The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-06-06
FOUR BATTLESHIPS
HASTEN TO CUBA
More Than 1900 United States Marines
Will Be Available-Already $50
Marines Have Been Landed.

Washington, June 6.-With four Amer
ican battleships steaming toward Guam
tenamo, the force OF marines immediate
ly available for the protection of for
egn life and property in Cuba is IN
creased to more than l,500. The battle
ships, with eight hundred marines aboard,
should arrive at Guantanamo tomorrow
The cruiser Prairie has landed four hum
dred and fifty men and has over three
hundred more aboard.
Frank confession by President Gomez
that he was unable to meet the demands
of the large plantation owners in east
ern Cuba for adequate guards against
the nslrrectos and marauders was what
led Captain Kline, commanding the
United States naval station at Guam
tanamo to set in motion the body OF
marines gathered there for just such
purpose.
The facts as disclosed at the state de-
partment are that several Of the large
American, British, French and Spanish
companies operating plantations ana
mines in eastern Cuba telegraphed the
Cuban government demand for 100
regular troops for each of their mills
and SO for each of their cane fields.
In reply, President Gomez pointed out
that compliance with their request
would require the use OF l,250 of his
best troops for the protection OF one
group of foreign properties in single
section of the disaffected district. II
he acceded to such demand, he said, his
whole regular army would not suffice
| for police work alone and he would have
no forces left with which to carry on
the campaign against the insurrection-
| lists.
Meanwhile the situation in Guantan-
amo was becoming more alarming and
| the Guantanamo sugar company had
definite information that the rebels in
| tended to destroy one or me Z OF the
foreign estates there The sners and
representatives OF several of the large
American proeprties near Guantanamo
having failed in the application to the
Cuban government, appealed directly to
Captain Kline. Judging that the gray
| ity Of the situation demanded the use
of American guards, Captain Kline sent
45U Of his marines from the naval sta
tion by boat up Guantanamo bay to
a landing place near Calmanera, the ter
minus OF tho railway running up to
the city of Guantanamo, ID miles IN
land.
The gunboat Peducah about the same
time reported the situation at Santiago
as critical, which determined Captain
Kline to call upon the navy department
for more marines. Accordingly, Admiral
Osterhaus promptly dispatched from Key
| a., 4ha
sion of the Atlantic fleet, composing the
battleships Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi
and Minnesota. They are under CONF
mand of Rear Admiral Usher. who can
easily land 200 marines and blueiack-
cts. This force, with the marines and
sailors available for landing parties,
would make a formidable army OF about
5000 men. For the present it is the
policy of the state department TO mairl-
tair the third division of the fleet at Key
West to guard against any uprising IN
Havana.
In one wav the distribution OF the
American marines as plantation guards
will serve to test the real purpose Of
the Cuban government. 1t is ealculat-
ed that General Monteagudo's troops be.
ing relieved in large part from the oner.
ous duty of guarding plantations, will
no longer have excuse for failing to move
Immediately and relentlessly upon tht
insurgent negroes.
Great Excitement in Havana.
Havana. June 6.--Ameriean marine
have landed on Cuban soil to the mum
Der of 450 Under the command of Colo
mel Lucas, they came ashore at Caima
nera and proceeded by train to Guanta
namo city.
While it is officially declared that thi
faction was taken solely to protect Amer
lean and other foreign properties, tn
9 impression became general that it was
: preliminary step to American interyen
, tion. This caused considerable excite
ment at the capital. Later it becam
5 known that the landing was in respons
to an urgent appeal to the eommandan
OF the United States naval station b
the chamber of commerce of Guantana m
| to afford protection to the numerous for
eign estates in the vicinity, which tn
n government forces have been unable et
fectively to guard.
One hundred and twenty additiona
Y marines were dispatched last evening I
: Guantanamo, and the American fore
{ will probably be ample to safeguard tn
: foreign properties in that district.
e There was great excitement in Hayan
2 ON the circulation of report that fou
: American battleships were on their wa
c from Key West. The excitement sui
= sided on receipt of the news that tn
e warships had been ordered to Guants
/ namo.
V The Senate yesterday afternoon al
: proved the recommendation of the con
V mittee on laws that the president be en-
Il powered to suspend the constitutions
guarantees, but only in the province (
:. Oriente. This was approved also by II
e House Of Representatives. The Senat
8 passed bill authorizing President CO
i mez to expend Sl,000,000 for increase
+ the armed forces from funds not appr'
r. priated for other purposes.