The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-17
AN Army ALREADY In FLORIDA
OVER 10000 TROOPS CAN BE EN-
BARKED ON SHORT NOTICE.
War Department Now Striving to Sc
cure Thirty-Five Transports for
the Expedition to Porto Rico.

WASHINGTON, June 16.-In the way of
actual events there was little to record to-
day; nc word came from Sampson at San
tiago or from Dewey at Manila. This alb
| sence of affirmative news from the re-
spective seats of war gave rise to no ap-
prehenson The officials are resting secure
in the belief that the marines at Guam
tanamo can easily maintain themselves un-
til the troops arrive and the worst that
can be feared at Manila is not harm to
Dewey, but to the Spaniards in the city. The
officials of the War Department do not care
| to give out any specific information to
when General Shafter with his troops, will
land in Cuba, but from certain signs of
| restlessness exhibited by them, it is evil
| dent they would not be surprised to have
| some very important news within the next
| twenty-four hours thirty-sx hours. The
| naval officials are confident Sampson will
| have established cable connections within
| that time, so that news of the arrival of
| the American troop ships off Santiago
| should not be longer delayed than the time
| required for dispatch boat to make the
| run of forty miles eastward along the coast
| to the shores of Guantanamo harbor, where
| the cable will be working under the pro-
| lection of Colonel Huntington's marines.
| There was exhibition of feverish ac-
| tivity at the War Department to-day so
| pronounced as to attract attention even in
| these stirring times. 1t was apparent that
| renewed efforts were making to complete
! the equipment of the troops already gath
cred at the concentration points and that
| preparations in progress to move q
number of troops. So far however, it is
| stated that no orders have gone out for
| the actual movement and what has been
| and is being done in that direction is mere
| ly preparatory. Very likely definite action
! will follow conference which Secretary
| Alger and the President will have with
| General Miles when he arrives here to-
morrow from Tampa. The general is bet
| ter aware of the exact state of fitness of
| the troops at the Southern rendezvous
| points than any else and the Presi-
dent and Secretary Alger, in all probability,
will be bound by what he has to say in
| deciding on the further disposition of
! troops. III General Miles, as is thought to be
| probable, recommends a further concentra-
| tion of troops on the Southern seaboard
| the new camp at Fernandina Fla will be
made ready for the reception of the addi-
| tional troops. The officials have been fore
handed as to this camp, profting by the
the two great camps at Chickamauga and
Camp Alger
The War Department is fastening for
ward the preparations at Fernandina No
tees have been sent to the city authorities
as well as to army officials, directing them
to hurry the preparations 1t is said at the
War Department that the special board
which inspected Fernandna found the pro-
posed grounds suitable by natural condi-
tions and surroundings, that several thou
sand troops could be accommodated there
to-day If it were necessary to institute the
camp at once. The department calculates
that the grounds will accommodate twenty
thousand troops when all preparations are
completed. Secretary Alger's main purpose
IN sending the special board south was to
avoid repetition of former experiences of
having camps occupied before they were
fully prepared in the way of water supplv
tentng grounds trenches etc. While the
report of the board has not yet been for
mally presented to the secretary. and while
the report itself when made, will not rec
ommend Fernandina, as against all the 9TH
er cities examined, yet it has made known
to the secretary that Fernandina has
marked advantages for camping ground
and, without waiting for the report and
ordered the preparation of the camp grounds
there. In response to inquiries from con-
gressmen representing many other points
in the South the department officials said
to-day that this preparation at Fernandina
did not necessarily imply that Savannah
Charleston, Jacksonville and other points
inspected might not be utilized also for
camping grounds. The determination thus
far it was stated, was to get ready at Fer
nandina, and have at least one available
point thoroughly prepared within the next
few days.
The War Department will give no intima-
tion as TO how soon orders will be issued
for concentrating troops at Fernandina but
officials apparently take it for granted that
they will come very soon. now the camp
grounds are being put in readiness. 1t
doubtless will be the rendezvous for those
troops at Chicakamauga and elsewhere
which have been ordered to receive their
full equipment. The various preparations
have as their main object the departure Of
a large expedition to Porto Rico at an early
date 1t was confidently stated by high
officials within the last day or two that IL
was hoped the expedition could be so rushed
as to get it away within the next ten days
Whether the extensive preparations for the
moving of troops, the gathering of trans
ports, and the movement in detail can be
executed in this time, is open to doubt, al
though extraordinary exertion marks every
branch of the military service in advancing
the expedition to completion.
General Miles. commanding the army. ia
expected to return TO Washington some time
Ato-morrow. Some of the members of his
stan are booked to come back with him. but
several Of them may be left at Tampa for