The age-herald., 1898-06-10
SAMPSON HAS SUFFICIENT MEN To Capture Santiago Before Reg uIars Arrive m Scene.
 : MARINES oNksy. PANTHER
 S$9 Together With taIs Spare Sailors Could Eses ipturs tho City, RUMORS OF SPANISH VESSELS Off the Coast of Florida Have Alarmed
 the Army Officers. TRANSPORTS FULL OF SOLDIER Are Utterly Incapable of Coping With Warship of Any Description and
 Tears Are Felt For Their
 Safe Arrival.
Off the Coast of Florida Have Alarmed
 the Army Officers.
TRANSPORTS FULL OF SOLDIER

Washington, June 9-It became apparent this afternoon that the war department, through the energetic officers of it's cen- sors has succeeded entirely in it's purpose to keep the movements of the United States troops a secret, for beyond question, at the close of the day it was impossible to learn here where are the United States troops which had been for weeks under command of General Shafter in Florida.
 Stories of the appearance of a mysterious warship in Cuban waters floated through the navy department during the day, The officers quickly condemned them, declaring the belief that if the boats were Spanish they were nothing more than small armed launches, and not to be feared by any number of transports conveyed by sucn fine gunboats as the Helena and Bancroft But when these stories reached the war de- partment they were received with diff ferent spirit.
 Utterly Helpless
 Nothing is more helpless in warfare than an unarmed troop transport full Of SOL diers She would fall an easy victim to the smallest gunboat and the soldiers, knowing their weakness in this respect are loath to undertake to cross the Florida Straits until these dsagreeable visitors have been removed from the pathway. Without re- spect to the character of the strange craft that are said to be lodging the biockaders at Havana, they will be removed from the scene of action on short notice and it is un- derstood that Admiral Sampson had been made acquainted with the situation and will be expected to redeem his promise to pro- vide safe conduct to the army when called upon He has ample force to conduct the operations at Santiago to suecesstui is- sue and will spare vessels of any power desirable for use in the Florida Stralts.
 It was pointed ont today by a naval ofii- cer that the a m ral s Ice t e arr val or tee marine battalion of the Pantnei has at h!s disposal what he ay 1eSasd as a su = cent force | f m en to capture sa ilaSo even fore the oops arrvod Tha SJj marin of the Pan. tme a lded to the nes II ready with the fleet would make total of about 1,5J0 men, Without impa 1i1g t1e efficiency Of his sh ps, Admiia Samp5 Il could spare 10)O blue jackets for Ia 1ding party and W tn this to al force of 2,1)o men, if the insurgents who have been ar.fe y the Unite etat x CT me do fheir share, it seems poss ble for Sampson U capture Santiago at short rotice.
 Air of Expectation
 There seemed to be very decided air of expectation this afternoon among the ofh- cals who are acquainted with the gov ernments plan in the campaign that al most warranted a conclusion that an en- gagement of some kind was expected to- day.
 Steady progress is making upon the war ships under construction fJ the govern- ment at the several navy yards. On the the Newport News people arc ahead having the I<earsage and Kentucky 59 per cent advanced toward completion. and the Illinois 45 per cent. Cramp & Sons report the Alabama 53 per cent. along and the Union iron works have progressed SS per cent with the Wisconsin.