The record-union., 1898-05-26

ent. Just now the Adjutant- Generals
office is engaged in completing the en-
lstment of the 125,OOO volunteers un-
der the first call It will take some
time to complete this work, and not
until then will the real work of organ
izing the volunteers under the second
call begin.
Reports We're current to-day that
an army of invasion was about to start
for Cuba and Porto Rico. 1t was based
on the conjecture which has been cur
rent of late, but officials in authority
gave it no Endorsement, as it was mani
festly contrary to public policy to give
any advance information of such
move, even if it were contemplated.
The report that General Miles and his
staff would leave tonight was spe-
cifically denied, although it is probable
the commanding General will leave for
the South at an early day.
At the close of the day at the Navy
Department the situation as to the
fleets, both American and Spanish, was
precisely as it was this morning, the
only notable difference being an appar-
ent strengthening of the confidence Of
the officials in their belief that Ger
vera's squadron is lying in the Santiago
harbor. In this hope and belief the
Officials found great comfort, knowing
the abilities Of the American naval
commanders in Cuban waters to keep
the Spanish Admiral bottled in this
narrow neck harbor until he shall sur
render or be starved out. If Cervera is
actually at bay, the officials feel not
the slightest apprehension of any relief
coming to him from the outside in the
shape of another Spanish squadron
from Cadiz. The reason for this belief
is their unquestioned ability to hold
Cervera in check with only a few yes
sels-perhaps of monitors and torpedo
bOats-thus leaving the remainder of the
big armored fleet and q great number
Of unarmOred but serviceable craft to
take care of any reinforcements that
might attempt to come from Spain to
.Cervera's aid. The force that could be
spared for this service without endan-
gering the integrity of the blockade at
Havana or permitting the escape of
Cervera would be much larger than
the entire Spanish naval force now in
Spanish waters capable Of crossing the
Atlantic.
The news of the safe arrival of the
Oregon in American waters was a
source of unalloyed satisfaction to all
naval officers. Apprehension as to the
safety of the Oregon disappeared when
the vessel reached Barbados and re-
ported her arrival to the Navy Depart
ment, but there was always a chance
! that she might suffer from accident or
hostile attack in the short distance re-
naming on her homeward journey.
Within the past few weeks, or, in
| fact. ever since the determination was
reached to invade Cuba before the dry
season next fall, there has been pub
lished intimations that the delay or
what appeared to be the delay in Begin
ming the invasion, was attributed to the
navy. 1t can be stated on the highest
authority that the impression thus ere
ated is wholly unjust to the navy, and
without warrant in fact, and that there
never has been a moment, even when
| Simpsons forces We're at Porto Rico,
when the navy was not prepared on in
stant notice to aid the army in effect
| ing a landing in Cuba Nor, on the
! other hand, has the army been at fault
! in this matter. 1t was at first, as is
now we'll known, proposed to throw a
| small force of men or soldiers, about
| 10000, into Cuba Immediately and al
low the remainder of the army of oc-
| cupation to wait until next fall before
| going over. There were various rea-
sons for abandoning this plan, such as
the discovery of the insufficient sup
| port that could be rendered the first
| army by the insurgents; the fact that
was brought out with appalling force
! that to delay the campaign meant the
! absolute determination of the starving
reconcentrados, and there were besides
| international reasons for making haste.
! The second consideration caused com
| plete changes in the army plans, and
! that involved delay. To equip an army
| of 100000 men in thirty days and put
| them in condition to fight trained vet
| eran soldiers on their own soil was no
| small undertaking, so that, in the opin-
/ ion of some of the highest officers of
| the Administration, there is no reason
able ground for the criticism that
there is, or has been, undue delay
| in beginning the military campaign,
| either on the part of the army or navy.
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.