The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-09-27
Believes Success Will Vet Come.


 Washington September 26.-While not abating in any degree the preparation for transporting troops to Cuba in accordance with the wishes of the President, the army and navy officials here are today still of the opinion that Secretary Taft will effect an arrangement which will obviate the necessity for landing Amer ican soldiers on Cuban soil.
 They believe that events in Havana are shaping up in accosVHance with the plans of the Secretary of War, and that while the situation appears desperate. tke situ- ation is really one phase of t1$l pro- gramme mapped out by Secretars-Taft. It is believed that his purpose was to clear the field for a complete reconstruc- ton in Cuba, but that this did not neces- sarily involve intervention in the sense of armed occupation President Palma's withdrawal, or at least that of the ad- visers who surrounded him, was, how ever, believed essential to this plan.
 Follows RooseveIt's instructions.
 St is conjectured that the Secretary S purpose is to carry out direct instructions from President Roosevelt and give the Cubans another chance. The only way this could be worked out. they say, would be for him to call together some of the most patriotic and judicious of the Cubans, without regard to party affilia- tions and ask them to create provisional government They point out that the in- surgent generals could be asked to give their allegiance to this loyeTnment, tenn porarily at least, and the military forces of the Palma government would be ex- pected to support it. that the provisional government would be pledged to call new elections under conditions that would in- sure control by a majority of the Cuban people, and that If they fail again to l t.,tat f.,41, vention must ensue.i
 Reaches Washington Monday Night. President Roosevelt is expected to ar- rive in Washington Monday night, and army officers are of the opinion that there will be no sensa tional developments be- fore that time. The President has been constantly in communication with Maj. Gen. F. c. Ainsworth the military secre- tary, and Brigadier General Bell, chief of staff of the army
 All their plans for preparing to meet any emergency in Cuba have been ap- proved at Oyster Bay At the Pres ident's suggestion officers In all parts of the United States have been advised to prepare for call to Cuba. Although President Roosevelt has constantly eau tioned the army to be prepared, he has been unwilling to have the quartermas- ters department contract for transports and make arrangements for sending troops to Cuba
 This unwillingness Is regarded as an indication that President Roosevelt still hopes to avoid landing troops. The war department cannot prepare commercial ships for transport service in less than week Consequently if there were urgent demand for troops orders to rent steamers for transports would doubtless have been issued before this.
 Navy Has No Transports.
 The army cannot depend 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 Charleston, Mo- bile and New Orleans are the ports men tioned as the probable concentration points, although quarantine regulations in some of the far southern ports are urged as an objection to their selection.
 In Expedtonary Battalions. ; The 1000 marines who are to sail this week for~~Cuba are divided temporarily into a fourth and fifth extraordinary battalion. Officers have been assigned temporarily to these battallons, but will be reassigned upor their arrival at Ha- vara, as Colonel Waller may see fit. The list of marine officers who are to sail on the Prairie, Brooklyn. Texas and com mereial ships from Key West, Mobile and New Orleans includes in the fourth ex- peditionary battalion two captains five first lieutenants and ten second lieuten- ants. To the fifth expeditlonary battalion are assigned seven captains three first leutenants and one second lieutenant. In the latter list is Capt. Rush R. Wallace of New Orleans. Naval officers on leave in all parts of the United States have had their leaves revoked and been as- signed to ships which may go to Cuba The change in the plan for the transpor- tation of marines, whereby the Texas was abandoned. was made possible by the sending of the marines on the Atlantic fleet battleships Indiana and Kentucky. It was originally intended to have these men sail on the Prairie from Boston but when they took passage on the two bat