The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-11
TROOPS HAVEN'T LEFT TAMPA.
GOVERNMENT WAITING TO RALLY
A CONVOY FLEET.

Fifty Transports nnd Sixteen War
ships to Make Up the Modern Ar
madn-Governmen Determined the
TroOp Ships Shall BE Well Protect
ed Against PrOvvIing Spanish Mem
of-War-Guantanamo Bay Admira-
bly, suited for Landing Purposes.
washington, June 1O.-Out of the maze
of doubt and contradiction as to the dis
patch of the first army of invasion to cuba
one thing stands out clearly, namely, that
the government, feeling strong in its pres
ent position and plan, Is moving cautiously
and with the deliberation which it be-
ueves will secure success unattended with
disasters.
With this main purpose in view the army
and navy are cooperating toward the dis
match of the troops, some 25, 900 in number,
under escort Of a strong feet of naval con-
VOWS made up Of sixteen warships, headed
by the battleship Indiana.
Unattended by the strong fleet the troops
might have left last Friday when strong
naval convoy was ready for this service.
Since then, however, reports have come as
to the presence of Spanish ships in the
North Atlantic. Realizing that nothing
was to be gained by haste. and that the
war was progressing steadily forward. it
was determined not to take even the small
chance of having our troop transports
menaced by some scouting ship of the en-
emy.
AS a result the troop transports have
not proceeded to Cuba either yesterday or
the day before as has been repeatedly as
sertd.
They are in readiness to CO. but viii not
move until the naval convoy is ready, thus
assuring safe conduct from Florida to
whatever point they desire to land.
Whether that will be to-day or to-mor-
row the war department positively de-
clnes to say.
The administration feels that the time
has come when it is of the utmost inn
portance that the precise movements of
this invading fleet should not be pub
ilshed in this country and thus heralded
to the enemy.
The completeness with which the trans
ports of troops has been planned is shown
in the official list of transport vessels
given out at the war department to-day.
OF this list thirty-four large steamships,
varying from 4,lVV tons Gown 10 OOV lolS'
are at Florida ports ready to carry our
troops to the point of invasion. There are
some fifteen other craft, including vessels
suitable for carrying fresh water, stores,
etc, and for lighterlng the troops and
stores from the ships to the beach when
the debarkation begins. The entire trans
port fleet Of about fifty steamships, aug
mented by the fleet of naval conveys, six
teen in number, will make a formidable
marine professions, exceeding in magni-
tude the notable spectacle of the naval re-
view during the worlds fair year
The first official confirmation of the en-
gagement a Guantanamo last Tuesday
came to the navy department to-day and
was made the subject of a bulletin.
The terms in which Admirable Sampson
described the affair tended strongly to
take away the importance that had been
given it in the unofficial dispatches.
There was a notable failure on the part
OF the admiral TO mention anything like
a landing, although the statement that
the Marblehead now holds the lower bay
by implication may carry with 1t the idea
that her marines are ashore
Elderly Daval officers who have been in
Guantanamo bay describe 1t as admirably
suited for the reception of transports, with
plenty of water for the biggest of the
transports, and enough for the smaller
class OF warships that might be used to
convoy them.
The locality is one that would make a
good base for operations against Santiago
itself, should 1t be decided to attack the
latter with the troops from the rear in
stead of by the warships.
The statement coming from San Fran
cisco to the effect that the real object
OF the Charleston's voyage was the selz-
ure of the Spanish Ladrone Islands has
small basis of truth in it,
When 1t was decided to send the monitors
monterey and MOnadnock clear across the
Pacific from Mare Island to Manila, 1t was
known that this could not be done with
out sending along GOLFERS, because of the
insufficient coal supply of the monitors.
1t was not deemed practicable to tow the
big ronclads the 1900 miles of the voyage
mat would have 10 be traversed by them
without COAL so it became necessary to
md places in the Pacific where they could
replenish their bunl1ers. A study of the
charts showed that there were several
groups of Islands lying between Hawaii
and the Philippines which might afford
harbor In which the colllers could lay
alonsde the monitors and fill up their coal
bunkers
The officials do not deem it prudent to
name the particular islands chosen for the
purpose, but it is obvious, being barred by
neutrality laws from the possession of neu-
tral countries the first recourse of the
navy department would be to some of the
spanish islands, such as the Ladrones or
Carolines.
therefore II Is assumed that If the
Charleston really goes to one OF the for
mer islands 1t will be with the purpose
OF securing in advance suitable harbor
Tor the use of the monitors
very substantial evidence of self ea-
cuhce for the sake of their country Is
AFFORDED by the taking up of a military
nurses duty by the daughter of Secre-
tary Long, Miss Margaret Long with
some Of her chums at the Johns Hopkjns
Medical School at Baltimore The young
laales who 50 with Miss Long are Doro-
thy Reid. Mabel Austin daughter of ex.
Gov. Austin of Minnesota, aud Mabel ST.
mons. They have already reported 10 the
naval hospital at Brooklyn to nurse the
wounded and sick sailors who were sent
Solace.
SITES FOR ARMY CAMPS.
No Selection to lie Made Until Board