The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-14
OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED.
Authorities Admit tLe Departure Of
Es4ax. Santiago Invaders. .ss1.a.
WILL BE LANDED ON THURSDAY.
The Expedition Carries Supplies, Ann
munition and War Equipments Suf-
For Sixty Days.

VI INV W SuDd 10 lo" "Gil itS
way. 80 transport steamships bearing
over $4,000 officers and men. conveyed
by battieships, cruisers, gunboats and
auxiliary cruisers. 16 In number, hav-
Ing actually sailed from Key West at
daybreak yesterday morning. An au-
thoritative statement to this effect was
made at the war department, setting
at rest all reports that the expedition
was on its way, or had landed last
week.
The autho1ities made the announce
ment for the reason that the time for
secrecy was now past. as the scout
boats had made sure that the path was
, clear before 1t and that no possible
menace could come from tho Spanish
ships or troops. even should the enemy
know that our forces We're now advance
ing against them. With the expedi-
tion . officials here feel that there
will be a period of comparative inaction
for few days.
By Thursday.,at the latest the trans
ports will be off Santiago. and large
American army will make its landing
on Cuban soil. Admiral Sampson has
cleared the way for this undertaking,
and little danger Is apprehended in get
ting ashore. 1t will be after that, when
the advance is made. that the actual
dramatic developments may. be ex-
pected. By t&at time it is likely the
American commanders will be in di-
rect cable communication with the au-
thorities here. Admiral Sampson has
taken the shore end of the cable land
ing at Guantanamo, and a force Of
cable experts are rapidly restoring the
line to working order. The progress of
this work has been so satisfactory that
one of the leading officials of the state
department said last night that 1t was
hoped that direct cable communication
would be established by Thursday. 1t
will put an end to the dearth of official
information concerning important
movements, and will enable the au-
thorties to keep in close touch with
those executing the strategic move.
ments.
Aside from the men and officers maxi
ins, up the expedition, the boats carried
a vast quantity Of supplies, ammuni-
tion and war equipments. necessary
to maintain an organization of this size
for at least 50 days.
Every detail for the landing Of the
party has been worked out by the
engineer corps Of the army. 1t VIII
be a laborious process at best, and 1t
will take full day or moro. The point
of landing has been so chosen that
there Is little danger of an interruption
from the Spanish forces, but should
ott IN 10 al
SIMPSONS ships will insure ample pro-
lection until the troops can care for
themselves.
The Spanish Cadiz fleet Is almost as
much Of a mystery to the naval officers
here as was Admiral Cervera's flying
squadron during the two weeks i'm
medately preceding its inglorious bot
tling up at Santiago. Yesterday re-
port came that the squadron was unfit
for sea. That would have been credit
ed, except that the department has had
INFORMATION as late as Saturday to the
effect that the squadron was all ready
for sea and was about TO depart. About
a week before that it had been told
that the Cadiz fleet had sailed. Having
in mind these conflicting reports. the
give credence. though it would seem
to be an extraordinary circumstance
that the least doubt could exist as to
the presence in or absence from the
harbor of populous city such as Cadiz
of whole squadron Of warships. How
ever. the weight Of opinion seems to
incline to the presence of the fleet at
CadiZ, owing to the bad condition OF
the ships. But the war board is TAX
ing no unnecessary chances of a sur
prise, and by means Of scouts has pro-
vided for securing timely warning of
the approach of any hostile ship.
The news of the attack by the Span
iards upon the United States marines
at Guantanamo bay Saturday night
was not confirmed by official advces
up to the close of the day. However,
there is no disposition to question the
accuracy of the press report and the
news has had rather a SOLDERING eff
feet 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 prospects
of a bushwhacking warfare disclosed by
the Spanish movements are anything
but agreeable to the persons who have
been hoping for short campaign. A
good deal of surprise is expressed at
the failure of the report to mention any
substantial aid received from the insur-
gents by the United States marines
campcd on Crest hill. Renforcements
were sent from our own ships. but it
does not appear in the reports that the
marines had 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 Encouragement to the
fighting ability of the marines. who ap-
pear to have acquitted themselves with
the greatest credit so far as concerns
their bravery and steadiness under fire,
the question has been raised in the
minds of the military experts whether,
failing in any substantial assistance
from the Ctbans, who were reported
to have been so numerous in the vicin-
ity, western soldiers trained in Indian
fighting would not be of more service
in a Cuban jungle campaign. Nothing
so severely tasks the courage and en-
durance Of troops as to be shot at
from cover by an unseen foe, and only
troops trained in our latest sltirmish
drill can render effective service in such
attacks.
VIII Decide Fate of Mellne'S Ministry |
Paris, June 4.-In the chamber of |
deputies yesterday NJ. Millerand, the |
l,n ...I.a
treme radicals. opened an attack on the |
domestic policy Of the government. The |
debate will decide the fate of the Me- |
limo ministry vnfo 10 oyrantoI tbia