Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-23

both Secretary Alger and Secre-
tary Long indicated that landing
of troops near Santiago was pro-
crossing most favorably. The
first landing was effected at
Daiquiri this morning and met
with comparatively slight resist
ance. This was stated in a dis
patch received this evening by
Secretary Alger, which, though
brief, was full of news and mean
ing. 1t said:
Landing at Diaquiri this morn
ing successful. Very little if any
resistance.
[Signed.] "SHAFTER."
Secretary Alger expressed him.
self as delighted at the expedition
with which the landing the troops
was being effected and with the
fact that no serious obstacle was
being offered by the enemy. He
construed the text of Gen. Shat
ters message to mean that the en-
envy had made merely a nominal
and ineffective resistance by firing
from the hills at long range.
Shortly after Secretary Alger re-
ceived his dispatch, Secretary Long
received a more extended cable
gram from Admiral Sampson 1t,
too, was dated at Playa del Este,
at 6: 80 this evening. The text of
the dispatch, translated from the
Navy Department cipher, is as
follows:
Landing of the army is progress
ing favorably at Daiquiri. There is
very little if any resistance. The
New Orleans, Detroit, Castine, Wasp
and Suwanee shelled the vicinity
before the landing. We made
demonstration at Cabanas to en-
gage the attention of the enemy.
The Texas engaged the west battery
for some hours. She had one man
killed. Ten submarine mines ma
been recovered from the channel of
Guantanamo"
(Signed) SAMPSON"
In both army and navy circles
the information contained in the
dispatches of Gen. Shafter and Adj
miral Sampson was received with
intense satisfaction. The landing
of so large a body of troops as
Gen. Shafter at present has under
his command is task of immense
proportions. A prominent 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 task well accomplished.
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 dis
patches received this evening at
Playa del Este, q small place di-
rectly on the coast and about fif-
teen miles east of Santiago. The
change was made from Camp Nc
Gala to Playa del Este in order
that the station might be nearer
the scene of action.
Just at the close Of Office hours a
brief cablegram came to the War
Department from Lieutenant Colo
mel Allen. 1t had been expected all
day. To the surprise of the officials
the cablegram was dated, not at
Guantanamo, but at a place called
Playa del Este, about 20 miles west
OF Guantanamo bay, and about half
the distance between that and San
tiago bay. Its exact wording is
withheld, but the statement was
authorized that it said that the
troops are landing and that prepara-
lions had been made to attack San
tiago at the sides and rear.
The delay in receiving further ca
Bile communications after the first
of last evening is thus explained:
The lines are being carried west
ward, probably to be nearer the
point selected as the landing place
~, nh Tn &c
ant Colonel Allen said that he had
heard nothing officially from either
General Shafter or Admiral Samp-
son. This is accounted for readily by
his instructiOns-he was told speci-
fically by General Miles in cable
gram sent yesterday, not to embar-
rass General Shafter by any unne-
cessary suggestions. Thus it will
be seen, to the delight of all true
soldiers, that General Shafter, like
Admiral Sampson, is not to be tied
by exact orders from Washington,
but is to be allowed the widest lib
erty of action, in belief that he being
on the ground is capable of Judging
best the propriety of projected
movements. The lieutenant colo
mel, who is a member of General
Miles staff and directly in charge
of the signal work in Santiago pro-
vince, communicated briefly with
General Miles in cipher the fact
that the debarkation Of the troops
had begun, and that plan of at
tack had been arranged.
Not far from Playa del Este. On
the east side OF Santiago bay, the
second landing is gong on at a
point just about the same distance
west of the harbor entrance. The
two divisions probably will be
pushed forward steadily to take the
town of Santiago on either flank
I; 10, RoIhis.. handS