The Saint Paul globe., 1898-07-07
IS A PERILOUS UNDERTAKING
ACCESS TO SANTIAGO HARB0R
STILL REGARDED DIFFICULT
Believed That Admiral SAMPSON and
Gen. Shafter VIII Agree Upon u
Plan of Attack Upon Santiago
City-If Not the President May
Issue Orders Direct - Probable
Early Release OF HObson.

|
Early Release OF Hobson.
| WASHINGTON, July 6-By Com
parison with what has gone before to-
day was very quiet at the war and
navy departments. There were bull
letins posted in the former department
but there were none Of more recent
GATE than yesterday and so far from
indicating an impending battle the
| general tendency Of these bulletins was
to show that no forward movement Is
in absolutely immediate contemplation.
Deep concern In felt there at the
privations and sufferings of our troops
lying in trenches and in field hospitals
surrounding Santiago, and there is
everywhere disposition to insist that
! hereafter haste shall be made slowly
and that the equipment Of our soldiers,
| the commissary and quartermaster
supplies. their ammunition and their
hospital stores shall be complete in
| every respect before they advance
further. This is likely to be the rule
even at the expense of time, and in
| the face of the criticism of an element
| that has been vehemently insisting
upon rushing the campaign without
| regard to cost in blood and money.
Confidence is felt that there will be
no friction between the army and navy
| commanders, and that the conference
| between them will result in an agree
ment upon joint plan for the prose-
cution Of the campaign. In the event
that this belief should be not well
founded, the president is prepared to
act himself by orders from first hand,
There Is much force in the naval
argument that, if Sampson is obliged
to enter Santiago harbor before the
forts are captured, he will jeopardize
the safety of the whole of the IRON
| clad fleet under his command, since, by
the sinking of one of these Ships in
the narrow channel through a Span
1sh mine or shell, the fleet would be
left helpless and exposed to destruction
urder the guns Of the forts to which
they could make no reply, owing to
the elevation of the latter On the
other hand, the army officers seem to
be justified In avoiding the tremendous
sacrifice of life that would be involved
In again throwing our soldiers upon
the Spanish defenses until they have
been materially reinforced In numbers
and strengthened by artillery
AN AGREEABLE MESSAGE.
Sampson did not report today at
the navy department. but the war de-
partment sent over very agreeable
message from Shafter announcing the
readiness of the Spaniards to exchange
Hobson and his men. 1t is believed
that this was accomplished some time
during the day, though notice of it
has not been received
The fact that several Of the vessels
! selected for Watson's fleet were in
the thick Of the engagement of JULY
promises to delay somewhat the de-
parture Of the Eastern squadron for
the shores of Spain. The vessels have
consumed good deal of coal, and
without doubt have expended a large
quantity of their highest grade of am
munition In the furious attack on the
steel warships of the Spaniards. It
VIII be necessary to replenish these
stores before the long European voy-
age Is begun. However, Secretary
Long has given rush orders for the
preparation of this squadron. and If
certainly will be off in the course of q
few days.
The movements Of the Cadiz fleet
are very puzzling to our experts here.
weakened as it is by the sending back
OF the torpedo boat destroyers, the
spanish squadron bound for the Phil
lpplnes seems destined to go to as sure
destruction as did Cervera's unlucky
ships when they headed westward
from the Cape Verde islands. The
Spaniards are, without doubt. fully
aware of the inferiority of their fleet.
and why they persist in sending it to
be sunk in the Philippines is mystery.
The navy department was advised to-
day that the squadron was passing
through the Suez canal, and. as the
vessels must have paid the heavy toll
required in advance, the indications
are now regarded as conclusive that
the ships are actually bound for the
Philippines. This belief stimulates the
preparations here for Watson's sail
ing. He will strike straight after Ca
mara, who, in the end, is doomed to be
caught between Watson and Dewey.
| The report that the fine ship Yankee.
lying at Tompkinsville, just from Cuba.
has yellow fever aboard, caused a good
| deal of worry at the department until
Capt. Brownson telegraphed during the
day that there was absolutely no fever
| on the ship and that she was not In
| quarantine.
BEST NEWS OF THE DAY.
Secretary Long regarded the report
that the Alfonso XIII had been de-
stroyed while trying to run the Ha-
vana blockade as the best news OF the
DAY. 1t had not come to him in any
direct official way, but through re-
port from Gen. Greedy, chief signal Of
ficer, who had received a cipher mes
sage stating briefly that the Spanish
ship had been overhauled near Mariel.
while trying to get through the block
ade, and was total loss ais a result
| of the fire upon her. Both the secre-
tary Of state and Gen. Greely regarded
the report as authentic, but there was
a desire to get fuller details, as this
has been something of a spectre ship.
The Alfonso XIII Is an iron gunboat
with one screw, one funnel and one
military mast; barque rugged, $50 feet
long, 43 feet beam and Is feet draught.
She has a displacement Of 5000 tons.
She had speed Of nineteen knots for
short distances and an average speed
of fourteen knots. She carried fifteen
large guns, five machine guns, and five
torpedo tubes Her officers and crew
| numbered $40.
|