The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-18

useless M-centimetre mortars. two g.
centimetre muzzle leaders and four
g. centimetre field pieces. In the Estralis
battery: one 57-centimetre and one 20
millimetre Nordennedt and one 81 mill
imetrs Hotchkiss In the socapa lower
battery and tive 6-inch Hontorias. two
s-centimetre Krupps and two lb-centi-
metre mortars at Punta Gorda- Four
Spanish merchant steamers are now In
the harbor.
The question Of Transporting the
Spanish troops to Spain Will undoubt-
edly be settled by the Washington au-
thorities without delay. II the troops
go In the transports now OF Santiago.
or In other American transports sent for
the purpose. they will need no convoy.
the safety Of our Transports on their ar
rival in Spain naturally being guaran-
teed.
All the American troops now on the
south side Of Cuba will remain ashore,
probably until the Spanish troops are on
the transports. Their task Is likely to
be an ardous one. The marines will
keep the camp 1T Guantanamo, which
has proved such an invaluable harbor
and base. For the force employed and
the lives lost II is doubtful whether In
the history Of all wars so much benefit
has been derived as from the work done
by this handful OF marines backed up by
tho ships at Guantanamo. Admiral
Sampson Is inclined to believe now that
II would be advisable for Guantanamo
to be made am open port. AS far as the
navy Is concerned, Its work off Santiago
has been done well. and the unbroken
blockade by the fleet and the consequent
hunger and distress among the Spanish
troops had much to do with their sur
render. These are the negative causes
that contributed to the victory.
Throughout the campaign before San
tiago. owing to poor facilities Of COM
munication and utter inability to see
from the ships what was going on ashore
behind the hills. there has been some
lack of cooperation between the army
and the navy 1t Is now known that
twice since Simpsons pennant has flown
outside Morro castle an expedition
to blow up the mines in Santiago har-
Dor has been almost ready to add an
other chapter to the annals of American
naval heroism. The firsc fime this
was frustrated by Admiral Cervera's
dash, and the second by the truce which
General Shafter arranged with General
Linaree.
II the president intends sending fleet
to Spain the opinion Of naval officers
here is that several ships should be
docked and repaired before going. 1t
is no treason TO say that one of the
battleships has been in the water 16
months and that other ships are cor
roded by the southern waters. and have
been cruising and in frequent action
without the rest that modern men-of-
war require even In times of peace. AS
one distinguished officer said IF the
thing is worth doing. II Is worth do
ing well. Without the few ships that
need docking the squadron would not
be greatly impaired. To clean them
would only take short time. II hurried
off to Spain-although of course don't
know IL that is intended-they may
break down. embarrass the whole fleet
and greatly reduce the speed Of the
ships which are in good condition. To
my mind. the time spent in getting the
fleet into proper shape for such an i'm
portant undertaking would be doubly
repaid by the results"
Steam launches from the New York,
Brooklyn and Vixen entered the harbor
Sunday and exarained the batteries, the
wrecks of the Merrimac and the Reina
Mercedes. and the torpedo firing sta
ton. They discovered six Spanish mer-
chant steamers and one small gunboat
IN the harbor. and a prize crew was
placed upon the latter. In the after
noon the torpedoes were taken up or
exploded, after which the Red Cross
steamer. State of Texas, entered TO
give assistance to the sick and wound
ed in the city. The warships may not
enter the harbor foy several days. prob
ably not until after the arrangements
have been made for the transportation
Of the prisoners.