Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-07-06
IT is POSTPONED.
A Conference Over Advisability of
Bombarding Santiago de
Cuba at Present.
THE ENTEE SITUATION GONE OVER
Not Deemed Advisable to Attempt to
Take the City by Storm Until
Reinforcements Arrive.
THE ENTEE SITUATION CONE OVER
There is No Possibility That Santiago VIII
BE Eombsrded THIS week-Gen.
Pando Enters the G ty With
over 6,o0O spaniards.

WASHINGTON July 5.-There was no
BON bardment of Santiago Tuesday and
possibly will not be during the present t
week. This is the opinion of members
of the cabinet as expressed on leaving
the White House after the ca oinet meet
ing, Secretary Alger and Secre tary
Long have been in almost constant
communication with Gen. Shatter and
Admiral Sampson upon the situation
and the conclusion has been reached
that it would not be advisable
to attempt to carry the city of Santa
go by storm with our present forces.
Gen. Shafter, in a dispatch received
Monday night, confirmed the report
that Gen. Pando with 6,000 Spaniards
had arrived in the city, and
were already distri outed among
the fortiscations This reinforce
ment makes the Spanish forces de-
tending the city from 5000 to $4,000.
The very great advantage of being in
trenched adds materially to their
strength, and in the opinion of mill
itary men makes their effective fight
ing force from third to a
half greater than our own. Gen.
Shafter in his dispatches states
that the excessive heat and rains
of the last two weeks have con-
tributed nearly as much as the Span
,sl. l,,11 11a% lo .
army Under these circumstances it
is his opinion that it would be unwise
to attempt to carry the city by assault
This view is shared by the officials
here and also it is understood by Adm.
Sampson, in command OF the feet.
At the cabinet meeting the
president directed that tele-
grams be sent to Gen. Shatter
and Adm. Sampson suggesting that
they confer as to the situation and
particularly as to the advisability of
the admiral's attempt to force pas
sage into Santiago bay and SO be in @
position to render effective aid in the
assault upon the city. 1t is known to
be Gen. Skaters desire to have
the fleet enter the harbor. Orders
we're also given looking to the
immediate dispatch of troop ships
from Tampa with reinforcemc nts for
Shafter, and others now Off Santiago,
will be brought here at the earliest
possible moment to aid in the trans
portation of reinforcements. 1t is
probable that at least $4,000 will be
sent forward as rapidly as transporta-
ton can be provided Thus auGme Mt
ed there seems to be no
doubt the forces under Gen.
Shafter will be able to storm
and take the city without delay.
These are the views entertained by
members. of the cabinet, who talked
freely Tuesday on the subject Never
theless the orders under which both
the army and navy are now operating
give the commanders wide discretion,
and it is not doubted that should
changed circumstances seem to war
rant it, an aggressive movement will
be begun
A senator who talked with the mill
tary officials said there was no dou bt
of the outcome if the American fleet
could get inside the harbor and thus
place the city between the land and sea
bombardments.
The arrival at Santiago of Gen.
Pando with reinforcements for Lii.
mares occasioned some comment on this
course of Gen. Garcia and his Cuban
troops in not holding Pando back, par
ticularly in view of the fact that Gen.
Lawton's brigade was cooperating
| with Garcia, but it is believed the lat
ter left Lawton in an EN- Sarrassed posi-
tion. At the same time the DISPOSE
tion of the authorities was mainly tS
meet the situation now presented
rather than TO question ho~ it came
about. In meeting it the most active
steps toward getting large reinforce
meats to Gen. Shafter We're in progress