Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-05-31
Military Invasion of the Island
Has Begun.
LIKELY 10000 MEN GONE.
About Twenty-Five Ships Were In Readi-
ness to Transport Them.
THE DETAILS ARE KEPT QUIET.

Authorities DO Not Wish the Spanish to
Have Opportunity to Gather Forces to
Attack Our Soldiers as They Land.
Suspicion That the Starting Points Are
Tampa and Mobile, to Converge at Key
West, TO Move Under the Convoy of
warships Provided by Admiral Samp-
son-Four Separate Expeditions Likely
to BE Landed at Different Points-Ser-
vices of the Insurgents to BE Utilized.
WASHINGTON, May 31.-The military
invasion of Cuba has begun. At an
early hour the troops that have been
gathered at the gulf ports began to
break camp yesterday and march aboard
transports waiting to carry them to the
enemy's territory. About % of these
ships, the biggest and fastest that could
be obtained, suitable for the purpose,
had been gathered ready to receive the
troops. They accommodate about 3d.
900 men, for in short voyage like that
from one of the gulf ports to Cuba, it is
possible with safety and comfort, to
carry a much larger number of men
aboard ship than would be admissible
in the case of a cruise to the Philippines
for instance.
How many troops started; where
they took ship; where they are bound
are questions which the directing spir-
its OF the campaign refuse positively to
answer. They have no desire that the
Spanish should have opportunity af-
forded them to gather forces to attack
Il Ion1 ffx,n
nothing of the details of this first move
ment can be learned. There is sus-
picion that the start will be made from
Tampa and Mobile, and it is probable
that in such case the fleets of transports
will converge at Key West to move I'M
der the conveys of warships which Adj
miral Sampson has provided to insure
the safety of the troops during the pas
sage across the Florida straits to insure
them against attack at the hands of
some stray Spanish cruiser or gunboat.
1t is probable that there will be no
less than four separate military expedi-
tions, and that these will be landed at
four different points. Whether Porto
Rico is one of these points or not cannot
be learned. Before the entire force
which it is proposed to use in Cuba can
be landed the transports must make
four separate voyages across the straits.
Arrangements have been made to utilize
the services of the insurgents to the
largest possible extent The govern
ment already has sent expeditions to
large number of points on the island
and landed arms for the insurgents.
Most of the parties succeeded perfectly
In their object, and it was said at the
war department that sufficient num-
Der of the insurgents have been armed
to constitute very effective support for
the troops as they land.
A war conference was held at the
White House yesterday afternoon, be-
tween the president and his two war
secretaries, Alger and Long, and Major
General Miles, in command of the
army. Vice President Hobart, who &C
companied the president to Arlington
and returned with him to lunch, was
present part of the time, and Secre-
tary Day, who had just returned to
Washington, also dropped in during the
conference. After the entire situation,
naval and military, had been gone over,
Secretary Long retired, and Secretary
Alger and General Miles remained to
discuss more in detail the military oper-
ations now about to be put into execu-
ton as a result of the definite official
is securely held within Santiago harbor.
| Naturally those who participated in the
conference observed strict reticence re-
| garding it.
1t was stated, however, in an authori-
tative quarter, that the discussion had
covered the entire range of naval and
military operations, with particular
| view to the active movements about to
begin. General Miles brought with him
a memorandum showing the exact dis
| position of the military forces now con-
centrated at various points throughout
| the country, with the number of men
| at Tampa and other southern points
ready for embarkation. He also made
known that, Immediately following the
receipt of definite information as to the
presence of the Spanish feet at Santi-
ago, he had gone to the war department
and had issued Geographic orders put
ting the troops in motion and thus
starting the forward movement of the
military arm Of the service.
1t was said at the war department.
that chief reliance would be placed at
the outset on the United States regulars,
most of whom are conferred in Florida,
and in such volunteer regiments as were
thoroughly equipped and reasonably
we'll seasoned for service Although
the officials will not state how many
troops are available for active service, it
is estimated that there are about 10000
| regulars and $4,000 volunteers at
Tampa. These include II regiments of
regular infantry and Ia regiments of
volunteer infantry, II battalions of ar
tlllery and five regiments of regular
cavalry. The infantry force, regular