The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-23

WASHINGTON. June 22-omcial dis
patches received tonight by both Secretary
Alger and Secretary Long indicated that
the landing of troops near Santiago was
progressing most favorably. The first land
ing was effected at Daiquiri this morning
and met with comparatively slight resist
ance. This was stated in a dispatch received
this evening by Secretary Alger which,
though brief. was full of news and meaning.
It follows:
"Playa del Este, June %.
Secretary of War, Washington, D. c.:
"Off Daiouiri, Cuba. June 22.-Landing at
Daiquiri this morning successful. Very lit
tie If any resistance. w. SHAFTER."
Secretary Alger expressed himself as de-
lighted at the expedition with which the
landing Of the troops was being effected and
with the fact that no serious obstacle was
being offered by the enemy He construed
the text of General Skaters message. to
mean that the enemy had made merely a
nominal and ineffective resistance by firing
from the hills at long range.
Shortly after Secretary Alger received his
dispatch. secretayys Long received q more
extended cablegram from Admiral Sampson
1t, too was dated at Playa del Este at $50
this evening. The text of the dispatch,
translated from the Navy Department
cipher. follows:
Landing of the army is progressing fa-
vorabIy 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-
tion 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-
tablished at Guantanamo. SAMPSON"
In both army and navy circles the infor-
nation contained in the dispatches of Gen.
eral Shafter and Admiral Sampson was re-
ceived with intense satisfaction. The land
ing of so large body of troops as General
Shafter at present has under his command
IS task of immense proportions. A prom
inent official of the War Department said
tonight that the complete debarkation of
the troops, animals. field guns and supplies
within a week after their arrival off the
Cuban coast would be a task well accom-
plished. 1t is probable, in the opinion of
the officer referred to. that only partial
landing of the troops was effected to-day.
and that the landing will be continued from
day to day until completed. 1t is not un-
likely, too, that the troops will be landed
at several places along the coast, of course,
within short distance of the headquarters
which General Shafter will establish for
himself.
Admiral Simpsons dispatch indicated that
he was carrying out his instructions thor
oughly to clear a way for the landing of
troops. The demonstration which he made
with the Texas before Cabanas. which is
just east of Guantanamo. may easily have
led the Spaniards to suppose that a gen.
eral landing was to be attempted in that
immediate vicinity. 1t was evident from the
text of Admiral SIMPSONS dispatch that
considerable landing had already been
effected near Guantanamo, as he noted that
communication by telegraph had been re-
established at that point, and that the
channel had been cleared of submarine
mines. In the opinion of naval officers the
landing at Guantanamo was OF marine
rather than OF land forces.
The cable station through which the
American commanders will communicate
with the departments in this city has been
established as shown by the dates of the
dispatches received this evening, at Playa
del Este. a 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.