The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-06-16
Getting the Men Ashore Only a
Very Small Portion Of the
Z, Work.
Took a Week to Load the Expe.
dition, and Unloading Is
( Slower.
No Expectation That the Troops
Will Try to Garry Santiago
j by Assault.

NEW YORK, june ia special from
Washington to The Times says: A full
week has been used mp at Tampa in
getting the $1,000 men Of the Santiago
expedition afioat and presumably on
She way to their destination. War de-
partment people now talk with soma
concern about the handling Of this
force when it shall reach its Cuban
destination. At Tampa there was a
pier or piers, mp to which the ships
were tied while mon and baggage were
Pat aboard. A railway brought the
mon, baggage, guns. provisions, tents
and munitions to the ships sides. but
with all these advantages it has taken
= whole week TO get the expedition Off
a well informed army officer says the
southern coast Of Cuba is rough and
difficult of approach at most points,
and a good deal Of the time the water
Is too rough for comfortable landing
from vessels moored in the open road.
The men, horses, baggage and provi.
sions now on the transports must be
1ightered ashore unless the government
expects to take harpor well supplied
with terminal facilities, which is not
expected. To get the men ashore will
be simple matter, compared with the
difficulty Of landing animals and equip
ments.
latter we have heard about the land.
1ng of this expedition - said the officer,
sswe shall begin to understand why
General Miles was opposed to sending
cat 90. 600 -man a. once before the war
department was satisfied they had been
properly drilled, seasoned and disci-
plined. With 10000 to ship at Tampa
she confusion and delay would have
been increased 1t is inevitable that
there shall be some confusion at the
Cuban end Of the trip, and that confu-
sion would have been possibly tour
times greater with four times the mum.
Der of troops"
Not to Be Taken at Onca
There is no expectation that the land
forces will begin operations at once to
attempt to capture Santiago by assault
and then depend upon using the har-
Dor, after it had been counter mined
and the entrance cleared by blowing
mp the wreck of the Merrimac. The
undertaking is considered one of too
great dimensions to be accomplished in
short order. Indeed there are some
army men who look for prolonged
siege OF Santiago and many desperate
encounters between the troops of the
United States and Spain, before de-
cided result is reached Still the cap.
fure may be matter of shorter time
than is imagined by the war depart
ment people and much will depend. it
is admitted, upon the view obtained by
General Shafter after he has seen the
country and consulted with Admiral
Sampson. The first consultation may
destroy all the preconceived notions of
the sanguine and the anxious at the
war department. and at the White
House.
There is a stronger disposition now
than heretofore. to secure the co-opera-
sion of the insurgents at Santiago.
They have not yet made very deep
upon the army, but it is adj
united thoy may possess many quail.
ties to render them invaluable in en-.
gaging the Spanish forces while the
attack is being made by General
Shafter and Admiral Simpson.