Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-02
The question was in every ones mouth,
why does he not reportg"
FIGHTING, Nor WRITING"


likely and sound explaaation.
just before 4 o'clock came a brief dis
patch from Playa del Este. the cable
station near Santiago. But II was from
an engineer officer TO General Miles, and
made no reference TO the progress OF the
battle. merely referring TO certain neces-
sary material and livestock On the
whole. the very absence of official news
was regarded as rather q favorable indi-
cation, the reasoning being that this
skirmish and that our army was feel
| ing the enemy 10 discover and strike al
his weak spot. 1T was nearly O'Clock
when the signal office received the well
come news that the enemy was retreat
inv.
CHANCES OF SPANISH RETREAT.
The military authoTuies here are fully
cOns sideriHg the chances Of retreat or
| tie Spanish army from Santiago. and
are endeavoring TO 30 shape events that
| General Skaters force viii not only take
Santiago, but Will capture the l2oo' spai'-
| iaras before they get away nortnwara'
10 effect a juncture with General fanuo'
Full information as TO the possible n'leS
of retreat has been ct the disposal ol '"o
war Department. one of the most Ni'ei
esting statements is that OF Eeh"'ai
Nonaver Cox. OF the Spanish-Americah
Mining Company, at Baiquiri, who IL
thoroughly acquainted with all the couh-
try surrounding Santiago. He sho"s 'i'"'
the two possible lines OF retreat "ie'
pYrs, nv the road TO FL Cobre; or, secohu'
-, following the line of the SaoahliD
ond Narato railroad. The first line VIII
no easv for about the first ten miles or
os far as El Cobre; but after that 'he
country is mountainous and Darr'n' anu
would not afford subsistence anu '"0
raes 70 reach the central plateau OF th7
island would be difficult
MOST LIKELY LINE OF RETREAT
The more likely lire of retreat VIII DE
along the line of the aboVe-men'io''eU
r,,iroad crossing the Sierra Maestro at
El Cristo. a pass coo feet above 'he se''
ten miles north Of Santiago. and the low
est PASS through the Sierra Maestra Ioi
,,,on,, miles The country back OF thi'
&c q rolling plateau OF rich agr1cui'ui'"
land At MANAGES. on the railroad TWO
miles north Of the pass is an IRON pr'use'
consisting of a series of So-foot spans oh
iron trestle-bents. This point Is ABOUT
two miles beyond the Cristo summit ana
Just beyond this bridge would be 'he
most feasible method of preventing the
approach of General Pandos Spanish
troops TO relieve Santiago. 1t js probable
that if the Spaniards retreat by this ROAD
they will make a stand on the plateau
at El Cristo, and hold the pass OF El
Cristo.
THIRD CHANCE OF ESCAPE.
The only other pass through the noun,
tains near this point is at Escandel sum
nit. about six miles in a straight line east
of El Cristo pass. Escandel Summit Is
] 200 feet above the sea. and is reached
from Santiago via Caney. The road from
Santiago to Caney is fairly good, being
wide enough for vehicles Between Caney
and Escandel the road, which is no more
than trail, ascends the mountains, and
is very winding and broken. Beyond
Escandel, across the range, the country
is heavily timpered and broken, and the
roads are not good. 1t is an ideal coun-
Try for ambush. This is probably the only
pass through which the Spanish position
could be turned, should the Spanish
troops occupy the Cristo plateau and
pass The railroad has been fortified by
a line of block houses. protecting the
bridges, and certain zones of cultivation
inclosed between these forts have been
planted during all the time of the war,
and would afford a supply for the army
for a certain time. In the mean time,
sweet potatoes could be planted,Swhic in
three months would ripen. These zones.
Of cultivation exist along the road as
far as San Luis at which point there is
considerable country in cultivation. on
the other branch dhe Sabanilla branch
the zones of cultivation extend as far as
Songo.
DISPATCH FROM DEWEY.
While not prollx in his utterances, Ad-
miral Dewey loses no opportunity to
keep the Navy Department informed OF
the state of affairs at Manila. A dis
patch came from him to-day dated Ca
vite' June 27th. reporting that conditions
remain practically unchanged. but not
recording the arrival OF his reinforce
ments He had some other matters OF
interest to communicate but they were
not of a character that could be properly
made public at this stage. For one
thing. it can be stated that Admiral
Dewey has been particular 10 avoid COM
mitting this government 10 any particular
line of action respecting the future OF
the Philippines, or to do anything that
would embarrass General Merritt in
framing a policy to meet the needs of
the case when he arrives. He has made
no official pledges to the insurgent lead
or. although he has not hesitated to open
w praise his good politics and his ac-
complishments.
CADIZ FLEET AND WATSON.
So far as the Navy Department knows
the Cadiz feet is still at Port Said. unable
to coal. but it is taking no chances on
it's course. and is steadily pressing the
ARRANGEMENTS for the dispatch TO the
Mediterranean OF he Eastern squadron,
under Commodore Watson. An evidence
Of this purpose was made visible to-day,