observing work OF this kind going on
MORO Castle. had drawn his fleet up clc
enough to stop II 1t IS lot believed for ,
Instant that he made any attempt to mt