The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-06-11
IN SOUTHERN CUBA
The Way Paved for the Landing Of
the Invading Army.

ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS DISPATCH-BOAT WANDA,
OFF SANTIAGO, June 9, A, p. m. (via
Kingston, Jamaica, June TO- 7:40 a. m.)
! Copyright. 1898, by the Associated
Press.)-The navy awaits the army.
The fighting ships of Rear Admiral
Sampson and Commodore Schley have
battered down the coast defenses Of
Southern Cuba, and have sealed up
Admiral Cervera's fleet in the harbor
of Santiago de Cuba by sinking the
collier Merrimac in the channel at it's
entrance, which the guns of the fleet
cover Boats running under the shad-
ows of FL Moro have cut the Hayden
| cables, and now hold thirty-ive miles
of the coast east of Santiago de Cuba,
including Guantanamo harbor.
Under the cover of the guns of the
| fleet Eastern Cuba may be safely in
vested by land and sea, Admiral Ger
vera's fleet annihilated, and the entire
| province and it's towns and harbors
seized and held after a short cam
paign.
The harbor of Guantanamo is fine
base for land and sea operations. The
harbor is capacious, and has forty feet
of water. The land approaches are not
so precipitous as at Santiago de Cuba.
| The low-lying hills can be easily
reached with trains of siege guns. and
| there are level roads to Santiago,
thirty-three miles distant where a few
| mountain batteries, beyond the reach
of the fleet, will be taken from the
Spanish ships. Guantanamo is an i'm
portant place. 1t has six miles of
water harbor, and will be of great
value to the United States navy and
army as a supply station, coaling de-
pot and cable terminus. The Spaniards
have but slight defense. Their batter
les were silenced on Tuesday by the
Marblehead in a few minutes, firing at
1900 yards. A small Spanish gunboat
ran away. The Oregon, MarbIehead
and Yankee hold the harbor waiting
to land marines.
The navys work has been done we'll.
Day and night ships patrol the thirty
miles of $oast, within easy gun range
| of the shore. The officers and men are
| ever ready, and impatiently say:
What more can be done? We have
| opened the way. Where is the army?"
| The answer seems near at hand.
| The Marblehead returned to Guam
tanamo on Wednesday, taking Captain
| Goodsell of the marines to survey
| landing places.
This morning the New Orleans and
/ Porter were close in shore off Baiquivi,
| east of Santiago, where there are ex-
| tensive iron works. A large iron pier
offers an excellent landing place. Pos
sibly one detachment of the army will
| land there; another force may land
west Of FL MORO, and third body
| of troops may land at Guantanamo. 1t
| is believed the city can be captured
within a few days, and Admiral Ger
| vera will be compelled to fight
The destruction of the shore batteries
now makes possible their occupation
| by troops, giving the American fleet an
| opportunity to enter the harbor and
remove the mines at the entrance, and
| effect a joint blow of the army and
| navy. involving the surrender of the
Spanish troops in the eastern provinces,
now practically all concentrated at
| Santiago de Cuba, and the surrender or
destruction OF Admiral Cervera's fine
ships would necessarily have an inn
portant If not controlling bearing in
] closing the war.