The herald., 1898-07-06
CAPITAL GOSSIP
DEPARTMENTS KEEPING THEIR
SECRETS CLOSE
Speculations as to What Will Be Done
and No End to the Advice
offered

WASHINGTON. July 5.-There will be no
| bombardment of Santiago today and pos
sibly not during the week. This is the opn-
ion of members of the Cabinet as expressed
ON leaving the White House after the
Cabinet meeting. Secretary Alger and
Secretary Long have been in almost con-
slant communication with General Shafter
and Admiral Sampson on the subject and
the conclusion has been reached that 1t
would not be advisable to attempt to carry
the city Of Santiago by storm with our pres
emit force General Shafter, in dispatch
received last night. confirmed the report
that General Pando, with about six thou
sand Spaniards, had arrived in the city
and were already distributed among the
Notifications. This reinforcement makes
the Spanish forces defending the city from
10000 to $4,000. The very great advantage
of being entrenched adds materially to
their strength, and in the opinion of mill
tary men makes their effective fighting
force from third to half greater than
our own. General Shafter, In his dispatch
es states that the excessive heat and rains
of the last two weeks have contributed
nearly as much as the Spanish bullets to
tho losses of our army. Under these cir
Gums tances, 1t is his opinion that 1t would
be unwise to attempt to carry the city by
assault. This view Is shared by officials
here and also, it is understood, by Admiral
Sampson in command of the fleet. At the
Cabinet meeting the President directed
that kilograms be sent to General Shafter
and Admiral Sampson, suggesting that
they confer as to the situation and particu-
larry as to the advisability Of the admiral's
attempt to force a passage into Santiago
Bay and so be in readiness to render effec-
tive aid in the assault upon the city. 1t is
known to be Skaters desire to have the
fleet enter the harbor.
Orders were given looking to the immed-
late dispatch of troop ships from Tampa
with reinforcements for Shafter and others
now at Santiago will be brought here at
the earliest moment, to aid in the trans
portation of reinforcements. 1t is prob
able that at least Is, 600 will be sent forward
as rapidly as transportation can be pro-
vided. Thus augmented, there seems to be
no doubt that the forces under General
Shafter will be able to storm and take the
city without delay. These are the views
entertained by members of the Cabinet
who talk freely on the subject. Neverthe-
less, the order under which both the army
and the navy are now operating gives the
commanders wide discretion and it is not
doubted that should changed circumstances
seem to warrant 1t an aggressive move
ment will be begun.
A Senator who talked with the military
officials said there was no doubt of the out
come If the American fleet could get inside
the harbor and thus place the city between
the land and sea commandments The ar
rival at Santiago of General Pando with
reinforcements occasioned some comment
on the course of General Garcia and his
Cuban troops in not holding Pando back
particularly in view of the fact that Cen
eral Lawton's brigade was cooperating
with Garcia, but 1t is believed the latter
left Lawton in an embarrassed position
At the same time the disposition of the au-
thorities was mainly to meet the situation
now presented rather than how it had
come about.
In meeting this, the most active steps
towards getting large reinforcements to
General Shafter were in progress The
regiments of General Garretson's brigade
go from Camp Alger; one of them, the
Eighth Ohio, under Colonel Curtis, is pro-
ceeding to New York, where they embark
Immediately on the St. Paul. The other
regiments of this brigade, the Sixth ILL
nois and the Sixth Massachusetts, go to
Charleston, S. c., where they take the
cruisers Harvard and Yale. At the same
time the brigades of General Ernest and
General Haines, now at Chickamauga, will
move with all possible dispatch to Charles
ton, Savannah, Mobile and other coast