Evening star., 1898-06-29

not be delayeGrpuch longer have not been
bulletined. HH is perfectly confident Of his
ability to successfully conduct the opera
tions he is undertaking. There may be
some delay ir4Ithe attack, but there will be
no more thanhs NECESSARY to get the artil-
lery in position. and put In perfect readi
ness the entir3 force now at Gen. Skaters
command. The difficulties of the case are
not underestimated either by the depart
ment here or by General Shafter.
If there were nothing but Spanish sol
diers and their guns 10 consider. the move.
ment would be more rapid, but account
mrst be taken of climatic conditions and
of the defenses which nature has provided.
and of the miserable barbed wire fences,
which are not to, be defied by courage. The
| tangled tropical growth and the rugged and
almost impossible trails have got to be
overcome and It, Is necessary that the
heavy siege guns shall be put in position
to shell the Spanish ontworks. SO as to en-
able detail toicut away the barbed wire
barriers. Until the guns are in position no
general battle Is anticipated, but advices
from General Shafter give the inference
that it will not be long before this work
is accomplished. -
The Program.
When the siege guns are in position the
first work will be to shell the outworks of
the Spanish andedrive them back. ard to
send detail of men, under the protection
of the guns. to cut. the barbed wire fences
and drag them out Of the way.
After that the general assault will be
made, and General Shafter has perfect
confidence in his ability to speedily reduce
the city after these preliminary steps have
been taken. The modern institution of
barbed-wire defense is much more effective
and more difficult to deal with than might
appear at first thought. 1t is simply i'm
possible for an army to charge through
this obstruction. for even after the ad-
vance line had hacked lit down it would be
serious embarrassment to the troops to
charge over the wire mass lying on the
ground. 1t must not only be cut down, but
must be removed from the line of the
charge, and the time necessary must be
taken for that work. Wire was used very
effectively by the confederates during the
war of the rebellion as protection against
assault, but barbed wire was unknown then
and the plain wire was used secretiveIy 20
trip up the foot soldiers and embarrass
them in their advance. Pickets used for
picketing horses were driven into the
ground and plain wire was strung about
six inches above the ground at intervals
concealed in the grass. Soldiers rushing
in assault upon the breastworks tripped
over this and fell, a whole line sometimes
going down at once. The embarrassment
caused by such obstruction gives but a
faint idea of that which is involved in deal
ing with the barbed-wire barriers, which
are nigh and dense and lacerate.
Recent Naval Operations.
The Navy Department today posted the
following bulletin ,giying report from Ad-
miral Sampson, lundsr date of June q, off
Santiago: %
ION the morning Of the 18th the batter
les at the entrancea of Santiago were sub
1ected to a severe ,bombardment by the
heet The firing was deliberate and in gem
eral most excellent The batteries were
quickly silenceq. On the 18th the Texas
Marblehead and Suwaane. destroyed the fort
at Guantanamo. Or. the 10th the Yankee
engaged a Spanish .gunboat off Cienfuegos.
On the a7ta Lieut. Harlow. with two steam
launches. one Under Cadet Powell and one
under Cadet Hart, made an examination of
cabanas Bay. The launches were subject
ed to a heavy and Continued fire at short
range, and were struck seventeen times, al
though no one was hurt. Lieut.. Harlow in
his report particularly praises the conduct
of Cadets Hart and Powell and Coxswains
O'Donnell and BIom.
"On the 10Th Gen. Garcia and his staff
visited the flagship, having arrived that
morning at Gen. Rabis camp at Aserra-
deros. My Impressions of Gen. Garcia are
OF the most pleasant character.
He is large, handsome man, of most
frank and engaging manners and of most
solGierly appearance. The fleet was, with
my directions, furnished arms, clothing
| and food to the Cuban forces, both east
and west of Santiago. Much has been done
| In this direction at Guantanamo by Com
mander McCalla, who has been most ener-
getic in rendering them all assistance pos
| sfble. Great activity and courage has been.
shown by the Cubans at Guantanamo, and
Commander McCaIla is most eulogistic in
reference to their conduct. There are
| about 10000 Cuban forces in this imine-
diate vicinity. On the 10Th the army trans
rorts errived, and Gen. Shafter and l paid
visit to Gems. Garcia and Eabi The
process of disemba rkation was rendered
cifiicult by heavy seas, the heaviest which
we have had during the three weeks The
fleet has been stationed here. By in the
afternoon, however, 1000 men were ashore
and the work was proceeding with great
| rapidity. The pier. was not injured, and
one of the steamers went alongside of it.
The water supply was not injured The
Vesuvius has done almost nightly firing
since she has been here, the explosion of
the shells producing very great effect"
The President Pleased.
The President is said to be pleased with
the careful manner in which General Shaf-
ter is proceeding. He does not believe
General Shafter would attack If he felt the
need of more men. While the President is
anxious for the campaign to be success
fully pushed as quickly as possible he does
not believe in rash or hasty moves. He
will be glad to see the early fall Of San
tiago that the troops may escape the dam
ger Of disease.
Shaffer Needs ReinfOrcemcnts.
Information has been received by the
President. through; the War Department,
to the effect that the situation at Santiago
is becoming serious. and the need of i'm
mediate reinforcements to Gen. Skaters
| army imperative. Reliable reports received
at the department. are that the Spanish
I