The Holly chieftain., 1898-06-17
gERYERAS AEEI SEEN:
Lieut.. Blue Goes Ashore Near San
tiago and Counts the Spanish
.Warshi1s in the Harbor.
THE sAxTIAso EXPEDITION DELAYED.
Omcial Information Received at Washing
ton that sonethIng Postponed the
Movement of Gen. shafter's Army of In
vasIon-Attention of Authorities Con-
eentrAted on q Porto Rican Expedition.

vAslon-Ateentbn OF Authort'es So"-
Gentrated on a Porto Rican Expedition.
WASHINGTON. June 15.-The last lin
gering doubt that may have existed as
to the presence OF Cervera's feet in its
entirety in Santiago harbor was re-
moved when Admiral SIMPSONS DIS
patch reached the navy department
last night Up to that time informa-
ton as to the number and character OF
the vessels lying in the harbor, shield.
ed from observation by the hills, had
been obtained through Cuban sources
supplemented by such glimpses as
could be obtained by naval officers
from the outside entrance Now, how
ever, according to Lieut. Blue, the
ships have been actually seen by an
American officer, coun ted and inspected
from such points of vantage as were
afforded BY the high hills surrounding
the harbor The officials here are full
OF praise for Lieut. Blues achievement
Victor Blue has been long known in
the navy as an enterprising and dar-
ing young officer, but it required a
good deal of sustained courage for him
to go ashore in hostile country and
alone make this reconnaissance. lie
was in the eye of military law, moth
ing more nor less than a spy, and had
he been captured by the Spaniards he
would have been tried by drumhead
court-martial and executed.
Considering the fact that the ma
rines' fight at Guantanamo last Satur-
day night was really the first engage
mept of the war on shore, Admiral
SIMPSONS reference to the affair in
his dispatch posted this morning was
remarkably brief. Hence, 1t is in
ferred that perhaps too much impor-
tance has been attached to it by the
public. The action of Lieut. Col.
Huntington in removing his men to a
more secure point than the exposed
position occupied by them on Crest
heights is taken here as an indication
that no offensive movement is to be
attempted by the marine corps, but
that it will limit its operations to the
defense of small point in Guantana-
mo harbor to protect the coaling of
our warships and perhaps to serve as
operators and instruments are secured
from Cape Haytien to enable Samp.
son to reopen the cut cable.
The officials here were very reluct.
ant to believe that the Spanish who
fought the marines at Crest heights
had been guilty of the horrible bar
barism of mutilating the bodies OF
soldiers. The first press reports by
some of the officers were supposed to
be based upon the horrible wounds in.
Bicted under certain conditions OF
range by the steel clad bullet of the
Mauser rifles. Admiral SIMPSONS re
port, however, seems to remove all
doubt on that point, for his surgeons
guish at once between the effects of
bullet and of machete.
The Santiago Expedition Delayed.
WASHINGTON, June 15.-Official in.
formation has reached Washington to
the effect that the fleet of transports
with troops for Santiago, which was
supposed to have left yesterday for
Cuba, had not sailed up to an early
hour this morning. No reason has
been stated, so far as can be learned,
for this very unexpected delay in the
movement against Santiago. The Off
cials positively decline to discuss the
matter, but clearly show by their
manner that the news is most unweI.
come.
Later advices received during the
afternoon show that start was ac-
tually made yesterday, but that the
movement dragged and that many of
the ships did not move until some time
this forenoon. 1t is supposed that all
the vessels are now fairly under way.
The public probably will be fully in
formed tomorrow concerning the
movement, as the authorities here have
determined to withdraw the censor.
ship thus far enforced from Florida
points some time tomorrow. Allow
ing three days for the trip, Gen. Shaft
sr's forces will be in the vicinity of
Santiago by Friday noon, and it is ex-
pected that the debarkation will take
the rest of that day and night and part
of the following day.
With the first expedition actually
but of the country, the authorities
he re have quickly turned their atten-
tion to another expedition even more
important than this initial one. 1t is
expected that the plans for this second
invading force will be matured at
once, and that as result another ex.
pedition will leave from an Allan tic
coast point within the next ten days,
this time for Porto Rico. The details
for this movement are approaching
completion. There are about Is trans.
ports already available and the list
will be increased as rapidly as posi-
BILE. Some of these may be
used for later expedition, but those
on hand and to be secured will readily
accommodate a force of 10000 men.
Recent reports from Porto Rico have
indicated that the Spanish force there
iocs not exceed 1000 or 5000 men,
also that it may be deemed necessary
TO send large army Of occupation.
Such as 1t IL, however, it will have an
important mission to perform, and
with this force pursuing an aggressive
campaign in Porto Rico and Gen. Shaf-
ter's $4,000 men on Cuban soil, an
abundance ofstirring action is assured
from this week forward.