Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-07-08
WAR NOTES.

the entire war Board OF the
Navy Department. 1t is said that
the plan decided upon is to lombard
Santiago tomorrow, if The city has not
surrendered by u o'clock. Another
demand for the surrender has been
made, and President Mckinley has o
strong hope that the second battle of
Santiago will not be necessary.
General Shafter, it is stated, has
cabled to Washington that the army
and navy will jointly attack Santiago
at noon Saturday. Both the American
and Spanish forces have been reinforced
since the recent battle and hard fight
| is expected Another element in the
case is starvation, which may force a
surrender of the city without further
bloodshed. General Shafter has been
reinforce TO the extent of at least $500
troops. These, added to the 10000
troops already under him and the 5000
under General Garcia, will bring Gen.
Skaters fighting force up to about 80.
| 600 From these must be deducted
about 200 killed and wounded officers
and men. The total regular force I'M
der General Linares in the city of San
tiago was recently II, $50. To these
must be added the reinforcements, COM
puted at about 5000 men. These troops
cut their way through Garcia's men,
about 5000 coming from Guantanamo
and about 5000 from Holgiun. Putting
together al these figures, General Lin
ares may within forty-eight hours, it is
said count upon about %, 900 men. There
are other Spanish regular troops in the
province, including the light division
under General Bernsl, to the number Of
about 1000.
A cablegram from the seat OF war
states that General Shafter and Captain
Chadwick, of the flagship New York,
have been in conference rs to plans for
a Joint attack on Santiago. Captain
Chadwick explained to General Shafter
that Admiral Sampson could not send
ships into the harbor at present to re-
move the mines, because there are
5000 Spanish ritlemen stationed behind
the hills near the beach. He also re.
minded the American General that the
enemy, with the guns of Moro, would
be able to get the range OF any boats
that might be used in the work of free
ing the outer harbor OF mines. Gen.
Skaters last message from that the
| Spanish commander was 10 the effect the
city never would be surrendered.
Though Gen. linares has said he will
not consider the surrender OF the city,
it may capitulate before the Americans
try to take it by assault. In any case a
long siege is cut OF the question.
J General Miles left Washington last
evening for Charleston, :. g., where
he will embark for Santiago. He is to
take the active conduct OF the military
operations at Santiago in direct charge.
he goes against the wishes of the Sec
rotary of War, but he has insisted on
being at the front and his views have
been approved by The President. Gen.
Miles has issued a general order pro-
hibting the use of spirituous liquors by
the army in Cuba, hut allowing for the
present the Use CT wines and beer.
The newspapers throughout Europe
are urging Spain TO seek for peace. 1t
is generally recognized that Senior Sa-
gastas cabinet will shortly be suppressed
ed. The difficulty in the way of peace
is the army, which is anxious to re-
trieve the failure of the navy, and this
ambition is strengthened by the fact
that the American forces have not yet
captured Santiago. But it is becoming
clear, even TO the Spapiards, than an
undue prolongation of the war will be
only playing into the hands of the Car
lists.
A Madrid dispatch to the Paris Temps
states that at the meeting Of the Span
ish cabinet yesterday negotiations for
peace were considered. 1t is believed
that some of the European powers are
exerting pressure on Spain.
Summaries of the losses in the land
| fighting before Santiago have been COM
pleted for all the divisions Of General
Skaters army, except that of General
| Wheeler. They record III killed and
l OLA wounded. Nearly one-half Of this
loss occurred in the division of General
Kent during his assault on San Juan
heights. II is likely that the total loss
in killed and wounded will be found to
be about LOO. A special dispatch
from General Skaters headquarters
says that the wounded are badly cared
for. The best tents are occupied by
Cubans and the wounded American
soldiers are crowded into little tents or
lie on the ground unprotected.
On July Aguinaldo issued proclS-
nation establishing republic in the
Philippines, with himself as provisional
president. He issued further proc
lamation July 4, intended to conciliate
the natives. He is bringing up cannon
nearer to Manila's walls, and, it is
stated, expects to take the city in day
or two. General Monet's troops in a
town near Manila, numbering about
500, have surrendered. Their general
deserted them and, disguised as wom-
an, accompanied Captain-General Au-
gusti's family on pass from Aguinaldo,
and so made his way into Manila. The
Spaniards are indignant at his COW
ardice
The second expedition to Manila left
Honolulu in safety June "a, and it is
expected TO reinforce Admiral Dewey
and General Anderson about next We'd
nesday. 1t numbers 4 1000 men.
There are number of Spanish war
craft left, scattered through coves on
the Cuban coast and lying in obscure
little harbors in the West Indian
islands. These are to be hunted down
and captured or destroyed, and the
movement is to begin Immediately.
The battleships Iowa and Oregon, the
protected cruiser Newark and the Dixie,