The Holly chieftain., 1898-05-06
The INVASION OF CUBA.
Secretary Long and Gen. Miles
Think the Time Is Not Opportune
to Send Troops to Cuba.
MORE PRIZES CAUGHT BY OUR FLEET.
portant Capsure- Msii Matter ON Board
from the spAni.h Government to Capt
Gen. Bianco-Ihe United states Aiding
tubsns to Join Gomex's Forces

WASHINGTON. May i-An important
conference regarding the Cuban oper.
ationa occupied considerable part OF
Yesterday afternoon at the white
house The president, Secretaries
Alger and Long aud Gen. Miles talked
over the propriety of postponing the
expedition from Port Tampa The
secretary of the navy and the general
of the army were against the expedi
tion at this time. The secretary of
the navy urged that no troops ought
to be sent to Cuba until after it is
known what had become of the
Spanish feet which started west
ward from Cape Verde islands. Secre-
tary Alger was strongly of the opinion
that the expedition ought to start
Wednesday. as had been planned. He
urged that the blow ought to be struck
as quickly as possible after the Manila
defeat. He argued that the effect
would be much greater on the island
than if it was DELAYED until the shock
had passed away. In short. the secre.
tary was ysry plain in declaring his
opinion that the thing to do was to go
in and malie speedy finish of the Gu
ban situation. But he was in the mi.
nority. Gen. Miles supported the posi-.
ton of Secretary Long. He thought
the time was not opportune to send
Americaa troops to Cuba.
More Prizes Caught by Our Fleet.
KEY WEsT, Fla. May A.-The United
States gunboat Castine, Commander
Berry, btonght in this morning small
prize, thu two masted schooner Antonio
y Paco, having on board a cargo of fish.
The Pacp was captured off Mariel yes
terday, while bound for Havana On
ly one flank shot was necessary tc
cause III little craft to heave to and
she was towed in here. The United
States ctuiser Marblehead, Command
err i. II. McCalla, has not arrived
here WITH the big Spanish steamer
Argonauta, captured by the Nash
vile, and having on board, besides
some Spanish army officers and AS pas.
sengers, q large amount of mail mat
ter from the Spanish government, in
tended for Capt Gen. Blanco and other
Spanish officials in Cuba. The Argonau-
Ia is regarded as being one of the
most important captures since the out.
break of hostilities. The mail matter
especially is considered likely to prove
valuable to the United States. govern
ment. She also had on board large
cargo OF arms and ammunition intend
ed for tn. Spanish troops.
Aiding Cuban Expeditions.
WASHINGTON. May 4.-Gonzalo de
Quesada and Richardo Diaz Albertin
had another important conference
with Gen. Miles Yesterday and were
much rejoiced over the result They
received extended authority to organ
ize expeditions of Cubans in this coun-
try to start for Cuba and join Co
mezs force4- The United States
government has even gone so far
in its assistance of this movement
under the auspices of the Cuban
iunta as to furnish money to defray
the fare of the Cubans who want to go
to the war from where they are to
Tampa, from which point transports
will be furnish to carry them to Cuba
Senors Quesada and Albertin stated
after the conference that under the
encouragement furnished by the
United States government he had no
doubt that large parties of Cubans
would be organized and armed in this
country to take the field with Gomez
and Garcia