The times., 1898-06-07
THE ARMY TAKES THE LEAD
Santiago Will Be Captured by
Our Troops.
LIMITATIONS OF NAVAL ARM
The Great Thirteen-Inch Guns of
Our Formidable BnttleshiPs Have
Heen overestImnted as Engines of
Destruction-Porto Rice Could
Never He Taken ny the Navy.

ing the war. takes precedence of the Ma
W. This VIII probably be the keynote
OF this weeks program.
Santiago a. a. he taken hy the Army
Troops are already landed near the city.
The descent on the town will probably be
made Wthin d few hours.
Heretofore every operation has been
conducted by the hattleshiPs- Hereafter
the Army VIII take an Increasingly ina
portant part in the war. The invasions
must alI be made by the Army. The
Spanish fees are nearly disposed Of.
The conduct OF the war to the present
time illustrates the Limitations Of the ma
val arm very clearly. Opposing fleets
may be destroyed. biockades may be
maintained that viii starve an enemy;
bombardments may be made and where
the naval force is strong enough. as in
the case Of Manila, a seaport may be
held. practically for an indefinite time
But a bombardment is almost futile un-
less there IS an army behind to take ad-
vantage Of it.
Porto Rico shows this. Santiago does
TO a certain extent The smaller bonn
D2TMIlGIAS DAi Int AAA8 III Nps~-7N
show ii. The enemy can soon replace
in more or less effective form, destroyed
fortifications, land batteries can be
raised; new guns can be mounted on
the dismantled walls.
More than this, the power Of even the
great Is-inch guns of the battleships is
shown 10 have been overestimated. This Is
generally admitted by the naval author
titles They do not pulverize fortifcations
aamost Instantly Constant battering
makes breaches in the walls, but that is
all. Against earthworks, shot and shell
are almost of little effect. Their damage
can be repaired as quickly as it is made
our naval authorities now admit these
facts.
1t is probable that Santiago and Cervera
could not be taken this Summer without
the army. If the attempt were made and
were successful, 1t would be at the prob
able expense of many lives. and perhaps
OF battleships, too. The very success Of
the Merrimac strategy prevents - the
Americans from entering the harbor
equally as il bottles Cevera up. II any
one Of the American battleships thai had
made an attempt 10 force the channel
had been sunk by mine or by the Span
ish guns, the effect would have been the
same.
Porto Rico could never be taken by The
navy alone il IS said. Neither could
Havana or the Philippines.
The present program Is understood 20
use the two arms Of the service In their
logical order. Santiago and Cervera viii
probably be taken This week by tine army.
Gen. Shafter has command % the whole
invading army Ii is not understood. how
ever. that he is in immediate command
at Santiago When CeTvera capltulates.
the army OF 50Jd now AT santiago w.H re-
main there in occupancy OF the town.
probably with Sarge re-enforcemcnts. The
Spanish ships viii be given American
crews and become part Of SIMPSONS fieet
1t Is believed that the Porto Rican in-
vasion is only partly connected with the
Santiago capture when Santiago has
been taken. Simpsons fleet will sail for
Porto Rico, leaving one or two ships al
the former place. The Porto Rican In
vading army. however. viii soon be land
ed. no matter how long Santiago holds
out. II is. believed that Gen. Shafter may
take personal command in Porto Rico.
Sampson viii make another lombard
ment Of San Juan as soon as he can get
away from Santiago.
There is one disquieting surmise at the
Navy Department. II is the belief OF
many of the officers that the lombard
lnent Of Santiago and the attack Of the
land forces win not be made until the
exchange of Hobson and his companions
has been effectel. This would delay the
capture Of Cervera and the entire pro-
gram nearly, if not quite. a week.
The suggestion is further offered that
the offer Of Cervera to make the exchange
Of prisoners was simply ruse to ac-
complish this delay. Another idea is thai
Cervera may have been Informed thai
Camara is on his way to this side with
another re-enforcing feet.
No direct information can be Obtained
either eorroborating or denying this post
Donement Ii is intimated. however, that
there viii be no delay. Cervera, it is
said. has practically given his word OF
honor thar Hobson and his men shall be
treated as prisoners Of war. He is be-
leved. and the attack win be made. trust
ing to his statement that the Spaniards
rage at being captured viii not cause
them TO be murdered There Is, however
without doubt. an element Of uncertainty
tho rargorarn