Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-07-12
RUSSIA'S DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
Uncle Sam Will Not Consider Spains Bombastic
Conditions, AS They Present Them.
THE WAR VIRTUALLY ENDED, AS ALL sA,
rather than take the risks of genera
assault.

rather than take the risks of general
assault.
MILES HAS ARRIVED.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-Mines have
been ordered to be removed from all
rivers and harbors In the United States.
General Miles, who arrived at Siboney
on the Yale yesterday, made the follow
ing report to Secretary Alger today:
Arrived at noon; had a consultation
with Admiral Sampson and with Gen.
eral Shafter by telephone. The troops
brought from Tampa, Charleston and
New York have arrived and are leav-
ing for the front. The line Of invest
ment is being extended.
General Miles will net take charge Of
the operations now being conducted
against Santiago. He is simply there
in his capacity as commanding general
of the army to look over the field and
ascertain whether the operations are
going along as they should. With him
on the Yale were more than 900 men
and considerable quantity of artillery.
while the Columbia, which formed a
part of his expedition, is expected to
report her arrival at any moment with
the remainder of the troops. Naval
officers regard their part in the opera
tions at Santiago as at an end, practi-
cally.
RUSHING THE PREPARATIONS
for the dispatch of Commodore Wat
sons Eastern Squadron. This is de-
cidedly more attractive cruise from
naval point of view, than the demon
stration against San Juan de Puerto
Rico, wich naval authorities believe
will not amount to much because of the
easy reduction of the defenses. Secre-
tary Long received kilograms Of per-
sonal nature from Commodore Schley,
and it is believed from Admiral Samp-
son as well. 1t is supposed they have
been called forth by newspaper c0ntr0-
versy over the credit of the victory over
the Spanish squadron, controversy
which is most earnestly deprecated by
the officials of the Navy Department.
Secretary Long declines to make pub
lie these cablegrams, though it is be-
lieved they tend to demonstrate the
existence of good relations between
the two officers, and disposition on
the part of both to be adjudged strictly
according to the canons of naval law.
NOTHING NEW.
WASHINGTON. July IL, p. m.-Sec-
retary Alger said that he had received
no message whatever from General
Shafter since the dispatch given out in
the forenoon. He thought that mat
tiers were unchanged. therefore. and
assumed that the flag of truce was
still flying, and the enemy negotiating
| for surrender. The only message
received from Siboney was short dis
patch from General Miles, regarding
transportation, in which he said: The
rains are the heaviest 1 have ever
known.
HE WILL CRAFTY THEM.
MADRID (via Bayonne, France), July
12.-All the Spanish Ministers have
handed their designations to Premier
Sagasta, who explained the situation to
the Queen Regent; but the difficulty is
that nobody is willing to accept the
position of premier. Marshal Martinez
de Campos would accept it. but does
not command majority In the Cham
ber of Deputies. While the military
party urges war, a large proportion of
the civil population is deslrous of peace
1t is pointed out, however, that If the
United States insist upon the conces-
sion of Puerto Rico and the Philippine
islands, the general feeling will be in
favor of continuation of hostilities
many Spaniards believing that the sit.
uation in Cuba will enable Spain to
prolong the struggle.
COMPLETELY SURROUNDED.
SIRoNEY, July II, Up. m, via Kings
ton.-A concerted movement has beer
made by the United States Army and
: Navy, on Santiago, during the pas
twenty-fOur hours, which American
officers here believe will result in thu
immediate fall of the city. The flee
lying off Aguaderos, three miles east O.
Moro Castle, began a bombardment O.
Santiago Sunday afternoon, and con
tinued it this morning. Notwithstand
!, ing that our ships he'd to fire at an ex
treme elevation, and although the rang
/. was nearly Eve miles, the aim was s
4 accurate that many shells fell in tn
:, city, and set fire to it in four placel
d One shell struck st. Michael's churcl
: in which aquantity Of powder and an
;; mnnition had been stored, and blew
E to pieces. During the bombardmsr
Q from the sea. the army extended Il
2 lines and drew in closer to the cit
/ so that at noon, today. ever
70 road and trail leading out Of SantiaQ
Is was guarded and the escape of tt
L Spanish soldiers seemed impossible
2 The only way they can get out Of tf
. city is to ferry across the bay to tn
q western side of the harbor. and eve
: then they could not get into the int
,s rior without encountering America
Z, froona Dnrino the tina the xuarshir