The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-14
Time for S8Gr0Cu is Pa8t
The United States Regular Troops Make up the Greater
Part of the Force There Being but Three Voun-
teer Organizations on the ShpS--1he
War Departments Hurrying Pre-
parations for Second
Expedition.

mands and of which Theodore Roose
Welt is lieutenant colonel.
Whether either of these officers is with
the two squadrons named is not yet
known at the War Department.
Aside from the men and officers max
ing up the expedition, the boats carried
a vast quantity of supplies, ammunition
and war equipments, necessary to main
tain an organization of this size for at
least sixty days. Every detail for the
landing of this party has been worked
out by the engineer corps of the army
1t will be laborious process at best, and
will take full day or more. The point
of landing has been SO chosen that thereI
is little danger of an interruption from
the Spanish forces, but should they att
tempt to make trouble Admiral Samp-
sons ships will insure ample protection
until the troops can care for themselves.
The Spanish Cadiz feet is ut most asI
much of a mystery to the naval officers
here as was Admiral Ceryera's flying
squadron during the two weeks imme
diately preceding its inglorious bottlingI
mp nj Santiago. To-day report came
that the squadron was unfit for sea.
That would have been credited except
that the department has had information
as late as Saturday TO the effect that the
squadron was already at sea and was
about to depart. About Il week before
it had been told that the Cadiz fleet had
sailed Having in mind these conflict
ing reports the War Board scarcely
knows where to give credence and
thought it would seem to be an extraor,
binary circumstances that the least
doubt could exist ms t6 the presence
about the harbor of a popular city such
as Cadiz of whole squadron of war
ships However, the weight Of opinion
seems TO incline to the presence of the
feet at Cadz owing to the bad condition
of the ships. Ii is noted, however. that
although acting upon this belief, rs
shown by the beginning of the military
! invasion of Cuba, the War Board is
taking no unnecessary chances Of n sur
prise and by means Of scouts has pro-
vided for securing timely warming Of the
approach of any hostile vessels TO the
seat of war.
The news of the attack by the Span
iards upon the United States marines ut
Guantanamo bay Saturday night was
not confirmed by official advices mp TO
the close of the day here. However
there is no disposition to question the
accuracy of the press report. and the
news has had a rather SOLDERING effect
upon the element that has insisted upon
| rushing troops forward regardless of
their unpreparedness.
Saturday nights action shows that the
Spanish are not afraid to charge boldly
| upon United States troops and the pros
poets Of bushwhacking warfare dis
| .fo.oJ Ixr tho Cpaniol apn
ANYTHING but agreeable to the persons
who have been hoping for Il short cam
paign. A good deal of surprise is ex-
| pressed at the failure of the report to
mention any substantial aid received
from the insurgents by the United States
marines camped on Chest Hill. Rein
| forcements were sent from our own
| ships, but it does not appear
| in the reports that the marines had help
from the men best calculated from their
experience in jungle fighting to be of
/ service in an encounter with Spanish
| guerillas. Without any disparagement
of the fighting ability of the marines,
who appear to have acquitted them
selves with the greatest credit so far rs
concern their bravery and steadiness un-
der fire, the question has been raised in
the minds of the military experts, wheth-
or, failing in any substantial assistance
from the Cubans which were reported to
have been in the vicinity, trained In
dian fighters would not be Of more SER
vice in IA Cuban jungle campaign. Moth
ing so severely tasks the courage and en-
| durance Of troops as to be shot ut from
cover by an unseen~foe. and only troops
trained in our latest skirmish drill can
render effective service III such attacks.
The Navy Department has concluded
that it has purchased as many small YES
sells for the auxiliary fleet as it requires,
and an intimation to that effect was
conveyed to Admiral Erben, in charge
of that service to-day.
SECOND INVADING ARMY.