Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-02
THE GENERAL SITUATION.
Continued from page ~

dol summit, about six miles in n
straight line east of E.l Cristo pass
Escandol summit is 1900 feet above the
sea ana is reached from Santiago via
Canoy The road from Santiago to
Canoy is fairly good, being wide
enough for vehicles. Between Canoy
anu E.scandol the road which is no
more than Il trail, asccnds the noun
talps and is very winding and broken
Beyond lGscandol across the range
the country is heavily tmbcrod and
broken and the roads are not good. 1t
Is an ideal country for ambush This
is probably the only pass through
which the Spanish position could be
turned should the Spanish troops oc-
cupy the CristCl plateau and pass.
The railroad has been fortified by a
line of bloekhouses, protecting bridges
and certain zones of cultivation in
closed between the forts have been
planted during all the time of war and
would afford n supply for the army for
a certain time. In the meanwhile
sweet potatoes could be planted, which
in three months would ripen. These
zones Of cultivation. exist along tn
road as far as san Luis, at which pon {
there is considerable country in Guilt
walton. On the other hand the other
branch che Sabanilla branch) the
zones Of cultivation extend as far as
congo.
A dispatch came from Admiral Dew
ey, today, dated Cavitc, June y, re
porting that conditions remain practi-
cally unchanged, but not recording the
arrival pf his rein fprear,pptc Ha Ia,
some other matters OF interest to COM
municate, but they could not be prop
erly made public at present
For one thing it can he stated that
Admiral Dewey has been particular t.
avoid committing his government to
any particular line of action respect
ing the future of the Philippines or 10
do anything that would cmbarrass Gen
Merritt in framing a policy to meet the
needs Of the case when he arrives. He
has made no Official pledges to the in
. surgent leader, though he has not hest
tated to openly praise his good poll
I tics and his achievements
So far as the navy department knows
the Cadiz fleet is still at Port Std. I'M
able to coal, but it is taking no chances
and is steadily pressing the arrange
!. ranean of the eastern squadron under
Commodore Watson. An evidence Of
this purpose was made visible, today.
in the packing and forwarding of boxes
of charts of all the waters likely to b.
traversed by Watson's ships directly
to the ships officer of Santiago.
Il In reply to a message asking Gen. Shat
ter how many transports could be sent
ri l,s,,, IL
mcnts might be sent him. Adiutant Cen
eral Corbn, late tonight. received the fol-
lowing reply: col. HUMPHREYS has been
ordered to return as many transports as
possible at once
The government is highly Gratiiicd at
4 an offer received from the Chesapeake
H x Ohio Railroad rendering the war dc
partmc1lt the fleet of fine freight
q steamers owned l,y that company ply
ing between Newport News ana Eu-
rope at the actual cost of the vessels,
with provisions for restoring them to
the company when the department has
mo more need of them, at a figure that
would be eminonuy reasonable. There
are seven of these fin" ships and they
are particularly adapted to the needs;
! of the government, being fitted for the
& horses. All of the ships win have re
turned to the United States within
three days and some of them are avail
able now if wanted. The flagship of
the fleet is the Eapidan. capabl" of
/ carrying 800 or SEQ head of live stock,
or II 900 tons of freight. The other
vessels of he fleet ar" the ltappahan-
q mock the Green Brier, the kanaWha.
the Shenandoah, the ApponIattoX and
M the Chickaholniny. They are of about
4 5000 tons gross burden and arc all steel
chips OF the first class
EAccording to information received at
Ne war department, the lst Regiment,
Z XStrct of Columbia Volunteer lnfah-
~ embarked on Il TRANSPORT at
mpa, today, as a part of the body OF
forccnents for Gen. Shaftcr.
#% y official dispatch Was received
S.8. Enght at tn" war department. con
NJ the report that Gen. Shutter
nt back on transports to Aceria-
VA hence they came, 1000 Of Gar
hams. The purpose is II doubt,
{. to pre- vent reinforcement
~ to Santiago from Manzanilio
It, and second, to prevent IN
the direction of the Spanish
the town.