New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-10
TOCONVOy CyBANTRANSPORTS
WITH THE SPANISH FLEET CONQUERED
ALL WOULD NOT BE SAFE
GurNBOATs IN CUBAN HARBORs 10 BE GUARDED
AGAINST ENGINEERS DRILLED WITH


entirely dependent on the naval engagement off
Porto Rico. that the interest in the preparations
for starting. is overshadowed by that in news
from the Even after Admiral Sampson has
defeated the Spanish fleet. every is
fdent ne will do It will be necessary 70 send at
least some gunboats from here convoy, for
although the ships from Cape Verd will have
been sunk or captured. there still in Cuban
harbors number Of small gunboats. which
must he looked after
One Of these even II she were only tug with
single gun. could play havoc with On unarmed
transport and kill scores OF men. It will there
fore be necessary 10 maint ain the blockade and
at the same time to provide conveys. There may
be some doubt $ to whether a sufficient number
Of warships are in the bockading squadron to
perform both duties Should there be too few.
1t will be necessary to wait for the return Of
some OF Admiral SIMPSONS fleet.
FITTING Up TRANSPORTS
Progress however. is to be reported In the
work Of fitting up the transports and making
them ready for the voyage. They have taken
on coal and a large quantity Of water; enough
in 10 last for trip across the ocean
Some arms and ammunition were to-day loaded
on the Gusse. and the Whitney is back from
Dry Tortugas whittier she took two companies OF
infantry The Decateur II. Miller has merely
the grated floor on the lower deck but other
boats have the box stalls up and the managers
erected; four animals to go IN each stall
It is likely that fifteen hundred horses and
mules will be taken. The artillery and cavalry
alone have nearly nine hundred. Little 1000
has as yet been put the boats. but much
of j.: has arrived and is stored In the warehouse
at Port Tampa or is still in cars. The army Is
10 take thirty days ratons with it,
Shipments OF arms and ammunition continue
heavy Long lines Of freight cars stand on the
track marked Explosives. handle with care.
or Powder. rush through" The instructions
10 the sentinels from the lst Infantry who are
ON duty in the freight yards tonight. are strin-
gent. challenge first. then fire over the man
head If he does stop the next time YOU
challenge shoot him dead; II it's 2 railroad man
we will explain afterward.' These were me
officers words and they were repeated by the
men to make sure that they had them right
DRILLING THE ENGINEERS.
Company r, Of the Engineer Battalion. had
little position drill this afternoon One OF the
collapsble canvas floats was rugged. and tho
mon were instructed in handling II. The Alamo
brought enough pontoon material 70 make
bridge 900 feet long. 1t is possible however
that instead of bridge. RATS VIII he used III
getting the troops cannon. horses and supplies
ashore Three Of fhe boats can be fastened TO-
gether planked over and then run between the
/ shore and the vessel by means or ropes
There is already considerable NUMBER OF VIs-
,.ors bera some from New-York and beyond
who have come merely 70 see the slehs heie'
! Usually they have cameras when 'hey use S.n
! stantly They express themselves dehgh'eu
One Of the things that interested them today
! was a cavalry drill IN the bay al Port tampa
! The water was up to the horses Slr'hs OF d
li,tIa dnerer vet the manpuvres were as accu-
rate as one would ordinarily see In New OF \
| riding academy What made the wheeling ana
r1f,,ar VA
oil tho non guided a riderless horse each. There
was also signalling to Picnic Island by nass ana
! heliograph.
Naturally the reports from Washington OF tho
mobilization of large armies here and their dis
patch TO Cuba after III" division now here goes
/ ready sent from here that the first detachment
| would merely effect a landing, and not march
/ toward Havana until heavily reinforced. Is con-
/ Armed on high authority to-day.
FIRST VESSEL WILL GO TO CUBA TO-DAY.
SHE WILL. CARRY OVER 5000 RIFLES. 200. 600
ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION AND PROVISIONS
Tampa Fla May 9-Ths steamer Gussie. OF
the Mallory Line. chartered by tho Government
for nae as n transport will sail for Cuba be-
fore morning loaded with arms ammunition
and supplies furnished by the United States
! Government for the Of the Cuban insur-
gents.
comnanv OF one hundred United States
.roons from the 1st Regiment Of infantry. Will
accompany tn. expedition and aid IN guarding
tho landing Of the valuable cargo. and VIII. II
necessary. penetrate into the interior far enough
70 place the supplies In the hands OF The insur-
yents The expedition will be in charge Of Cap
ta,r w u Dorst General Niles's aid. who has
lust returned from Cuba
The Gusse has on board between six thousand
and seven thousand Springfield rifles about two
b,,nd,ed thousand rounds Of ammunition. and
| saveral hundred boxes Of provisions. consisting
| nrincinallv Of canned meats and hard Jack
| rho utmost secrecy IL maintained regarding
| the uoint Of landing, but In view OF I aptalh
| Dorst's recent landing near Havana Where no
| communicated with the insurgeht eauei, , n,n-
! oral Degado. II is believed That the expenluoh
! will be headed for point not iar from havana
/ rho cussie had mounted on her Forward Geek
| to-day l-pounder rapid-hre gun IL IL under
/ stood however. that she VIII be met AT soin :.
point, not far from Key Wes'. ~ yum uia1oa az
| from the blOckadng squadron anu escoi'eu "
| the designated landng-pace l.-,. j..
| The Whitney, the sister ship or the 'ussle' J,
| &c intimated will follow the Gussie 70 CuDa az
| coon as arms ammunition and supplies can be
| loaded on her Before a week mas passed' ~ Is
! roIiaved that the insurgent leaders VIII nave
! heen furnished with arms enough lor al IedS'
| fifteen thousand men, ana win pasr ~ Ivy
| .'i,as es,a hfehed on the coast. a vigorous ca
nnairn against the Spanish forces VIII oe III
auXurated.
TO PROTECT HARBOR OFFENCES
-, ,r-r OF 4 BILL. SENT TO CONGRESS BY SEC
RErARY ADiER.
r,osh,reton Nav s-secrctary Aleer sent to Cor
- ,odav the draft OF bill FOR the protection
| -, tho harbor defences and fortihcatiohs OF 'n'
| oo,,rtrv recommending early acuoh inc ''' -
! ~,o1 Nv the War Department In We" Oh Inv e"'''
a., var the important interests % me uhiteo
I.fa he "A