The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-29
CLOSING IN ON SPANIARDS
SKATERS PROGRESS PLEAsEs
THE GOVERNMENT
American Forces Are Within Three
Miles of Santiago, and Have suf-
fered No Losses Since the SiSir-
mish of Friday Last-Reinforce-
ments Reing Hurried to Cuba
DOns' Supplies Being Cut Off.

WASHINGTON, June 2S.-H was
very late in the day when the first dis
patch within two days came to the
war department from Gen. Shafter.
but the news was regarded as so
good that there was no disposition to
complain. 1t disclosed a very satis,
factory rate of progress on the part of
Gen. Shafter towards the town of
Santiago itself, and apparently he has
gained all this ground, and has come
within three miles Of Santiago without
suffering any losses since the bloody
skirn1ish Of Friday last Altogether
the performance is regarded as very
gratifying to the department here.
AS near as can be gathered from the
brief dispatch the American army is
now at the fork in the road, one
branch leads to Santiago and the
other to Moro Castle, at the entrance
to the harbor. Gen. Shafter is thus
free to move in either direction, ac-
ccrding to the demands of the cam
paign. With the 1900 men who rein
forced him yesterday, on the Yale,
and the additional brigade that will
reach him by tomorrow, 1t may be
possible to make even more rapid
progress in the advance upon Santi-
ago, as these men can be relied upon
to relieve the main body of troops
from the necessity of keeping open the
line of communication between Shafter
and his base at Baiquiri. Meanwhile
further reinforcements are being pre-
pared and dispatched as rapidly as
the best energies Of the department
can direct, and 1t Is believed that sew
eral Thousand men sailed from Tampa
today directly for Santiago.
BARB WIRE WARFARE.
The department has had in mind the
difficulties of the campaign that are
just developing to the public eye,
such as the use for the first time in
civilized warfare Of barbed wire as a
means of defense, and acting upon the
advice Of some Of our army officers
who were in Cuba while the fighting
was confined to the Spaniards and the
insurgents a certain number of men
in each regiment have been provided
with wire cutters. and charged with
the duty of cutting down these fences
so as to permit the advance Of the
troops.
1t probably will be necessary to shell
out the force defending this wire
cheveaux de frise before they can be
cut, unless the men in charge Of that
duty are to be unduly exposed to dan
ger This will involve a, larger use Of
field artillery than would be required
in ordinary warfare. The officials here
have been forehanded as to these de-
tails, and in fact have provided for the
use Of barbed wire by our own forces
having sent about $50 tons Of this wire
with Gen. Merritt's expedition
SHUTTING OFF SUPPLIES.
The. lines are being frightened around
Cuba and 1t will soon be impossible for
even small quantities of food or war
supplies to reach the Spaniards there.
The proclamation issued today extend
ing the blockade to the south coast and
San Juan, 1t is believed, will accom-
plish this result. On the south coast
the Isle of Pines will be cut off as a
transfer depot for cattle and for other
supplies coming from Jamaica and
Central America. By closing San Juan
harbor the Spaniards will lose the last
chance Of smuggling war supplies to
Cuba and the future operations of the