The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-14

NEW YORK, July IA special to
the Tribune from Washington says:
The actual departure OF Commodore
watson's raidtne squadron for the coast
Of spain which the naval authorities
expect win occur about the end of the
present week, indicates sufictentiy the
edmflete abandonment OF any intention
70 beSigge Havana in the next three OF
four months and confirms the impress
sion mat no extended military operas
lions viii be prosecuted in Cuba after
the equalization OF Santiago.
The remarkable difficulties which
have attended the investment of San
tiaguT and the resulting tedious delays
have served to convince the military
and naval authorities that Havana can
not be attacked successfully With less
thsh 10000 men and the entire naval
force Ia the Atlantic. The city, Ordi-
naflIy one Of, the best fortified ports IN
the world, has been made much more
h11regnabie In the last two months,
through the ceaBeIess activity OF Gems
efaI Blanco. who has surrounded It with
several chains Of strong intrenchments
and fortificatons, In addition to the new
batteries he has mounted along the
coast Without the strong vessels at
tached to the raIding squadron the
navy would be powerless to render Ell
fectiVe assistance to the army against
Havana and II Is deemed impossible
that land forces alone could secure the
surrender OF the city with less than
several months Of campaign which
would be out OF the question before
n1ldWinteF on account OF horrible cll-
matte conditions.
Promptly on the fail Of Santiago. It is
announced. the expedition to Porto RI
90 Is to be undertaken, With General
Miles in command Of three divisions,
aggfegatlng more than 10000 men. He
will have the cooperation Of Admiral
Eamps0nS heavier ships in the assault
on San Juan and 1t Is his intention to
clear the entire Island OF Spanish troops
with every energy at his command. His
force Will include practically oil the
regular and volunteer troops now ut
Santiago, the cubans and immunes be-
Ing left to hold that province.
In addition to the fleet OF forty-eight
transports already secured to carry
2 troops to Porto Rico, including the thir-
ty that formed General Skaters main
expedition, the navy has consented to
the temporary use of the auxiliary
cruisers the st, Paul, the st. Louis. the
Yale and the Harvard to carry regi-
inents, and number Of other vessels
will be available for the service next
week.
The medical corps Of the army ex-
poets yellow fever TO appear among the
troops at Santiago at any time. The
light feVers which are now invading
many OF the men may at any moment
assume malignant types. For this rea-
son urgent recommendations have been
made that the troops be taken out of
the country as coon as possible. The
surgeons declare that the horrors OF A
lohg-contlnued siege win be incalcula-
Die, and In their emphatic opinion 1t Will
be FOUND better to lose hundreds OF men
Ia an aggressive assault than to expose
the entire army. and this country as
well, to q devastating epidemic OF gel
low fever.
The warships guns are the chief re-
lance IN reducing Santiago They have
better range than the land artillery!
The Spanish fire is not heavy and the
American troops are little exposed to 1t.
The report that the Spanish soldiers
are leaving the city Is exaggerated. The
archbishop renews his appeals to Ma
drid for a peaceful surrender, and the
foreign cOnsnls are also urgent In their
expression Of the necessity for such a
trntIrHe