Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-14
FUN SHIPS To ENTER SANTIAGO
HARBoR WOULD BE MURDER.
WILL SPANISH ARMY ESCAPE?
"'"'e fcors at Washington That IL
mas Evacuated the City During tn.
"riesing-Hobana IN Distress.
Nicaragua Canal.

navy Department An official there re-
marked to-day: ut is business sense
edined from experience. The army peo-
pie or their friends. who are clamorine
20 nave Sampson send his ships to run
the gauntlet of the forts and batteries at
santiago are inviting to either suicide or
nurder-suicide, if the clamor induces
adventurous spirits TO undertake the task.
and murder. if it prevails on the powers
mat be 10 order the ships in. Such a
step would be flying In the face of that
FIoVidence which has so markedly look
ed out for the life Of poor Jack. The ex-
ploslon or one such submarine mine. as
| ROBSON is reported 10 have sunk the Mer-
riinac, under one Of our flrst-class cruisers
OF Dattleships, would result in the loss Of
| more lives than the entire srmy has lost
! up 70 date, TO say nothing OF a ship ii
! would take three years 10 replace. Be-
| sides, II would effectually blockade the
haroor, inside which, perhaps. others of
our ships would be caught, and subject
| 10 having their crews picked off by Maui
/ ser rl1emen hid in the thickets on either
bank Of the narrow entrance. If the navy
/ IS 10 cooperate advantageously with the
army 1t will be by landing gallant young
! oihcers, with sailors and marines, 10 set
| an example TO the soldiers. in boarding
| and carrying the Morre heights. After
! wards, with the torpedo-mines removed,
vessels from the fleet could enter and CO.
! oDerate successfully"
This suggestion will be made TO the
| strstegy board and will doubtless re-
! ceiye prompt consideration.
TORAL MAY GET AWAY.
! Fears are now entertained that If some
ig NOT NJ. CY.~st fo,
army in Santiago will escape, If il has not
! already done so. There is no doubt that
| great uneasness is felt in administration
| circles on this score. and when Santiago
is finally captured the victory will be a
barren one, after the loss Of so many gall
liant officers and soldiers. if the Spanish
troops shall have given us the slip.
Reports that Torars army has already
evacuated the city, while the parleying
has been going on are so far uncontrmed
by any official information at either the
Wer or the Navy Department, but there
is no denying the fact that great anxiety
exists on this account. The fact, coupled
with the existing distrust Of the Cuban
insurgents who are alleged TO be suspi-
cious of the ultimate purposes Of the
American Government regarding a per-
manent government for Cuba, renders the
situation more critical.
OOt Ehi-NI IN 11ABANA.
A letter. written by a Madrid newspaper
CORE spondent in Habana, has been sent
TO the State Department The paper con-
tanning it was "confiscated" 1t gives
most interesting account of the situation
in the capital Of Cuba, and as 1t was
written before the destruction Of Ger
veTa's feet. it shows that the suffering at
the present time must be great The let
ter is as follows:
In Habana: We are feeling more ard
more each day the deprivatiOns due TO the
conduct of the war. At the beginning OF
the trouble, when the American fleet first
established the blockade there We're plenty
Of stores in the warehouses and in the
custom-h house. and for time the traffic
and movements in the streets were the
same as in times Of peace. Now all is
different The merchandise has all been
distributed from the custom-house, and
there Is an utter paralyzaton in all
branches Of trade. To-day those streets
where once was activity and hustle wear
d holiday or rather mournful air of quiet.
In the shadow Of every tree and build
ing can be seen dozens Of coachmen. Wdg-
oners, and public laborers. lying idle and
hopeless. For weeks they have been with
out work passing gradually from com
paratively opulent living into a miserable
existence. Thousands Of workingmen and
women in the tobacco industry are re-
duced TO the same condition. Efforts have
been made by officials here 10 keep this
condition of the city and its people a
secret. but ! do not believe that patriot
ism requires it. Such news as we receive
from Spain is so distorted by the officials
here that we can place little reliance in 1t.
This letter goes out through the kind
ness Of an officer Of German vessel
bound for Europe"
THE EWART COMMISSION.
Mr.. Ewart, of North Carolina, has not
yet received his commission as United
States Judge for the Western District OF
that State, but this is said to be owing
10 the absence of the Attorney-General
from the city. 1t is understood that the
President told Senator Pritchard, Repre-
sentatives Pearson and Skinner, and Mr.
Ewart himself on last Saturday that the
commission would issue on Monday. This
being a recess appointment, ii will, OF
course, require confirmation by the Senate
when the latter meets in December next
and it remains to be seen what action
that august body will take in the matter
WASHINGTON IN THE COOL.
The furnace-lilSe heat from the asphalt
paved avenue has cooled off, the Their
mometer has dropped as low as 60 and
there is a lively sympathy floating around
for the unfortunate people at the springs
and mountain resorts. which finds en-
phatic expression among the can't-get-
Always Washington is just now de-
lightfuI summer resort. and the thirty
odd thousand school teachers visiting here
are enjoying themselves hugely ney
eXcurt daily 10 the Soldiers Home, the
navy-yard, Fort Meyer, Cabin John
Bridge, Arlington, Mt. Vernon and the
ancient city of Alexandria. They also
swarm through the Capitol and the de-
partments frequently seriously impeding
business at the latter places.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
The report of the select Committee on
the Cons ruction of the Nicaraguan canal
is a most interesting document, and a
most effective argument in favor Of the
project. IT has for its basis the conces-
sions made to the Nicaragua Canal Asso-
citation organized in New York; by the
republics OF Nicaragua and Costa Rica,
and is Of considerable interest TO nume-
rous citizens Of Richmond who have in
vested i'm the bonds of the company The |
bin reported by Senator Morgan, with |
certain notifications adopting a PROPOSE |
ton OF the Maritime Canal Company |
the owner Of these OncesSions-eliminates |
from the corporation all private owner |
ship OF stock leaving the three republics /
as the sole stockholders Of the company. |
In accomplishing this result, which many |
esteem as being very desirable. compensa- |
A.. kn y.rftF 20 or glr hg.tf IL.