The record-union., 1898-06-02
But to Demonstrate Weakness Of the Span.
ish Batteries.
Will Now Block the Harbor and
Wait for Reinforcements Of
Troops Before Trying to Cap
ture the City, Which Are Ex-
pected to Immediately Be Sent
From Florida.

NEW YORK, June "a special to
the Tribune" from Washington says:
Commodore Schley's reconnaissance
at Santiago Bay, SO far as it's result
is known to the authorities here. con-
firms the impression of General Miles
and other military officers last week,
that from the moment Cerveras
squadron entered Santiago the CO.
operating land and naval forces would
be necessary in the conduct of sue
cessful campaign against him, unless
he undertook to force his way out of
the trap before he was surrounded and
overwhelmed. 1t is true that Commo-
dore Schley's exchange of shots with
the shore batteries has demonstrated
that they We're weak affairs at best, but
| it is not expected that he will under
take to send his ships up the narrow,
tortuous channel in single file in order
to destroy the Spanish cruisers when
that result may be readily accomplish
ed with infinitely less hazard
| Having satisfied himself of the i'm
potency of the land Notifications, it
is considered probabl that he will now
block the channel by sinking one or
more worthless hulks at the entrance.
That he did not follow up the tre-
mendOus advantage he gained in the
utter decentralization of the Spanish
land force is taken as an indication
that he had this object ultimately in
view, for the naval authorities had in
formed him that vessels to be used as
obstructionss We're already on the way
to him and should arrive in a day or
two at the latest.
1t is hardly thought possible that the
Spaniards Will venture on an aggressive
movement, but will rather remain at
anchor in the upper harbor, trusting to
the scattering of Commodore Schley's
vessels by the terrific hurricanes which
are to be anticipated on the Cuban
coast at this season of the year. The
knowledge of this danger will probably
hasten the placing of distractions to
navigation in the channel at Santiago,
in order that the egress of the Span
iards may be completely blocked,
should the American forces be forced
to seek shelter at Mole st. Nicholas,
which is the nearest harbor of any
security.
The approach of the cyclone season
and the necessity for speedily relieving
Commodore Schiey of his vigil are of
vast Importance in the effect on the
military invasion, as it will be impoS-
sible to land troops at the most con-
venient coast point in stormy weather.
Whether all the military force with
which it is proposed to invest Santiago
has left Tampa or not, army officials
at Washington declare frankly they
do not know, and with the rigid CEN
sorship now exercised at southern ports
which effectively checks the dissemina
ton of the desired information, it is
impossible to speak with certainty.
Secretary Alger has admitted to the
members of Congress who control ap-
preparations that an immediate inva-
sion has been ordered, and that opera
tions in Porto Rico would promptly fol-
low. The orders which We're telegraphed
to General Shafter last Sunday have
been divulged by the President to- no
one except Secretaries Alger and Long
and Generals Miles and Corbin, and it
is extremely unlikely that these Off
Gals would abuse the confidence 1e-
posed in them. 1t is not necessary that
Government officials should be informed
Of such affairs as they are charged
with sending supplies to Tampa, when
| their Jurisdiction is brought to an end.
1t is known that the pioneer force,
including the siege gun trains, the en-
gineer detachment and a good sized
| force of cavalry and artillery, could
have passed by Key West by this
time without any one on shore
being the wiser. The guns and engi-
neer implements have been loaded on
| the transports for several weeks, and
the men to handle them have not been
Nnear the general camps. Several infan-
try and cavalry transports We're ready
for departure last Saturday, and if
| these vessels have not slipped away it
is difficult to explain why they were
loaded SO long ago. The Panther, with
nearly 500 marines aboard, under Lieu
tenant Colonel Huntington, has been
under steam at Key West for fully
three weeks, and with this nucleus re-
inforced by Calixto Garcia's army of
insurgents, who have SO long controlled
Santiago Province, so formidable
force would be assembled as to pre-
vent any aggressive movement from
the little body of Spaniards hemmed in