The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-11
THE COAST DEFENSE
Of Southern Cuba Has Been Battered
Down EffectualIy.
ADMIRAL CERVERA'S FATE IS SEALED
Under Cover of the Fleet, Easy to
Land Troops.
MARBLEHEAD'S EASY VICTORY
She Siicnccs the Batteries at Guam
su,uu,u I,oxx n
ADMIRAL CERVERA'S FATE Is SEALED
MARBLEHEAD'S EASY VICTORY
She silcnccs the Batteries at Guam.
tnnamO In n Few Minutes-Spnn-
ish Gunboat Ran Away.

copyrighted, 1898 by Associated Press)
On Board the Associated Press Dispatch
| Boat Wanda, OF Santiago de Cuba, June
Al p. m.-via Kingston Jamaica. June
| 10.-7:40 a. m.-The navy awaits the
army.
| 1.-The fighting force OF Rear Admiral
Sampson and Commodore Sthey have bat
tered 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 chan
rel at its entrance. which the guns of the
| fleet cover increasingly.
| Scout boats running under the shadows
OF FL Morro have cut the Haytien cable,
and now hold thrty-fve miles OF the coast
east OF Santiago, including Guantanamo
harbor. Under the cover of the Luns OF
the fleet, Eastern Cuba NAV be safely in
vested by land and sea- Admiral Ger
vera's fleet may be annihlated and the
entire province and its towns and harbors
seized and held after short campaign.
The harbor of Guantanamo is a 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 lying hills can be easily crossed with
trains OF Siege guns and there are level
roads to Santiago, thirty eight miles dis
tant, where few mountain batteries. be-
yond the reach of the fleet Will be taken 10
an eminence commanding 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 a
navy and army supply station. coalng
depot and cable terminus. The Spaniards
made but slight defense. Their batteries
were silenced on Tuesday by the Marble
head in few minutes, firing at 1000 yards
A small Spanish gunboat ran away
The Oregon, Marblehead and Yankee
hold the harbor, waiting to land marines.
The navy's work has been done welA
Daily and nightly ships patrol tho 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 iuvasion?"
The answer seems near at hand. The |
Marbehead returned to Guantanamo on !
tuesday taking Captain Goodrich Of the |
marines to survey landing places. This |
morning the New York, New Orleans and |
Porter We're close In shore off Daiquiri. |
east OF Santiago, where there are extensive |
IRON works. large iron pier offers an ex-
cellent landing place. Possibly one de-
tachment Of the army Will land there. an
other force may land west OF Eel Zorro |
and third body OF troops NAV land at |
guantanamo. 1t is believed the city can I,
be captured In few days and that Ad-
miral Cervera will be compelled to fight.
The destruction of the shore batteries
now makes possible their occupation by
troops, giving the American feet an on
portunity y enter the harbor. remove the
mines at the entrance and effect n Joint
blow Of the army and navy. involving tho
surrender of the Spanish troops in the
eastern provinces. now. practically all con-
centrated at Santiago de Cuba and the
surrender or destruction of Admiral Ger
Veras fine ships would necessarily have
an important II not controlling bearing in
closing the war
IL Is in this view that such close watch
Is maintained to prevent the escape OF
Tue spanish ships and necessarily the
presence OF the soldiers is required to pre-
vent the defeat of the work thus far ar.
complished by the navy
Trying to Get RID OF the Mcrr,m.c
Especial Cable Dispatch to the New York Icr-
ald, London Times and The Houston Pos,
copyrighted. 1885, by james Gordon Ben.
On Board the Herald Posts Dsnet,n
Boat Off Santiago de Cuba. via Kinrsto,
Jamaica June 1o.-Tho masts and stac,,s
Of the sunken collier Merrimac in the en-.
l'shce to the harbor of Santiago have dis.
appeared from view. The Spaniards mr.,
irving to destroy the wreck, but it is con.
stsLtly under the guns OF some Of tho h,..
ger warships. Two guns were fired a, +ho
i'ee' from the Santiago batteries yesterday.
Inc rapport has reached Admiral Sampson
9at the Vlzcaya is sighted on the north