The San Francisco call., 1898-06-01

KEY WEST, May 31.-The steamer Florida returned at a. m. to-day from Cuba, having successfully landed a most important expedition on the isl and. The expedition was landed on the coast of Cuba on Thursday morn ing, May 26.
 When the Florida, escorted by the Os- ceola, drew up close to the shore at the place selected for landing, she sent scouts to see if all was clear. These scouts were greeted by Generals Feria and Rojas, with some 1500 armed fnsur- gents. Consequently, far from there being any hostile demonstration on the part of the Spaniards, the landing of the expedition was in the nature of triumphal invasion. The Cubans who were in waiting for the party had brass band and welcomed the newcom- CTS with national airs.
 The work of unloading the cargo of the Florida was promptly begun by the 432 men composing the expedition. There was nothing in the nature of in- terruption until the work was finished on Friday.
 While the cargo was being unloaded the Osceola, an auxiliary gunboat, with her guns ready for action, secuted about the vicinity, looking for the en- emy, but the Spaniards apparently had no suspicion of what was taking place. So easily was the dangerous mission accomplished that, while some mem bers of the party were getting the SUD- plies ashore, others were providing themselves with fruit sugar and other products of the landing place, a large stock of which was brought back to Key West
 Nevertheless, no precautionary meas ure was neglected, and the moment the work was concluded the Florida and the Osceola slipped away, leaving the insurgents to convey their reinforce ments into the interior, which, it is con- fidently expected, was done without any casualty.
 The returning members of the Flor ida party brought with them several hundred private letters, which, 1t Is understood, give complete insight into the present conditions prevailing in the bloclSaded island.
 The local colony Is elated over the as- tonishing success of the expedition.
 The Florida sailed on the night of May 21 Its men and the eolipuent constituted an expedi- ton able to operate independently and to defend itself against any body of Spanish troops which might oppose it. The expedition was under command of Colonel Jose Lacret, formerly insur- gent commander in MatanZas province. He assumed the direction of affairs on the landing of the expedition. Until then General Joaquin Castillo was in control.
 Until the landing of the expedition the United States army was represent ed by Captain J. A. Dorst, and Tomas Estrada Palma was represented by J. E. Cartaya, who has been landing agent of nearly every filibustering ex- petition for more than a year. Messrs. Castillo, Cartaya and Dorst will return to Key West. General Julio Sanguilly, on the way to report to General Go meg, was also on the boat.
 This is the most powerful anti-Span- ish expedition ever sent to Cuba About 300 of the men are Cubans; the others are Americans. The engineer corps of the expedition is composed entirely of Americans, under Aurelian Ladd.
 The men were dressed In canvas uni- forms furnished by the, United States Government, and the commissary de- partment had rations enough to last fifteen days after the landing. The pack train consisted of seventy-f1ve mules and twenty-five horses The ex- petition carried 1000 rifles and 2,O00 900 rounds of ammunition for General Cal iXto Garcia.
 The Red Cross relief steamer State of Texas, with provisions for the starv- ing Cubans, and which has been at an- chor in the harbor of Key West for three weeks, sailed for Cuba on May 21