The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-15
AT LAST They've STARTED FOR CUBA
By the End Week General shaer Will
900 Soldiers and the Investment Santiago Will Have
Begun n Earnest-Ths Right Use Cables

Washington. June 14.-without refer
ence to the exact hour at which the
United States army left Florida for
Cuba. IL may be safely said that be-
fore the end Of the week General Shaf-
ter will have landed with his Il. 900
United States troops on Cuban soil. and
that the investment OF Santiago by
land will have begun. There was some
confusion on the official mind here to-
day on the time OF the departure OF
the transports. though assurance was
given that they had all gotten away.
The confusion on this point Is easily
accounted for by persons who know
anything OF the difiiculties of moving
simultaneously q numerous fleet COM
posed OF vessels of all sizes and classes.
No less than three times. beginning
Sunday. was a definite hour selected
for the start and the war department
was so notified. Yet in each case some
untold obstacle was encountered that
required notification to the department
that postponement had been forced.
Sailors say such delays are inevitable
and that rarely does a feet get OF by
the first Intention. However. the de-
partment's officials stated to-day that
they believed the very last transports
had at last started for Cuba. After all.
the delay of a day or two in the start
is not calculated to make any material
persons who will suffer from IL will be
SIMPSONS marines. camped on the
tropical bay of Guantanamo and
obliged to maintain the greatest vigi-
lance In repelling the bushwhacking
Spanish irregulars who swarm in the
thickets.
Having started the Santiago expedi-
tion. the war department has now con-
centrated all its energies on the prepa-
ration OF the force to be sent tc Porto
Rico. Active movements In that line
have been made on a scale so extensive
as to lead to the supposition In some
quarters that the attack is to be di-
rected upon Havana. but II this is so
there Is no open indication of II. The
volunteers collected at Chattanooga,
$1,000 In number. are reaching a degree
OF excellence under the magnificent
management of General Brooke. that
would warrant the government in or
dering them Immediately to service,
but unfortunately there Is still a con-
siderable lack of equipment
General Merritt has brought the Sec
ond tnstallment of his force into read
mess and sails for Manila Tomorrow.
1t is believed that the advance guard.
tnS tHISC trdHspOTIS which IoliOWe0
the Charleston to Honolulu met the
cruiser there and sailed in her company
for the Philippines about the 18th of
this month. In this case II In reason
able to expect them to arrive at Manila
within a week.
The only bulletin posted at the navy
department from Sampson contained
the satisfactory news that an Ameris
car naval officer. Lieutenant Victor
Rlla M South
his life. had succeeded In encircIing
the bay of Santiago and counting the
Spanish vessels therein. with the result
of establishing the fact that all OF Ger
vera's fleet were bottled up.
An unexpected complication has
arisen as to the right OF Admiral
Sampson at Santiago and Admiral
Dewey at Manila. to use the cables
which each has secured with n view to
bringing them into direct telegraphic
communication with the authorities
here. II Is understood by officials here
that Admiral Dewey secured the shore
end OF the cable from Manila to Hong
Kong some time ago and buoyed IL
with view to sending dispatches.
The same condition is understood to
exist at Santiago, where Admiral
Sampson has buoyed the shore end of
the cable with a view to repairing and
using II. But no messages have been
sent and the question has arisen as to
whether II is allowable under the rules
OF neutrality for the French and Brit
ish companies owning these lines to
permit them to be used for strictly
military purposes.
The companies control the point of
exit and are able to refuse to pass dis
patches along. so that the holding of
the shore ends by Admiral Dewey and
Sampson does not permit them to carry
on communication. except through the
assent Of the companies. These are
private concerns. but they are bound to
observe the neutrality of their respec-
tive governments. There IL some. anx-
iety. therefore. as to the course of the
operators Of the French company at
Hayti when they receive MESA ges
from Admiral Sampson. Should they
refuse to handle them over neutral
lines. touching neutral territory, an in
ternational question may arise The
same condition exists as to the Manila
cable and the failure to receive dis
patches from Manila Is attributed to
the failure Of the British operators at
Hong Kong to take the messages II
was stated tonight that negotiations
are now progressing which give prom |
ise OF a satisfactory understanding
with the companies. and the forward |
Ing Of such messages as the American |
admirals send.