The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-05-26
CUBAN INVASION.
i"c army VIII Wait No Longer on the
Prospective Naval Conf ct-The suf-
ferinS Must lie Ended.

WAsHINGToN, May "a. The army
VIII not wait any longer on the Sran.
lsh fleet before invading Cuba. 1t i.
expected that, before the end Of this
week more than half of the present
army now being concentrated in the
south will be either in Cuba or on il,
way. Volunteers mustered into the
United states army now number over
10000, leaving but $1,000 TO be mus.
tered in before the completion of the
number called for by the president.
The troops left in state camps are be.
ing rushed south, and transports are
being made ready TO carry them tc
Cuba.
The condition Of the insurgents. as
well as the non-cOm batants on the
island of Cuba, is becoming such that
they can not be left unaidcd much
longer. AS the war is one Of humanity.
the president realizes that something
must be done to help the sufferers and
end their suffering
Our fleets are closing about Ccrvera
and his ships and there is no fear from
that quarter in regard 70 our troops.
Preparations ere, therefore, being
hastencd for the invasion OF
Cuba and it is intended that this
Shall not be del iyed any longer on ac-
count OF the movements OF the Spanish
squadron. There has been a great
deal OF private and some Tublic crit
icism Of Gen. Miles, based on the the
Ory that he is standing in the way and
opposing the immediate invasion OF
Cuba. This criticism there is the best
reason TO believe, is unjust and j.
based on false assumption as 10 Gen.
Miles attitude. 1t is known 10 few
people at least that Gen Miles has
for some time been strongly in favor
of speedy and effective invasion,
and that he has chafed at the delays
in the organization and equipment Of
;he luntecr army. That he is accu,-
ed of advocating delay is merely an
evidence of the fact that he has not
been taking into his confidence any.
one outside the department. The diff
ference Of opinion which has existed
has been as To the character Of the in
vasiOn 10 be made.
Gen. Miles has earnestly and deter
opposed sending a few thous-
and men to Cuba with great quaint
ty Of stores and equipment. trusting
to the support which might b. given
them by the Gomez army. 1t is likely
that an invasion of that sort
might have occurred a week or two
ago had he not so earnestly opposed it. |
and 10 that extent only, it is declared.
is he responsible for the delay. He
has taken the ground that there would !
be very unwisc risk in sending So
small force; that it would cndangcr |
the lives of the few thousand men |
sent, possibly resulting in our stores |
falling into the hands of the enemy |
and thus giving them supplies which |
Spain is una ole To furnish them, and |
hat it would do very little toward |
fastening a conclusion Of the war, even !
the men were able to defend them.
selves and the stores. He has advocated,
t is asserted, an immediate invasion
IF the island with force of between
seventy and one hundred thousand
ncn and that this fore, should be land
ID as nearly as possible at tn same
imc at different points. 1t is said
hat he has insisted that transports
nough should bc provided TO land
ighteen or twenty thousand men at IA
imc in quick succession, with abund-
mt stores.
1t is believed now that everything is
II readiness for the invasion and that
len. Miles is not advising postpone
ncnt until fall. as has been asserted.
Ie has been too impatient Of delay 10
csirc any further postponcmcnt