The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-01

"lHP"tch "stnin TWO DAYS camo to
tho war department from General
Shaftcr, but tho ncws was regarded
as so good that thcro was no dis.
position to complain. 1t disclosed a
very satisfactory rate Of progress on
the part Of General Shaftrr towards
tho town Of Santiago itself, and ap.
parontly ho has guincda all this ground
and has como within thrcn miles of
Santiago without suffering any losses
since the bloody skirmish Of Friday
last. Altogether the prrformancc is
regarded as very gratifying by the
department. officials hero. AS near
rs can be gathered from tho briof
dispatch, tho American army is now
at the fork II the road, ono branch
Of which lends to Santiago and the
other to Moro Castle at the entrance
to tho harbor. General Shnftcr is
thus FREQ to movo in either direction,
according to tho demands Of tn" cam.
paign. With tho 1900 men who re-
inforccd him yesterday on the Yale
and the additional brigade that will
reach him by tomorrow, it may bo
possible to mako ovon moro rapid
progress in tho advance upon San.
tiago, as these mon can be relied
upon to rrliovo tho main body Of
troops from the necessity of Keeping
opon tho limo Of communication be.
tween Shaftcr and his buso Mt
| BaiIuiri. Meanwhile, further ro-
inforcemonts arc being prepared and
dispatched as rapidly rs tho best
energies of the department can iii
rcct, and it il believed that several
tho"sand mon sailed today from
Tampa directly for Santiago.
Tho depart mcnt has had in mind
tho difficulties Of tho campaign that
aro just developing to tho public
oyc, such as tho uso for tho first
timo in civilized warfare Of barbcil
wire fencing as a means Of defense,
and acting upon tho advice Of some
Of our army officers who were in
Cuba while tho fighting was con
fined to tho Spaniards aud tho in
snrgonts, certain number in zach
regiment havo been provided with
wire cutters and charged with the
duty of cutting down thoso fences
SO rs to permit tho advance of the
troops.
1t probably will be necessary tc
shell ont the forces defending those
wiro chevauz &c friso before they
can bo cut, unless tho mon in charge
OF that duty arc to be unduly cx.
posed to danger. This will involve
a largo use of field artillery that
would bo required in ordinary war
fare. Tho officials here havo been
forohandcd as 20 those details, and
in fact, have provided for the use
Of barbcd wire by our own forcos
having sent about $50 tons Of this
wire with General Merritt's cxpcdi
ton.
Tho lines are being frightened
around Cuba, aud it will soon DC
impossible for even small quantities
of food or war supplies to reach the
Spaniards th"ro. The proclamation
issued today extending the blockade
to the south coast and to San JnaI
It is believed will accomplish this
result. On tho south coast tao Isle
Of Pines will be cut off as Il trunsfc,
depot for cattle and food supplies
coming from Janaira and Ccntra
America. by closing San Juan har
Dor the Spaniards will lose tho las
chance of smuggling war supplies to
Cuba, and tho future operations o
the army and navy looking to the oc
cupntion of tho Island Of Porto RicC
will be materially advanced by the
establishment of successful block
ade.
There was no further word from
the Cadiz fleet today, though it il
known to be still lying at Port Said
nndcr pretcxt Of repairing ono Of the
torpedo boat dcstroycrs Tho delay
on tho part Of tho Spanish fleet ha
not stopped tho preparations for th'