The age-herald., 1898-06-22
 PURPOSE OF MOVE
 ON SANTIAGO Will Not Be Used as Base of
 Supplies. OCCUPATION OF THE CITY Will Accomplish Several Incidental But Very Desirable Ends-The Capture of Ger vera's Fleet and ReIiefof Hob-
 son and Associates.
OCCUPATION OF THE CITY

Washington, June 21.-Now, that the army Is about to set foot on Cuban soil, the pur-, pose of this movement on Santiago was pointed out today by an army official fully acquainted with the general plan of &C., ton.
 He said Santiago de Cuba was not to be made a military base of operat tions, as 1t was not adapted for such use. Being far removed from the rich and populous por- tion of the island, without railroads or or dinary highway for transporting munitions of war westward, the town would be prac- tically useless for a base of military sup plies. For that reason, he said, there had never been an idea of occupying this place as the first base and then gradually ex- tending the military operations westward. On the contrary, this occupation of San tiago was but an incident of the general plan of occupying several points and in due time there would be landings at the west end of Cuba, just as there had been at the east end. When that occurred each point of landing would serve for the time being as base for the surrounding country.
 Desirable Ends
 
 base for reaching Havana than could Ha- vana for reaching Santiago. The occupa- tion of Santiago, he pointed out. would &C., complsh several incidental but very de- sirable ends First of these was the cap- ture ofpAdmiral Cerveras fleet, which would always remain menace and an un- certain factor until entirely disposed of. Another point which had come up was the relief of Hobson and his brave band of as sociates.
 While this might seem a. minor matter, yet the government always had been most solicitous in relieving and protecting its citizens and now there was a good reason why strongest efforts of the government should be put forth for the rescue of this heroic band. Great Britain had sent an expedition into the heart of Africa to res cue one of it's imprisoned heroes, General Gordon, at Khartoum. The United States should do as much and the raising of the American flag on Cuban soil whether at the east or the west end, would have a powerful moral influence, alike stimulating to our own people and our fighting forces and disheartening to Spain The humilia- tion to Spain was in having our men and our flag planted on her soil, whether the particular point was to be used as a base of operations or not.
 Entrenched in Cuba
 It would also convey notice to the world at large, that the United States was en- trenched on the island of Cuba as well as in the Philippines. Next to Havana, Santiago is the largest city in Cuba. Its possession means the possession of prac- tically the eastern end of the island, includ- ing the two eastern provinces and well up to the famous trocha. It embraces all the river Canto, the largest river in Cuba and the one used by the Spaniards and in surgents alike for their most effective ex- in1o ha vii gated by light draft gunboats, launches etc., and it provides water highway much better than roads for tapping a stretch of the interior of the island. With San tiago occupied there would be the advan- tage of a local base of operations, the elimination of the Spanish fleet as fac tor in the war situation, the release of Hobson and his band, and the establish ment of an American force under the American flag on Spanish soil.