The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-06-15
THE INVESTMENT
OF SANTIAGO
viii Have Begun by Shafter Be
fore the End of the Week.
TRANSPORTS UNDER WAY
Delay Not Calculated to Cause Amy Mate
rial Difference In Original Plans.
ONLY PERSONS WHO WILL SUFFER
Will Be SIMPSONS Marines, Encamped
on the Bay of Guantanamo.
UNFORTUNATE LACK OF EQUIPMENT
OF the Volunteers at Chickamauga is All
That Prevents Direct Attack on Ha-
yana in the Near Future-Merritt's
Manila Expedition.
Will Be Simpsons Marines, Encamped
on the Bay of Guantanamo.
UNFoRTUNATE LACK OF EQUIPMENT

Washington June 14-Without reference
to the exact hour at which the United
States army left Florida for Cuba it may
be safely said that before the end of the
week General Shafter will have landed
with $1,000 United States troops on Cuban
soil and that the investment of Santiago
by land will have begun.
There was some confusion in the official
mind here today to the time of departure
of the Transports though assurance was
given that they had all gottetn away. The
confusion on this point is not easily ac-
counted for by persons who know nothing
of the difficulties of moving simultaneously
a numerous fleet composed of vessels of
all sizes and classes. No less than three
times beginning Sunday was definite hour
selected for the start and the war depart
untold obstacle was encountered that re-
quired notification to the department that
a postponement had been forced.
Sailors say such delays are inevitable
and that rarely does a fleet get off by first
intention However, the department Off
cials stated this afternoon that they be-
lieved the very last of the transports had
at last started for Cuba
No Change in Plans
After all the delay of a day or two in
the start is not calculated to make any ma
terial difference in the plans and the only
persons who will suffer from it will be
SIMPSONS marines camped on the tropical
bay of Guantanamo and obliged to MAIN
tain the greatest vigilance in repelling the
bushwhacking Spanish irregulars who
swarm the thcketS This foe gives no
trouble during the daylight hours owing
to the presence of the Marblehead within
easy range, but at night when the war
ship is unable to distinguish their own men
from the enemy the lot of the marines Is
a very exciting one.
Having started the Santiago expedition,
the war department has now centered all
Its energies on the preparations of a force
to be sent to Porto Rico. Active move
ments on that line have been on scale
so extensive as to lead to the supposition
in some quarters that the attack is to be
made directly upon Havana, but there is
no open indication of it. The volunteers
collected in Chattanooga, $4,000 in number.
are reaching a degree of excellence under
the magnificent management of General
Brook that would warrant the government
in ordering the men into active service, but
unfortunately there Is still considerable
lack of equipment that will not permit Of
this.
The Manila Expedition
GenerAl Merritt has brought the second
installment or his forces into readiness, and
it sails for Manila tomorrow. It Is be-
lieved that the advance guards, the three
transports which followed the Charleston
to Honolulu, met the cruiser there and
sailed in her company for the Philippines
about the 18th of this month. In this case
1t Is reasonable to expect them to arrive at
Manila within a week.
The only bulletin posted at the navy de-
partment today from Sampson contained
the atiSfapfOry that American
Continued on Second Page.l