The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-11
Everything Indicates That
the Final Struggle
For the Capture Of Santiago
Is In Progress.
SURROUND THE TOWN
And Knock It to Pieces
With Light Guns,
Is the Plan Outlined In
Shaft0r'S Dispatches.
FIRING FROM FLEET
Proved Intellectual OWING to
Proved Intellectual Owing to
the Distance.
The Shots From SchIey'S
Ships Fell Short.

Washington, July 1.-THE war de-
partment today made public three dis
patches from Gen. Shafter received in
the early of this morning and about
o'clock this afternoon. The following
was received at 1880 a. m:
Playa del Este-The navy has prom
ised after the bombardment begins to
get in close to the harbor with some of
their light draft boats. If the bonn
bardment tomorrow Ctoday) is not
quickly conclusive they will make the
attempt As soon as Henry's reinforce
ments arrive we will surround the town
and can knock it to pieces with our
light guns. Captain Goodrich of the
St Louis assisted me very ably in dis
embarking troops.
Twenty-three minutes later the fol-
lowing was received:
My plans for tomorrow are to keep up
the bombardment of the trenches and
city and complete the investment on
the northwest by the troops which
have just arrived at Siboney, one regi-
ment of which the First Illinois has
now reached me. Soon after noon to-
day the following was received:
I regret to report that Captain
RoweH, Second infantry was killed late
yesterday afternoon
BOmbardment by the Fleet.
Copyright 1898, by Associated Press)
Aguadores, Cuba, July TO- via Kings
ton, Jamaica, July 1.-THE Brooklyn
Indiana and Texas, under Commodore
Schley, began the bombardment of
Santiago at 5:15 o'clock yesterday after
noon in obedience to a request from
Gen. Shafter conveyed by a signal from
the shore.
The warships lined up from east to
west a quarter of a mile from shore and
fired over the limestone cliffs that come
down to the sea and hide the city five
miles distant. The bombardment was
continued for one hour
After 50 shots had been fired from
the S-inch guns Commodore SchIey be-
came convinced that the Brooklyn 5
fire was falling short and ordered a
cessation, permitting the battleships to
continue, they with their larger guns
having longer range
The shots were fired apparently with
great deliberati0n and at intervals of
two minutes The signaIs from the
shore announced that the shells fell a
thousand feet short and a little to the
left of the Spanish position.
At dusk the squadron ceased firing
and Commodore SChley sent q launch
TO the shore to ask Gen. Shafter if he
night When the Associated Press cor
respondent went aboaru the Brooklyn
Commodore Schley said he was ignorant
of the purpose of the BON bardment
The Associated Press reporter read to
him message secured in Juragua from
a mounted courier saying the armistice
was ended and hostilities had been re-
sumed.
Commodore Schley said: "Gen. Shat
ter signalled to me to begin the bonn
bardment as soon as I could get into
position. 1 doubted from the start
whether I could hit the city I had to
guess at its location and be very care
ful not to injure our own army. If I
lombard tomorrow, I shall have range
marks on shore to guide me and I SHAH
take the ships closer to the shore than
today. The water off Aguadores. is so
smooth that Our craftsmanship was NOT
affected by the swaying of the ship. In
firing today I gave the turrets the
greatest possible elevation by listine,
the ships. But I knew I would fail
short. The guns will carry more than
five miles, but to throw shots over the
cliff great elevation is required -
When the Dandy left Aguadores at :
o'clock, the war ships were still in po-
BitiOn.
During the bombardment the Dandy