Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-06-04
SCHLEY MAY FIGHT.
The President Says He Expects an
Immediate Attack.
Gen. Miles Says tho Army Is Leaving
Tampa foc Cuba-Wili Land Near
Santiago do Cuba.

New York, May 3l.--A special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
The president told some callers to-
night tMonday) that he expected Com
modorc Schley to attack Cervera with
in twenty-four hours.
Gen. Miles made no secret before
leaving Washington of the immediate
departure of the army from Tampa,
though he declined to encourage any
speculation as to its destination, for
various obvious military reasons. 1t is
known, however, that ever since the
reports announcing the arrival of the
Spanish squadron at Santiago last Sat
urday night he has been thoroughly
alive to the practically prohibitivc
dangers which would have to be en-
countered by an American fleet in fight
ing its way past the elevated batteries
and up the narrow and tortuous chan
mel of that harbor to force a battle
with the Spaniards, and has steadily
urged upon the authorities the neceS-
sity of land attack on the place as the
quickest and most effective method of
dealing Spain.a crushing blow.
His plans have been fully matured
with that end in view, aad the only
question on which the departure OF the
army from Tampa rested was indisputa-
bic evidence of the presence of the
Spanish fleet at Santiago, with an
American fleet outside, of sufficient
power to prevent its cgress and to de-
stroy it if it attempted to reach the
open sea. In the transports at Tampa.
in addition to the large quantities of
supplies needed by the army, whatever
its destination, have been stored num-
Der of powerful siege guns, which will
be effective for shclling the entire basin
IL which the harbor and city OF Santi-
ago lie, when mounted on high posi-
tion among the surrounding hills
There is believed to be only single
contingency which could operate to
modify Gen. Miles plans for the land
attack on Santiago, and that may not
develop until the fleet Of transports un-
der the convoy of Admiral SIMPSONS
squadron arrives off Cape Maysi, in the
Windward Passage, 800 miles from Key
West and scarcely half a day S run from
tie proposed landing place on the coast
acar Santiago. This is the possibility
that Commodore Schlcy, impatient over
the delay in getting at the Spaniards,
and in the absence of accurate knowl-
edge that military reinforcements are
at hand, may, on drawing the fire of
the batteries, ascertain that their
formidability has been greatly eXag-
gerated, and determine to force his
way into the harbor and complete the
work without assistance. Should this
occur the fleet of transports and war
ships arriving in the Winward Passage
will quickly secure the news from scout
ships and the alternative destination
Of Porto Rico will be at once adopted.
The promptncss with which the de-
parture of the army from Tampa has
been effected, after the last doubt of
Ccrveras S presence at Santiago was re-
moved, will perhaps not be known for
several days, although confidence is ex-
pressed that the celerity of the move
ment will prove remarkable in military
annals. In fact, it is intimated in high
quarters that several of the transports
have already reached the rendezvous at
Key WeSt-if, indeed, the entire fleet
is not already on the way. At Key
West an effective addition to the land
ing force has been provided in the
marine corps battalion on the trans
port Panther This is composed of
trained men, especially drilled to land
under fire, and it is expected to be the
first force ashore wherever the attack
is made.
Gen. Miles counts on the active sup
port of the insurgent Gen. Garcia, who
was visited by Lieut., Rowan, and to
whom couriers have already been sent,
informing him of the purpose of the
American army to invest Santiago
should such an operation be necessary
to destroy Cervera S fleet. Gen. Collazo
and Col. Hernandez of Gen. Garcia's
staff, who accompanied Lieut.. Rowan
by way of the Bahamas to Washington,
have been constantly consulted by Gen.
Miles for the past three or four days,
giving him invaluable information re-
garding Santiago province, and they
will accompany the expedition from
Tampa and act as guides for the army
after the landing is effected.
Gen. Miles dispelled all doubts as to
his active part in the expedition by an
nouncing that he would be prepared to
embark at Tampa on Wednesday in one
of the fastest small cruisers, which will
take him quickly to the scene of opera
tions.
The size of the force to be landed near
Santiago does not exceed $4,000 men, of
whom it is expected that not over 5000
will actually take part in the siege, the
others being held in reserve for use if
extraordinary resistance is encountered.
The outlook, however, is for quick and
decisive action, and there is confdeBce
among military men that the city will
fall within ten DAYS.
THREE BIG SHIPS.