The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-23

graph lines will connect them with
Playa del Este, and thence to the war
department Being strictly military
line, the cable from headquarters to
Playa del Este will not be open for
commercial business, although the au-
thoritieS will be disposed to give the
press such facilities as are possible un-
der the circumstances. Most of the un-
official messages, however, will have to
be handled from Playa del Este, in or
der to avoid Cutting the military tap.
Baiquiri.
Baiquiri is about Is miles due east
from the mouth of Santiago harbor.
A small river runs inland at that
point, affording additional facilities for
landing. The map shows road direct
from Baiquiri to the entrance of Santi-
ago harbor and thence along the harbor
to the city of Santiago. Besides this
road a railroad starts few miles west
of Baiquiri circling along the coast up
to the mouth of Santiago harbor. Jura-
qua, the other point mentioned in
these dispatches is midway between
Baiquiri and Santiago harbor. 1t also
has a small stream giving additional
facilities for landing and the railroad
appears to take it's start along the
coast from that point. Back of this
railroad, and highway, the interior
shows mountainous formations which
would make the progress of an army
difficult 1t seems evident from an eX
animation of the army map, that Gen.
Skaters troops at Baiquiri, or Jura-
qua will move westward along the
highway, perhaps utilizing the railroad,
and thus approaching Santiago from
the southeast.
Distinct from this landing, which is
east of Santiago harbor, it seems evil
dent that at least a part of Gen. Shat
ter's force will land west of the harbor
thus allowing an attack on Santiago
from the northwest. The dispatches
state that a demonstration was made
against CabanaS, which is shown on the
military map as a small place just west
of Santiago harbor and not more than
two or three miles from the mouth.
Further to the west is ASerraderO
where Generals Rabi and Garcia have
a large force of Cuban troops. 1t is
clearly inexpedient for this Cuban force
to make the inland circuit clear around
Santiago and form a juncture with
Gen. Shafter to the east of Santiago
harbor Their natural base therefore
will be to the west at ASerradero CO.
operating with such of Gen. Shafter S
troops as land to the west of the har-
Dor. A road runs from Aserradero to
Cabanas. No road is shown along the
west line of Santiago harbor and the
march of the American and Cuban
troops making the assault on the west
side of the city may be slow and la
-borious through the tangled tropical
underbrush, swamp and rock.
Besides the military map the war
department has large amount of con-
fidential material showing the landings.
roads, ETC., all along the present field Of
operations. These include large photo
graphs of BaiQuiri. One of the photo
graphs shows Baiquiri as a scattered
group of huts on the edge of rugged
dec1ivity, running down to the ocean.
Huge boulders cover the rising ground,
apparently making travel back OF the
town impossible. Another picture shows
extensive tramwayS, elevated freight
tracks. and the elaborate plant of a
large mining concern. This plant seems
to assure facilities for handling the
heavy artillery when it is brought
ashore.