Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-29
TROOPS TO LEAVE CUBA SOON
Movement to Be Started on First Day
of the New Year.
LAST ARE TO BE GONE BY APRIL
Both Troops and CubRns Rejoice at
the Move and Best of Feeling
Prevails Between Soldiers
and P~Opulace.
LAST ARE TO BE GONE BY APRIL

HAVANA, Dec. 2S.-New Years day will
witness the beginning of the evacuation of
Cuba by the army of pacification, which
has been in possession of the island since
the beginning of the provisional government
in October, 1906 The first provisional reg
iment of marines, numbering about 800,
which will be among the first troops to
leave, is now concentrating from various
posts at Camp plum About half this
regiment will sail from Havana on Janu-
airy l, on the cruiser Prairie. which arrived
here Christmas eve, bound for Newport.
News. The Prairie will return about the
middle Of the month and embark the re-
mainder.
Headquarters OF Companies A, b, G and
d, Twenty-eighth infantry, will embark on
the transport Sumner at Matanzas on De-
cember 81. From there the transport will
proceed to Havana and embark Companies
F, G and II, stationed at Guanajah, and
Company E, stationed at Guines. The Sum
ner also will sail from Havana on January
l for Newport News. the ultimate station
of these companies being Fort Smelling.
From that time on the transports Sum-
ner and Mcclellan will be employed in the
embarkation at intervals Of the remainder
of the army. Battery G. Third field ar
tillery, for the Washington barracks. and
the Fifteenth cavalry, now stationed at
Cienfuegos and Santa Clara, destined for
Forts Myer and Sheridan, will sail on Feb
ruary 2. The headquarters army, Eleventh
cavalry, now at Columbia and Pinar Del
Rio; the mountain artillery and Fifth in
fantry, now at Cardenas, Sagua and Cal
barien, for P~lattsburg; the Eleventh in
fantry, now at Santiago and Holguin, for
Fort d. A. Russell, and the Seventeenth
infantry, now at Camaguey, for Fort Nc
Pherson, will leave Havana about Febru-
airy q for Newport News. This leaves only
two companies Of engineers and two bsttal-
ions of the Seventeenth infantry, under
Colonel Pitched. who will remain at Camp
Columbia. These troops will not embark
until April /, which will complete the evac
uation.
Purpose of Delay.
The embarkation will be effected will
as little ceremony as possible and it II
probable that their departure will ue at
tended with as little force as marked
their landing. The purpose in deferrinl
the departure of a portion OF the Seven
teenth infantry until April l has beer
the subject of considerable speculation
but it is believed this was agreed upor
at a conference between Governor Magoor
and President-elect Gomez. 1t is mo-
thought to be a measure of precaItion
for which not the slightest necessity Is
apparent, but it probably Is for the Fur
pose of keeping the barracks and quar-
tiers in good order until II is possible L
turn over to the Cuban authorities {
model camp for occupation by the new
permanent army under OF Gen.
eral Pine Guerra, the nucleus of which
will be formed. 1t is intended, with the
present corps of Cuban artillery and 1000
members of the rural guard.
Cubans are greatly pleased at the de-
parture OF the American forces as mark
ing the complete establishment of indie
pendence. All show the kindliest feelings
towards the troops. An evidence of this
was given on Christmas eve. when the
mayor of Manzanillo, the city authori-
ties and Hundreds OF citizens escorted a
battalion of marines to the steamer sail
ing for Havana and cheered the depart
ing troops. The American officers and
men are rejoicing that they will soon bS
homeward bound after the long and
tedious occupation. Especially is this
true In the case of those who have FOL
more than two years been garrisoninl
the small posts throughout the interior