Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-27
OUTLOOK IS BRIGHTER
May Not Be Necessary to Send
Any Troops to Cuba.
LATEST NEWS FROM HAVANA
Indications Point to Possibility of Ar
ranging Matters.
PROBABLE PIONEER EXPEDITION
Military Forces That Will Go First in
Case Armed Intervention
Takes Place.
LATEST NEWS FROM HAVANA
PIONEER EXPEDITION

Although the officials of the War Depart
ment will not give out any information re-
garding the composition Of the first military
expedition to Cuba, in case 1t Is found nee
essary to occupy the island, 1t is generally
assumed that it would include the Engi-
neer Battalion at Washington barracks and
detachments from the 18th Cavalry at Fort
Ethan Allen, VT: the LIST Cavalry in Texas.
18th Cavalry in Georgia. the 9Th Infantry
at Plattsburg. N. Y: the 18th Infantry at
Fort Porter. n. Y; the 18th Infantry at
Fort Mcpherson, Ga. and the Odd Infantry
at Madison barracks and at Fort Ontario,
n. Y.
1t is arranged that the first expedition
will number about 5000 men. but the lead
ing officials of the War Department said
this afternoon that the latest developments
| at Havana seem to justify the belief that
1t may not be necessary to send any troops
at all to Cuba.
The supply ship Celtic is due to arrive in
Havana either tomorrow or Friday with
supplies for the vessels Of the navy at the
Cuban capital The Celtic has on board
100000 pounds of fresh beef and an equal
amount of fresh vegetables. is,together
with what the various warships have in
their own larders, will feed the fleet for
few weeks. The Celtic will doubtless dis
pose of her cargo and then return to New
York or some other port In the United
States for more. The bureau Of supplies
and accounts of the Navy Department has
| not gone into the market for additional
supplies. but the moment more food is
needed they can be quickly obtained.
The general board of the navy is in ses-
sion again today. with Admiral Dewey pre-
siding, and Is likely to continue in session
for several days. or al least until the condi
los 10 tho T1,n
constant movement Of warships to meet
conditions in Havana makes it impossible
to plan the winters maneuvers. as there Is
uncertainty everywhere and the board must
devote its attention to the immediate needs
In Cuban waters.
Confidence in Taft.
Though not abating in any degree the
preparations for transporting troops to Cuba
In accordance with the wishes of the Presi-
dent, the ranking officials here in the army
and navy are still OF the opinion that Sec
rotary Taft will eventually succeed In eff
fecting an arrangement which will obviate
the necessity for the landing of United
States troops on Cuban soil. They believe
that events in Havana are shaping up d.
rectly in accordance with the plans of the
Secretary Of War and that, while the situa-
tion appears to be desperate. the present
aspect is really only one phase of the pro-
gram mapped out by Secretary Taft. 1t is
field for a complete reconstruction in Cuba
but that that did not necessarily involve in
tervention In the sense of armed occupation
of the. island. President Palma's Withdraw
al, or, at least. that of the conservative ad-
viserS who surrounded him, was, however
believed to be essential to the working out
of that plan.
1t is conjectured that the Secretary's pur-
pose is to carry out direct instructions
from President Roosevelt and give the Gu
bans another, chance to govern their own
island. One way .by which that could be
worked out would be for him to call to-
gether some of the most patriotic and judi
cious of the Cubans. without regard to par
ty affiliations. and ask them to create a
provisional government The insurgent gen
erals would be asked to give their allegi-
ance to that government. temporarily at
least, and the military forces of the Palma
government would be expected to support
it. The provisional government would be
pledged to call new elections under condi-
lions that would insure the control of the
permanent government by majority of the
Cuban people. and If they fail again to
maintain order and security in the island
then intervention must ensue. resulting in
possible annexation.
The President Coming Monday Night.
2 President Roosevelt is expected to arrive
in Washington Monday night. and army
officers of the opinion that there will
be no sensational developments in the Gu
ban situation before that time. The Pres
ident has been constantly In communication
with Acting Secretary Oliver and Brig
Gen. ]. Franklin Bell, the chief of staff of
the army, for several days. All their plans
for preparing to meet any emergency which
may demand the sending of troops to Cuba
have been approved at Oyster Bay, and the
President has repeatedly concurred in rec
concentrations by general staff officers that
everything possible be in readiness for
any turn the Cuban crisis may take At
the Presidents suggestion officers in all
parts of the United States have been ad-
vised to prepare for call to service in
cuba, and If worst comes to worst the
men and officers of the army can be ready
to sail before the transportation can be pro-
vided for them.
Although President Roosevelt has con-
stantly cautioned the army to be prepared
he hesitates in authorizing the quartermas-
ters department TO contract for transports
for sending troops to Cuba. The unwilling
ness of the administration to take that
expensive step is regarded by army men
as an indication that President Roosevelt
still hopes to avoid landing troops on Cuban
SOIL. Inc war department can easily pre-
pare commercial ships for transport serv-
Ice IN less than a week after taking DOS
session of them. The army cannot de-
pend on the navy for transport service and
score or more of merchant vessels must
be chartered in case military occupation
of the island is decided upon Norfolk.
Pensacola and New Orleans are tho ports
mentioned as the probable concentration
against Cuba is determined upon Quar-
antne regulations in some of the far-sOuth-
ern ports are urged as an objection to their
selection, and the opinion seems to prevail
in the army that Newport News would be
the best port.
Departure Of the Marines.
The marine requirements will leave for
Cuba according to the original plans 1t
is expected that the Brooklyn will leave
League Island today carrying part of the
800 marines ordered to Cuba. The Prairie.
which was originally expected to sail from
Boston today. probably will not be able to
leave until tomorrow Saturday.
Representative j. A. T. Hull chairman of
the House committee on military affairs
was at the War Department today in con-
Terence with Brig. Gen. J. Franklin Bell,
the chief of staff. Mr.. Hull is optimistic
about the situation and said he believes a
peaceful settlement of the difficulty will be
erected Mr.. Hull said that although the
American army is ready for any emergency
and would doubtless carry itself with great
credit in case it were sent to Cuba he
would regret extremely any DEVELOPMENTS
which would make it necessary to throw
the army into Cuban territory
he mill far info Ct