The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-11
NAVY AWAITS The ARMY.
Everything i'm Readiness for Landing
of Troops at and Near Santiago.

Everything i'm Readiness for Landing
of Troops at and Near Santiago.
Copyright, 1898. by the Associated Press.)
M, on Board the Associated Press Dispatch
Boat Wanda (via Kingston, Jamaica, June
10, 7:40 a. m.)--The navy awaits the army.
The fighting ships of Rear Admiral Samp-
son and Commodore Schley have battered
down the coast defense of southern Cuba
and have sealed Admiral Cervera's fleet in
the harbor Of Santiago de Cuba by sinking
the collier Merrimac in the channel at it's
entrance. which the guns of the fleet cover
increasingly. Scout boats, running under the
shadows of Ell Moro. have cut the Haitien
cable. and now hold thrty-five miles of
the coast east of Santiago, including Guam
tanamo harbor. Under the cover of the
guns of the fleet eastern Cuba may be safe
ly invested by land and sea, Admiral Ger
vera's fleet annihilated, and the entire prov
ince and its towns and harbors seized and
held after a short campaign.
The harbor of Guantanamo is fine base
for land and sea operations. The harbor is
capacious. and has forty feet of water. The
land approaches are not so precipitous as
at Santiago de Cuba. The low-ying hills
guns. and there are level roads to Santiago,
thirty-three miles distant, where a few
mountain batteries. beyond the reach of the
fleet, will be taken to an eminence COM
manding the city and the Spanish ships
Guantanamo is an important place. 1t has
six miles of water harbor and will be of
great value to the United States as navy
and army supply station coaling depot and
r1c do hut
slight defense. Their batteries were silenced
on Tuesday by the Marblehead in a few
minutes firing at 1000 yards. A small Span
ish gunboat ran away The Oregon, Mar
blehead and Yankee hold the harbor wait
ing to land marines.
The navys work has been done we'll
Daily and nightly ships patrol the thirty
miles of coast within easy gun range of the
shore. The officers and men are ever ready
and impatiently saying: What more can
we do? We have opened the way. Where
is the army of invasion?" The answer seems
near at hand.
The Marblehead returned to Guantanamo
on Wednesday. taking Captain Goodrell, of
New Orleans, to survey landing places.
This morning the New York New Or
leans and Porter were close in shore off
Daiquiri east of Santiago where there are
extensive iron works. A large iron pier
offers an excellent landing place Possibly
one detachment OF the army will land there
another force will land west of El Moro
and third body of troops may land at
Guantanamo.
1t is believed Santiago can be captured
within a few days, and that Admiral Ger
vera will be compelled to fight The de-
struction of the shore batteries now makes
possible their occupation by troops, giving
the American fleet an opportunity to enter
the harbor. remove the mines at the en-
trance and effect a joint blow of the army
and navy. involving the surrender of the
Spanish troops In the eastern Provinces
now practically all concentrated at Santiago
de Cuba. and the surrender or destruction
of Admiral Cervera's fine ships would neces-
sarily have an important. if not controlling,
bearing in closing the war. 1t is in this
view that such close watch is being main
tanned to prevent an escape Of the Spanish
ships, and. necessarily, the presence of the
soldiers is required to prevent the defeat of
the work thus far accomplished by the navy