The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-05-27
AT KEY WEST AND TAMPA
SIMPSONS SHIPS EVIDENTLY LEFT
 FORMER PORT TL4STSUNDAY.

I I
 FoRMER PORT LAST SUNDAY.
 Commodore schley's Squadron Left a
 Cuba-The Great Problem at Key West
 and Tampa Now, is That Relating to
 the Movement of Troops.
 [Copyright, 1S9S The Associated Press.] 1 Key West, Fla, May 23.-Yesterday, soon after the sailing of Rear Admiral Sampsons squadron, Commodore Schley's squadron having gone to the south of Cuba a day or two before, there were left at Key West seventeen vessels of war, these consisting entire ly of converted tugs and auxiliary gun- boats of small size, but considerable fighting power. A few changes are ex- pected to take place in the Key West complement in day or two, and the battleship Oregon is confidently ex- pected to arrive before the end of the week. She will prove a great addition to the vessels in the harbor though she | will probably be ordered to Havana after her arrival.
 Far back in the harbor are the cap- tured Spanish vessels, swinging at their anchors and affording the sailor men happy prospects of a large prize | find Tbn ,riv ahnctjt11tn a fleet almost as formidable as that now waiting at Port Tampa to carry the troops to Cuba, and in view of the fact that those twenty-seven transports can accommodate from 17,000 to 10000 troops, army men are wondering if the Spanish steamers might not be made available for transporting troops. The old fort to be sure with it's ancient cannon is of small account but the new fort is of a substantial character and will mount some formidable guns. Already one S-inch rifle has been placed in position to command the wide range beyond the bar and others are now
 being rapidly put in place cons1gn- ment of men having been sent down from Tampa for that purpose
 All night long the great searchlight on Fort Taylor sweeps the horizon, and it's white mark on the sky can be pick ed fifty miles at sea by the boats in coming from the blockading line. Oth-
 CT searchlights on the warships are constantly at work many boats being utilized in night target practice The
 great problem now both at Key West and at Tampa is that relating to the | 4 Nav Df |,
 are in he dark as to what the army will do and army men certainly find the
 naval tactics strange and mysterious. At Tampa there are now about lz,Ooo
 regulars. There are daily arrivals of
 troops at Tampa. Fort Tampa and
 Lakeland. but some of the volunteers
 have not yet received their complete accoutrements, though the latter Will
 soon be forthcoming.
 The southern portion of Florida is
 beginning to realize how difficult a
 matter it is to supply this great army
 of new residents with necessaries and
 comforts Here, at Key West, after
 dry season of five months the rain has
 come at least and renewed the drink ing water supply. This, at least, was
 an opportune visitation of providence. and, with it all, the soldiers are making merry At Tampa they are tenting in the sand hills about the town, strictly disciplined, kept closely to regulation : diet, with not much amusement anx- iously waiting for the order to move , on Cuba. This, it is generally believed
 by army men, will not be received at any early date for there is, first of all, the "state of Florida expedition" to be headed from an expedition to supply General Gomez with arms and ammu-
 milton; there are score or more addi- tional transports to be harbored in
 Tampa bay, under guard of the gun- boat Helena; additional thousands of troops are to be mobilized in southern Florida and the question of properly arnifng them has become, it is said, one of no little seriousness.
 At Key West the troopShip Panther, which left the Brooklyn navy yard nearly a month ago, is still at ner , anchorage. For several weeks the , marines sweltered under the burning sun in their close quarters, but finally " they were sent to camp ashore. Dur ing the period of confinement on the } troopships there was a small epidemic of measles, a score or more cases be- 7 ing removed to the naval hospital.
 Work will soon bdgin on one of the , small islands adjoining Key West in f the construction of a building that may } answer the purpose of either a hospital ; for the wounded or a quarantine sta tion It is intended to observe the l strctest quarantine just so soon as a 5 landing in Cuba is effected by the , troops.
 TNote.-It Is evident that the foregoing dispatch was delayed by the censors, who , changed some of the facts to suit them
 selves. The dispatch is dated May 23 Il tells of the sailing of Sampsons squadron on last Sunday, but very conspicuousy
 leaves indefinite the exact day that Schley sailed
 DEFICIENCY OF S11,4OO.OOO.