Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-22

On any OIL the SHIPS anu TIE CCluou
of men of war lying near the Span
ish guns near Moro Castle, kept
their vigil with more than usual
care during the dark hours of the
night to guard against the ap-
proach Of a destroying torpedo
boat which might attempt to run
out of the harbor, and with one
well directed shot sink troop
ship in the depths of the sea and
cend the souls of those on board
into the realms of eternity.
Washington, June N--There was
important news at the war depart .
ment when Secretary Alger reached
his office to-day. The transports
with $4,000 troops, he was informed,
had arrived safely off Santiago,
and that direct cable communlca-
ton had been established between
the United States and Guantanamo,
where the United States marines
now hold possession of Cuban soil.
Thus not only is Capt. Gen. Blanco
cut Off from any communication
with the outside world save through
the Key West cables within cur
control, but the authorities in
Washington have been placed in
close connection with our forces,
army and navy, which are conduct
ing the invasion of Cuba.
To Gen. Greedy and his signal
corps belongs the honor of achlev-
ing this last feat He was entrust-
ed some weeks ago with the task of
establishing cable and Geographic
communication with Cuba. Under
his supervision Lieut.. Col James
Allen, of Gen. Miles staff, with Of
ficers and men of the signal corps,
nave been bUsily engaged in the ex-
ecution of that work
The French Cable Company,
whose cable runs from Santiago to
Guantanamo bay, and thence to
Cape Haytien, where a direct con-
nection is obtained with New York,
was accorded the privilege of re-
storing this communication with
Guantanamo and Santiago, with
permission to send commercial and
domestic dispatches under a strict
military censorship necessitated by
war conditions. The cable steamer
Mancel was employed for the work
and operating on these lines was
restored between Cape Hayden aid
Guantanamo about three o'clock
yesterday afternoon. 1t is expected
that to-day or Wednesday the cable
will be thrown open to the general
public, subject to censorship.
The first message over this re-
stored cable was one from Lieut.
Col. Allen to Gen. Greedy, ANNOUNCE
ing the reopening Of communica-
ton Gen. Greedy Immediately di-
rected the officer to obtain and for
ward the earliest possibleAadvices
as to the arrival of the United States
troop transports. Lieut.. Col. Allen
applied to Capt. McCalla, in com
mand of the United States naval
-,
The captain in turn sent out a
boat to Admiral SIMPSONS squad
ron, which returned with the news
that the transports had arrived
safely and were lying off Santiago
and that at the moment Of the re-
port Gen. Shafter, commanding the
military expedition, was on board
the flagship New York consulting
with Admiral Sampson respecting
the landing Of the troops.
The news was particularly CRATE
full to Secretary Alger, who, be-
sides his official interest in the safe
al ~ al VI liC ChPCuitloil, ldS q lldb-
ural concern for the welfare of his
son, an inspector on Gen Skaters
staff.
The news was promptly scommu-
n1cated to the navy department,
where there was a general express
sion of satisfaction at the notifica-
ton that they will be able hereaf-
ter to communicate directly with
Sampson.
The vessels that have arrived off
Santiago, with the troops on board
of each. according to the data sup
piled to the war department by
Gen. Shafter, numbered with the
convoy 40 vessels. and is the most
numerous that ever left the waters
of the United States for a foreign
country 1t is expected here that
the transports will remain off San
tiago, or perhaps nearer the exact
landing point of the troops until
Santiago has been captured when
they will take aboard the greater
part of the invading army, If they
can be spared from that locality,
and CONVOY the troops to Porto
Rico to effect the capture of that
island
Madrid. June 81. p. m.-An off,
cial dispatch from Havana says
that about fifty additional ships,
many of them loaded with troops,
have anpeared off Santiago do Cuha