The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-16
WILL BE NO CHILD'S PLAY.
Landing of Troops and Equipments Is
Difficult Undertaking.

DnueFTak1nE.
NEW YORK, June IA special from
Washington to the Times says: "A full
week was used up at Tampa in getting the
1900 men of the Santiago expedi-
ton afoat and on the way to
their destination. War Department
people now talk with some concern
about the handling of this force when it
shall reach it's Cuban destination. At Tam
pa there was a pier or piers, up to which
the ships were tied while men and baggage
were put aboard. A railroad brought the
men, baggage, guns, provisions, tents and
ammunition to the side of the ship, but
with all these advantages it took whole
week to get the expedition off,
"A very well-nformed army officer says
that 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 YES
sells moored in the open road. The men,
horses. baggage and provisions now on the
transports must be lightered ashore unless
the government expects to take a harbor
we'll supplied with terminal facilities which
IS not expected. To get the men ashore will
ne simple matter, compared with the diff
ncGlty Of landing animals and heavy equip
ments. 1t Will not be a summer afternoon
matter, said the officer. The troops will
be landed under cover of the guns of the
nghttng ships If a hostile reception is ac-
corded them Their first business will be
to secure themselves against attack Then
the landing of their equipments will follow,
and II is bound TO be a tedious matter as
II will be done by the aid of lighters. 1t
is probable that it will take not less than
three weeks to land the expedition that was
loaded on ship board in a week. After we
have heard about the landing of the eXpedi-
ton we shall begin to understand why GEN
Miles was opposed to sending out 60 100 men
at once before the War Department was
satisfied that they had been properly drilled
seasoned and disciplined With $4,000 men
TO ship at Tampa, the 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 confusion
would have been possibly four times great
er with four times the number of troops
IF 1t is definitely known whether Gen
eral Shafter will land his forces in Guanta-
namo bay, the War Department does not
communicate the information. 1t is Sug-
gested that the landing place may be much
nearer to Santiago. The distance from
Guantanamo to Santiago, which is some
thing like thirty miles, is prodigious one
to be overcome by marching in a mountain
GUS country without roads. The transports
will be at hand, however if it is determined
to use Guantanamo as a base. and move
ment of the troops could be made in few
days, barring the delays that have been
found to be incidental to loading and I'M
loading. A movement at Caimanera to send
10000 or 1000 men toward Santiago would
II Is estimated, give the Spaniards at San
tiago about a weeks notice to prepare for
an assault.
There is no expectation that the land
forces will begin operations at once to at
tempt to capture Santiago by assault and
then to depend upon using the harbor after
1t has been countermined and the entrance
cleared by blowing up the wreck of the Mer-
rimac. The undertaking is considered one
of too great dimensions to be accomplished
in short order Indeed. there are some army
men who look for a prolonged siege at San
tiago and many desperate encounters be-
tween the troops of the United States and
Spain before a decided result is reported
Still the capture may be a matter of briefer
time than is imagined by the War Depart
ment people, and much will depend, it is
admitted. the view obtained by Gen.
Shafter after he has seen the country and
consulted with Admiral Sampson. That
first consultation may destroy all the pre-
conceived notions of the sangune and the
anxious at the War Department and the
White House. There is a stronger dispo-
sition now than heretofore to obtain the CO.
operation of the insurgents at Santiago.
They have not yet made a very deep i'm
preston on the army, but it is admitted
that they may possess many qualifications
to render them invaluable allies in occupy
ing the Spanish forces while the attack is
being made by General Shafter and Admiral
Sampson.