The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-06
THE TAKING OF SANTIAGO
SAMPSONM4Y Y FORGE HIS VA YINTO
 THE,HARBOR.

S@iHfoON MA fOhCE HIS UAE 4NIO
 THEHARBOR.
 This Likely to be the Result of the Con- ference Between Shafter and the Ad- miraI Which Has Been Ordered by the President-LittIe Account is Taken of the Mines Since the Spanish Fleet Passed Over Them-A Combined Att tack Aimed At.
 Washington, July 5.-As g. result of the cabinet meeting to-day, instruc- tions were sent by the president to Ad- miral Sampson and General Shafter to confer together concerning joint plan of attack upon the city of Santiago. Upon the outcome of this conference depends the line of action of the imme- diate future. For the present the land bombardment by General Shafters forces has been deferred, as the situa- tion has been so completely changed by the annihilation of the Spanish squadron that it is manifestly wise for the land bombardment to await the cooperation of a bombardment from Admiral Sampson's squadron. General Shafter's demand for the surrender of Santiago was made at S:3O o'clock liar hy, Iat . miral Cervera made his suicidal dash from the harbor, resulting in a com plete transformation of the naval and military conditions. Instead of a men, acing Spanish squadron within the har- Dor, the way has been cleared, save for the shore batteries, for the entrance of the Amrican squadron up to the very wharves of the city.
 Sampson May Force the Harbor.
 It is the expectation of the author ities here that the conference between Sampson and Shafter will result in a determination of the admiral to take his squaron through the narrow neck of the harbor, make his way past the shore batteries and Notifications and take position before the city for bombardment. There is reason to be- lieve that the instructions sent to Ad- Miral Sampson at least conveyed the de- sire If not the order, that he enter the harbor. But it is said that the admiral and the general continue to be the supreme officials in authority and that their Judgment will be taken as final in the course to be adopted.
 The Merrimac No Obstacle.
 There is said to be no obstacle, as far as navigation is concerned, to the en- trance of the harbor by the American fleet. The Cristobal Colon, which clear ed the Merrimac and got out of the harbor Sunday, drew 23 feet inches, which is within seven inches of the draught of the battleships Iowa, h. diana, Massachusetts, and Oregon, and is greater than the draught of the bat tleship Texas. Moreover the navy de- partment has known for the last ten days that the neck of the channel was open, despite the sinking of the Merri- mac and that there was a clear way of seven fathoms through which any ship in our navy could sail. This removes all difficulty, except for submarine mines, or from the shore batteries.
 Mines Probably Not Dangerous.
 Little account is taken of the mines since the Spanish fleet passed over them. The Spaniards are in the habit of using contact mines, so there is lit tie likelihood of there being electric connection with the shore. Once up to the city the fleet and army could com bine in a terrific double fire. No less than 292 heavy guns would be trained from the American warships on the city, and at the same time the big siege guns which have been brought to the front of Shafter's line would rain down a torrent of steel from that quarter The siege guns throw shells of 135 pounds. Aside from them, there are four Morton howitzers and large number of small howitzers. These are in the heavy artillery while the light artillery embraces number of guns of 3.2 calible. Combined this fire from land and sea would be terrific in it's ef- feet.
 Action of Foreign Consuls.
 The action of the foreign representa- tives at Santiago has been an addi- tional reason for deferring the bonn bardment It was made known late to-day that one of General Shafter's dispatches stated that these reports had joined in request to him to put off the shelling of the city for another brief period until their respective colo nies could be removed. This accounts for the departure of the foreign war ships from Santiago harbor, as they are bearing away the foreign residents in the period before the bombardment begins. The activity of the cOnsuls has led to no diplomatic complication which has reached the state depart rnent thus far and the authorities here feel that nothing of that nature will develop.