The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-06
BOMBARDMENT OF SANTIAGO
SKATER AID SAMPSON TO SAY
WHEN IT WILL BEGIN

Destruction of Admiral Cervera's
Fleet Has Materially Changed the
Situation at SantiagO-BeIieved
That American Ships Can Safely
Enter the Harbor and Turn Their
Guns Upon the City.
WASHINGTON, July =5.-As a re-
suit Of the cabinet meeting today in
structiOns were sent by the president
to Admiral Sampson and Gen. Shat
ter to confer together concerning a
Joint plan Of attack upon the city.
Upon the outcome Of this conference
depends the line Of action for the i'm
mediate future. For the present, the
land bombardment by Gen. Skaters
forces has been deferred, as the sit
uation has so completely changed by
the humiliation Of the Spanish fleet
that 1t is manifestly the part of wis
dom for this land bombardment
to await the cooperation and
support of a bombardment from
ter's demand for the surrender of San
tiago, on the pain Of bombardment,
was made at $3.50 o'clock Sunday
morning. An hour later Admiral Ger
vera made his suicidal dash from the
harbor, resulting in complete trans
formation of the naval and military
conditions. Instead Of q menacing
Spanish fleet within the harbor the
way has been cleared, save the shore
batteries, for the entrance of the
American fleet up to the very wharves
of the city. With this material change
wrought, 1t was obvious to the author
tiles here that the blow first intended
to be delivered by Gen. Shafter alone
would be doubly effective and decisive
If the two forces could be brought to-
gether and strike simultaneously from
land and sea. 1t is for this reason that
the conference is held between the
American general and the American
admiral.
Up to the close Of office hours today
no word had come to either the war or
navy department., so far as was dis
closed, as to what determination had
been reached at the conference. At
the same time, it is the clear expecta-
ton of the authorities here that the
conference will result in a determina-
ton by the admiral to take his fleet
through the narrow neck of the har-
Dor, make his way past the shore bat
teries and fortified lions and take posi-
hnf a1{
There is reason to believe that the
instructions sent to Admiral Sampson
at least conveyed the desire, If not the
instructions, that he enter the harbor.
But 1t Is said the admiral and the gen.
eral continue to be the supreme Of
f1c1als in authority, and that, being on
the scene fully alive to all the condi-
tons, their judgment will be taken
as final in the course to be adopted.
FLEET CAN ENTER.
There Is said to be no obstacle, so
far as navigation is concerned to the
entrance Of the harbor by the Amert-
can fleet. The Cristobal Colon, which
cleared the Merrimac and got out of
the harbor Sunday, drew twenty-three
foot three inches, which is within sew
en- inches Of the draft of the battle
ships Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts and
Oregon, and is greater than the draft
CT the battleship Texas. Moreover, the
navy department has known for the
past ten days that the neck of the
channel was open despite the sinking
of the Merrimac, and that there was a
clear seaway Of seven fathoms,
through which any ship in our navy
could SAIL This removes all difficulty.
except from submarine mines, or from
the shore batteries. AS to the mines,
little account is taken Of them since
the Spanish fleet passed over them. The
Spaniards are in the habit of using
contact mines. so that there is little
| likelihood of there being mines oper-
ated by electro connection with tho
shore. The forts and batteries have
been badly weakened by the constant
| fire Of the fleet for many weeks past.
F.! and while still factor, they are great
| ~ disabled Once up to the city the
feet and army could combine in ter
rife double fire. No less than 292 heavy
| guns would be trained from the Ameri-
can ships On the city and at the same
time the big siege guns which, it is
said, have been brought to the front
of Skaters line, would rain down q
torrent Of steel from that quarter. The
siege guns throw shells Of 1876 pounds.
Aside from them there are four Nor
ton howitzers and a large number Of
smaller howitzers. These are in the
heavy artillery, while the light artillery
embraces a great number of guns of 80
calibre. Combined this fire from land
and sea would be terrific in it's effect.
| The action of the foreign representa-
tives at Santiago has been an addi-
tional rein for delaying the lombard
ment. 1t was known late today that
one of Gen. Skaters dispatches stated
that these representatives had Joined
in request to him to put off the shell
ing Of the city for another brief period
until their respective colonies could be
removed. This accounts for the de-
parture Of the foreign warships from
| Santiago harbor. as they are bearing
| away the foreign residents in the period
before the bomIbardment begins. The
activity of the consuls at Santiago has
| led to no diplomatic complications
which has reached the state depart