The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-06-11
With RumOrs of Spanish Vessels In
the Gulf, the Authorities Pro-
pose 10 Take No Chances.
THE INDIANA WILL
HEAD THE FLEET.
when the Transports viii Leave
and 10 What Place They viii Go,
the Authorities Refuse
10 Dlvulge.

Washington, June lO..-Another FOR.
midable American feet has been assem-.
bled of Port Tampa consisting OF 10
warhips Of various classes, headed by
the big battleship Indiana which, for all
around effectiveness, stands at the head
Of the navy. This feet is assembled 70
serve as convoy 10 troop transports from
that point. The formation Of this tor.
midable convoy feet Is due 10 reports,
more or less indefinite, that Spanish
ships are lurking between Florida and
Cuba with a view Of interrupting the
transport The navy department has
not given serious credit 20 these reports
yet, as they were more or less circum.
stantial. In order TO avoid the slightest
possibility Of dash by some Spanish
ships against the troop transports, this
new fleet Of 10 warships was determined
upon. Whether II was orders from
Washington or was due TO precautionary
measures Of officials in command in the
south, is not disclosed. Il is known
only that Commodore Remey, the com.
mander Of the naval basis a, Key West,
brought together this powerful feet Of
convoys
IL Is strong enough both In numbers
and armament, 10 cope with any Span.
ish warships that might BE- at large in
the West Indies, and Il entirely elimi.
mates any possible danger that might az.
tach TO the trans porting Of the army Of
invasion TO Cuba
Captain Taylor Of the Indiana, 4 the
available com mander Of this squadron.
although Il Is not disclosed definitely
who will Be It's chief. Commodore Wat.
son Is with the blockading fleet on Ha.
vana and can not well be spared from
that position which will he maintained
efficiently, Notwithstanding the drafts
made TO create this large convoy squad.
ron. Captain Taylor Is regarded as one
Of the most iudicious and capable on.
cers Of the service and should the com.
mand fall on him IL Is felt that /, would
BE- in good hands.
The desirability Of forming this feet
was suggested by the information com.
ing through official channels that Span.
ish ships left Barcelona a few DAYS age
bound for Cuban waters. This infor
nation came to the state department
IL was TO the effect that the ships in.
oluded three Spanish warships and one
transport. The information was ~.
garded a. trustworthy. II was com.
municated to the naval department and
led 20 careful consideration. A little
later came the reports from ships oif
Florida of suspicious looking vessels
with military tops had been seen in the
oihng. Better advised officers, knowing
the reports as TO the sailing OF Spanish
ships from Barcelona, looked upon the
matter as one which should not be dis.
missed too lightly, for a single troop
transport, carrying no armor might BE-
az the mercy Of some stray Spanish shin
and there was no purpose to hazard the
lives Of 1900 men on any Of our ships.
when the reports came from two widely
separated sources, one Of them quite in
detail approach Of Spanish ships.
Besides the 10 convoy vessels therc
will be from 30 to 30 transport ships.
making the most remarkable feet of
transports and naval oonvoys. porhaps
ever seen in the world. The war depart.
mont gave out the official list Of trans.
port ships, thus far hired in order to
clear up erroneous reports. The list
shows 90 ships chartered along the Al.
hntic coast and I6 on the Pacific coast
Those along the Atlantic will be- used in
tho main for embarking troops from
Florida TO Cuba and those in the Pacific
for troops going 10 Manila.
While the authorities freely gave ont
the information as to the feet that is to
accompany the invading army to Cuba.
the time Of sailing and the destination
Of the troops is kept to themselves. They
will not say that they will sail today.
tomorrow or next week or whether they
have already sailed