Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-23
ON c U B N S OIL
The Landing Of General Skaters Troops
Has Been Officially Rsported.
Dispatches Received Both From the
Commanding General and
Admiral Sampson.

Just one week after their departure from
Florida the United States troops under Gen.
eral Shafter began yesterday to disembark
on Cuban soil, landing in formation at two
points, SO as to attack Santiago in the rear
and at the sides, with the navy to help the
work in front. Thus the military invasion
of Cuba may be said to have fairly begun,
for though the United States marines were
the first of the regular forces to land upon
Cuban soil. their purpose, after all, Was
not invasion, but the establishment OF a
naval base and base for a cable station,
in both of which they were eminently sue
cessful. To the regular troops was left the
beginning of the formidable task of invad-
ing Cuba in force by land.
Just at the close of office hours yesterday
a brief cablegram came to the War De-
partment from Lieutenant Colonel Allen.
To the surprise of officials, the cablegra:n
was dated, not at Guantanamo, but at a
place called Playa del Este, about twenty
miles west of Guantanamo bay, and about
half the distance between that and Santi-
ago bay. 1t said the troops were landing
and that preparations had been made to at
tack Santiago at the side and rear.
Later official dispatches received by both
Secretary Alger and Secretary Long indi-
Gated that the landing of troops near Santi-
ago progressing most favorably. The
first landing was affected at Daiquiri yes
ly slight resistance. This was stated in q
brief dispatch received by Secretary Alger
from General Shafter at Playa del Este
June %.
Secretary Alger construed the text of
General Skaters message to mean that the
enemy had made merely a nominal resist
ance by firing from the hills at long range
Admiral SIMPSONS Dispatch.
Secretary Long received more extended
cablegram from Admiral Sampson. 1t, too,
was dated at Playa del Este at $50 last
evening. The text of the dispatch is as
follows:
Landing of the army is progressing ia
vorably at Daiquiri. There is very little, if
any, resistance. The New Orleans, Detroit,
Castine, Wasp and Suwanee shelled vicinity
before the landing. We made demonstra-
ton at CabanaS to engage the attention of
the enemy. The Texas engaged the west
battery for some hours. She had one man
killed. Ten submarine mines have been re-
covered from the channel of Guantanamo.
Communication by telegraph has been es-
tabiished at Guantanamo.
In both army and navy circles the in
formation contained in the dispatches of
General Shafter and Admiral Sampson was
received with intense satisfaction. The
landing of so large body of troops as
General Shafter at present has under his
command is task of immense proportions.
1t is not unlikely that the troops will be
landed at several places along the coast,
of course within short distance of the
headquarters which General Shafter will
eSta bliSh for himself.
1t was evident from the text of Admiral
SIMPSONS dispatch that a considerable
landing had already been effected near
Guantanamo, as he noted that communica-
ton by telegraph had been re-established
at tnat point and that the channel had
been cleared of submarine mines. In the
opinion of naval officers the landing at
Guantanamo was of marines rather than of
land forces.
The cable station through which the
American commanders will communicate
with the department in this city has been
established at Playa del Este. small place
directly on the coast and about fifteen miles
east of Santiago. The change was made
from Camp McCalla to Playa del Este in
order that the station might be nearer the
scene of action.