The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-05-31
RUSH FLEET SOUTH
FOR GALL TO CUBA
Two Divisions Ordered to Pro-
coed to Key West.
WILL TAKE 1900 MARINES
lnsurrection and Labor Strike Cause
u. s. Government to Make Prep
aratons for Intervention
Gomez In Protest.

Washington, May 28.-Aroused by
confidential information that the real
object of the insurrection sweeping
like wild fire over Cuba is the estab-
lishment Of a sovereign negro repub-
lie like Hayti, at least at the east
ern end of the island, the United
States took swift and drastic action
Sunday to cope with any emergency
that may arise in the southern re-
public.
Two divisions of the Atlantic battle
ship feet were ordered to take on
their full quota of marines, making a
total of 1900 in addition to the 700
now en- route to Guantanamo on the
Prairie and rendezvous at Key west,
ready to move to Cuba at the instant
their presence is needed.
In all a dozen warships will be in
the imm ediate vicinity of Cuba within
a few days. The army is prepared
with an expeditionary force Of $4,000
men if it is needed, and plans for
campaign to stamp out the rebellion
prepared by the general staff are
ready to be put in execution at the call
of the president.
The insurrection and the serious la
Dor troubles as result of the renewal
of the lOngshoremen'S strike are be-
Heved to warrant American prepared
ness. OF the two, the disturbances
which probably will arise at the Gu
ban ports through the strikers opera
tons are believed to be the more i'm
mediate and dangerous elements in
the situation.
Emergency orders were issued by
the navy department to commanding
officers OF every battalion of marines
in the United States, directing them
to be prepared to start for Cuba at
moments notice. The additional ma
rines ordered to each of the eight bat
tleships and the armored cruiser
Washington were increased from 60
to 100, giving each vessel the extraor-
binary marine complement of 100
men.
The armored cruiser Washington,
flagship of Rear Admiral Hugo Oster-
haus, commander-in-chief of the At
Iantic fleet, and four battleships of the
fourth division, sailed south from New
York for Key West, on hurry orders,
a few hours after arrival in port from
Provincetown, Mass. The battleships
following the flagship were the Ohio,
Missouri, Mississippi and Minnesota.
The battleship Nebraska, en- route
from New Orleans to Hampton Roads,
was spoken by wireless in the Gulf of
West and join her division, the third,
when it arrives.
The battleships New Jersey, Georgia
and Rhode Island steamed out of
Hampton Roads for Cuba late Sunday
night. In eight hours the three battle
ships took on enough provisions to
last 500 men 60 days and filled their
bunkers with coal and loaded lot of
ammunition. This was perhaps the
best time ever made by any country in
preparing vessels in times of trouble.
Havana, May 2S.-President Gomez
has protested to President Taft
against Intervention by the United
States in Cuba.
Generol Estenoz, the rebel COM
mander, has proclaimed himself presi-
dent of the new republic of Cuba. He
designated General Ivonet, his chief
aide, as "commander-in-chief Of the
army of vindication." Estenoz and
Ivonet have adopted flag of blue
and white stripes.