The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-29
INVASION IS IMMINENT
SHIPS CHARTERED TO TAKE
TROOPS TO CUBA
The Cabinet Today VIII Consider
Applications for General Com
mands, and Probably Some Nom
nations VIII BE Made Today
Gen. Lee Is In Washington, but
Declines to Discuss His PROSPECTS,,


nations VIII BE Made To-day
Gen. Lee Is In Washington, but
Declines to Discuss His Prospects.
BY The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, April ga striking
sign OF the imminence of the invasion
OF CUBA was given in the chartering
To-Day by the war department of eight
large steamers of an average capacity
OF about 1000 tons and able to carry
from 500 to 1000 passengers each. These
are to be used as transports for the
conveyance Of the first military expedi.
ton to Cuba.
Inc names Of the boats are the Oil
vette and the Florida, Of the Plant Line
now in the Gulf; the Southern Pacific
company's steamer Arkansas the Comal,
now at New York, and the Alamo, now
en- route to the Gulf and three ships
or the Boston Merchant and Miners
Line in Baltimore the Allegheny. the
Berkshire and the Decatur Miller. The
price paid for these vessels is from $10,-
OoO TO $15,OOO for the thirty days for
Wn1ch they are engaged. They will be
taken charge of by the quartermas-
ter's department at the earliest possible
moment
Gen. Shafter, in command of the
united States troops now concentrated
at New orleans, has been in consulta-
ton with the officials as to the excel
tlon or the plans Of the campaign, but
the orders given to him cannot be
made public.
Ihe president and cabinet will con-
sloer the large number of applications
that have been made for appointment
10 the posts of major general and
prlgad1er general, and there is some
expectation that he will be able to
nominate few of these officers tomor-
row.
Gen. Lee arrived here late today after
ten days visit to his family in Vir-
gina. Gen. Lee will call at the state
department tomorrow morning Being
stlll an official he asked to be excused
from discussing the war situation and
was very reticent concerning his pros
pectlve appointment as major general.
Every endeavor is being put forward
by the war department to organize the
volunteer army and increase the regu-
lar army to its full war strength
measures which require a vast amount
OF detailed and laborious work. 1t is
the confident expectation of the officials
tnat rapid progress will be made with
this work and that in the course of
several weeks affairs will have so shap-
ed themselves that the volunteers and
regulars will be in fairly good organized
condlt1on-almost if not ready for their
nnoplllzatlon at the more central points
prior to their active work in the field.
Still Protesting
Notwithstanding that the apportion-
ment of troops among the states and
the designation Of their rendezvous
were made after careful consideration.
eHorts TO have them changed are still
pelng made and Secretary Alger and
AuJt. Gen. Corbin were today
asain puSy considering applica tons in
mat direction. The case of the Penn
sylVan1a troops, which gave the de-
paftment more trouble than any other.
mas been adjusted in a manner which
the officials hope will satisfy the
guardsmen of that state. Several
changes in the state rendezvous were
also made by Secretary Alger upon the
urgent representations of state execu-
tives and Others
strlng OF callers that kept him busy
an day, the most important being Gen.
smarter, commanding the brigade Of
troops at New Orleans. and his adj
Jutant, Col. Babcock. Senior Quesada.
representing the Cuban legation here
also called
mastering rolls Of the companies Of
the volunteer army have been prepared
IN the war department and sent to the
officers who have been detailed to form
ally induct the state troops into the
service of the national government.
with few notifications they are the
same as those used in the late war
me question of arms and other
equipments for the volunteers is now
receiving the attention of the ordnance
once and the quartermaster-g generals
department. AS soon as information
Is received as to the exact number Of
arms needed for the volunteers they
Will be shipped to their state rendez-
Vous for distribution,
The three Independent regiments Of
cavalry, authorized by the volunteer
posed exclusively Of frontiermen nos
sessing special qualifications as to
horsemanship and craftsmanship, are
10 be known as the First Second and
Third regiments of United States vol
unteer cavalry. They are to be com
posed of twelve troops each.