The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-01
MAY SILENCE THE FORTS.
Modification of Orders Not to Fire
on Havana Expected.

MO01Hcat1On of Orders Not to Fire
on Havana Expected.
CHICAGO. April 30.-Special to the
Tribune from Washington says: In the
opinion of the highest officials Of the
administration the crisis in Cuba is
much nearer at hand than most people
imagine.
In the first place Cuban spies in Ha-
vana have already sent reports to the
effect that the blockade is producing
a famine.
Secondly, they say the volunteers,
as we'll as the soldiers, are rapidly be-
coming indignant at the failure Of
Spain to make the slightest effort to
relieve the blockade.
They were told that within a few
days a Spanish fleet would sail right
relieve the capital city. All sorts Of
encouraging reports have been. circu-
lated in Havana but now q week has
passed and the people there are grad
ually coming to understand that Spain
has left them to their own resources
and does not propose to take any steps
to drive off the Yankee fleet
Citizens and soldiers in Havana have
relied on the repeated statement sent
to them by Minister Polo before his
retirement that President Mckinley
would under no circumstances author
zfze the bombardment of the city. This
is true The president will not con-
sent to sacrifice. the lives of helpless
non-combatants to carry on a war
which has it's foundation in humanity.
Within the last two days, however
startling plan has been formulated,
looking to the reduction of all of the
Qualifications without any damage to
the main part of the city. The Span.
7iards have assumed that when the
Qualifications were shelled the fleet
would station themselves directly off
the, coast, and fire plump into the fort,
which would necessitate the Smelling Of
the city more or less.
With the assistance of Consul GEN
eral Lee and we'll known Cuban gen.
erals, the strategy force has been
enabled to formulate plan of attack
which will permit the successful
reduction of all the dangerous bat
steries without any damage to the, city,
except along the ocean front. 1t is
proposed to start the fleet in single
line, well to the left of the city, be-
ginning as far as the River Charrera.
Coming up close to the shore the ships
could easily attack the Santa Clara
battery from point only. a little north
of west.
1t is believed that, they could pass
along from west to east and shell first
terry, and finally the antiquated castle
On the point at the south side of. the
harbor entrance and do this, without
bringing into the line of fire anything
more than the baths. the old prison
and a few blocks along the river front
including the railroad right Of way to
Carmelo. There is plenty of water close
in shore. and by firing in a general
easterly direction one battery after an
other could be reduced without iniur-
ing the city at all.
The reduction of Moro castle, which
is on the east side of the narrow har-
Dor entrance, and of the new battery
just east of the famous old castle would
in no case involve the bombarding Of
the city. With the water front bat
terry all destroyed, including Cabanas
castle, Havana would be defenseless,
and the fleet could proceed deliberately
with the work Of countermining the
narrow entrance to the inside harbor.
There is abundant ground for the be-
lief that, if this plan Is adopted, which
now seems likely, Blanco will be forced
to surrender at once. as the city would
rise against him, and even the fero-
cious volunteers would lose their ar
dor as one battery after another was
crumbled into dust without any gen
eral bonbardment Of the city, thus Civ
ing a striking example of both the
power and the mercy OF the Yankee
fleet.
President Mckinley has no objection
to the reduction Of the forts, but he
has hitherto been led to believe that
this could not be accomplished with
out Smelling the city. In the opinion of
all those called In conference within
the last two days the plan of attack
outlined above is perfectly feasible, and
the president. therefore. is inclined to
adopt it. in the belief that 1t will be
the most speedy way Of bringing Ha-
vana to terms without unnecessary loss
of life.