The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-07
CABLES MoTLCuT YET.
Line From Hayti to Guantanamo in
Operation.

Washington, June 6.-Naval officers
shake their heads in the negative this
morning at the stories which are being
cioulated to the effect that troops mad
been landed in'foroe at Santiago.
They were confident the reports were
premature, Jas from the movements Eof
transports at Tampa and Mobile it would
not be possible for troopsh1ps to have ar
rived by this time.
The Resolute, reported yesterday as hay
ing been at Nicholas Mole, Hayti, for a
brief space of time, is not troopship in
the strict sense of the term. She is q ma
rine transport and has on board 800 ma
rines taken to Key West on the Panther.
After lying in the barbor for several
weeks suffering from close confinement
on board the ship, the men were landed
and went into camp near. Tampa, where
they were thoroughly drilled.
The Resolute picked them up about a
week ago and started for Admiral Samp-
sons fleet. The marines were not to be
used as was at first supposed, on board
the fighting ships of the fleeU, but were
intended to constitute a landing force to
support the fleet in an attack upon any
| fortified point which it was decided to
carry and occupy.
.
Santiago is understood to contemplate
cooperation between the fleet under
Sampson, and United States troops under
Gen. Shafter, it is believed that to pre-
vent confusion in the direction of the
forces ashore, the marine detachment,
commanded by Lieut.. Col. Huntington,
will be placed under the or ders of Gen.
Shafter to act as part of the regular army
for the time icing.
The cable cutting ship sent down by
the signal corps to Santiago to cut the
cables connecting with the outside
world, has not yet completed that work
for Gen. Greedy, who is directly in charge
of its work. had noticed yesterday that
the cable leading from Guantanamo to
Hayti was in operation.
1t is probable one of the local cables
running along the Cuban coast was cut
under the impression that it was the
main line. 1t is believed that this last
link that remains to connect Madrid and
Havana, will not exist more than day
or two longer.
1t is supposed that under the guiso of a
commercial message sent via Key West
the report reached Madrid Of the arrival
yesterday at Havana of the ship Ardilla
laden with cattle.
The war department has supplied to
the navy department the list of names
procured from the commander at Fort
HtoI uoieou, Ost. VI uuo spanish PRISONERS
of war there. The department. this morn
ing sent this list to Admiral Sampson
and the admiral himself will enter into
communication with Admiral Ceryera
respecting an exchange of prisoners
Ceryera will be allowed to select from
the list the persons whom he is willing
to take in exchange for Constructor Hob
son and the gallant crew that manned
the Merrimac on her last run.
When Sampson and Cervera have ar
ranged the details the list of prisoners to
be exchanged will be submitted to the
war department., which will direct the
| commandment at Fort Mop herson to send
| them to Key West to be placed aboard
| a naval ve7sel and sent to Santiago to be
transferred.
All this will take some time, so that
the officials hardly expect to complete
the exchange in less than two weeks at
the earliest.