The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-15

well supplied with terminal facilities,
which is not expected. To get the men
ashore will be a simple matter. COM
pared with the difficulty of landing an
dma1s and heavy equipments.
1T will not be u summer afternoon
matter" said the officer. THE troops
will be landed under cover of the guns
of the fighting ships if a hostile recep-
ton is accorded to them. The first
business will be to secure themselves
against attack. Then the landing of
their equipments will follow, and it is
bound to be a tedious matter, as 1t will
be done by the aid of lighters. 1t is
probable that it will take not less than
three weeks to land the expedition that
was loaded on shipbOard in a week.
after we have heard about the land
ing of this expedition, we shall begin
to understand why General Miles was
opposed to sending out $4,000 men at
once, before the war department was
satisfied that they had been properly
drilled, seasoned and disciplined. With
60 600 to ship at Tampa the confusion
and delay would have been increased
1t is inevitable that there shall be some
confusion at the Cuban end of the trip,
and that confusion would have been
possibly four times greater with four
times the number of troops"
If it is definitely known whether
General Shafter will land his forces in
Guantanamo bay, the war department
does not communicate the information.
1t is suggested that the landing place
may be 1nucn nearer TO santiago. Inc
distance from Guantanamo to Santiago,
which is something like thirty miles, is
a prodigious one to be overcome by
marching in a mountainous country
without roads. The transports will be
at hand. however, if it is determined
to use Guantanamo as base, and a
movement of the troops could be made
in few days, barring the delays that
have been found to be Incidental to
loading and unloading. A movement
at Caimenara to send 10000 or $4,000
men toward Santiago, would, it is est1-
mated, give the Spanish at Santiago
about a weeks notice to prepare for an
assault.
There is no expectation that the land
forces will begin operations at once to
attempt to capture Santiago by assault,
and then to depend upon using the har-
Dor after it has been cOuntermined and
the entrance cleared by blowing up the
wreck of the Merrimac. The undertake
ing is considered one of too great di-
mansions to be accomplished in short
order. Indeed, there are some army
men who look for a. prolonged siege of
Santiago and many desperate encoun-
tiers between the troops of the United
States and Spain before a decided re-
suit is reported. Still the capture may
be a matter of briefer time than is
imagined by the war department people
and much will depend. it is admitted
upon the view obtained by General
Shafter after he has seen the country
and consulted with Admiral Sampson.
That nrSI consultation Inlay ueSlTOy all
the preconceived notions of the SAN
gl1ine and the anxious at the war de-
partment and the White House.
There is a stronger disposition now
than heretofore to obtain the cO-Opera-
ton of the insurgents at Santiago. They
have not yet made a very deep impress
sion upon the army, but 1T is admitted
that they may POSSESS many Qualif1ca-
tions to render them Invaluable allies
in occupying the Spanish forces while
the attack is being made by General
Shafter and Admiral Sampson.