Connecticut western news., 1898-07-07
SANTIAGO SITUATION.
Sampson and shafter Confer Regardlnl
 the Capture of the City.

Sampson and Shnfter Confer Regarding
 the Capture of the City.
 Washington, July 6.-As a result of the cabinet meeting yesterday afternoon instructions were sent by the president to Admiral Sampson and General Shaf- ter to confer together concerning a joint plan of attack upon the city. Up- on the outcome of this conference de- pends the line of action of the immedi- ate future. For the present the land bombardment by General Shafter's. forces has been deferred, as the situa- tion has so completely changed by the annihllation of the Spanish fleet that it is manifestly the part of wisdom for this land bombardment to await the CO., operation and support of a lombard ment from Admiral Sampsons fleet.
 General Shafter's demand for the sur render of Santiago on the pain of bom- bardment was made at S:30 o'clock Sun day morning. An hour later Admiral Cervera made his suicidal dash from the harbor, resulting in a complete trans- formation of the naval and military conditions. Instead of a menacing Spanish fleet within the harbor, the way has been cleared, save for the shore bat teries for the entrance of the American fleet up to the very wharfs of the city.
 With this material change wrought, 1t was obvious to the authorities here that tLe blow first intended to be delivered by General Shafter alone would be dou- bly, effective and decisive if the two forces could be brought together and strike simultaneously from land and sea. It Is for this reason that the con- ference Is held between the American general and the American admiral It is the clear expectation of President Mckinley and his cabinet that the conference will result in a determl- nation by the admiral to take his fleet through the narrow neck of the harbor. make his way past the shore batteries and Qualifications and take position be- fore the city for bombardment. There Is reason to believe that the instruc
 tions sent to Admiral Sampson at leasi conveyed the desire, if not the com. mand. that he enter the harbor But 1t Is said that the admiral and the general continue to be the supreme officials ih authority and that being on the scene
 fully alive to all the conditions thei1 Judgment will be taken as final in the course to be adopted.
 A message received from General Shafter indicates that the situation oi the people of Santiago Is terrible. They are not only panic stricken over the fear of bombardment but they are suffering from lack of the actual necessaries of life. In one of his cablegrams General Shafter says:
 "The town (Santiago) is in a terrible condition as to food. The people are starving. Rice is practically the only staple article of food they have" Farther along in the same dispatch Shafter says that the growing food crops in the vicinity of the city have al. ready been utilized by the residents of the city and that the only growing ar- ticle of food left is a few mangoes. Soldiers In Good Spirits. Speaking of the troops under his com mand, General Shafter says:
 "The men are in good spirits and re- markedly well.''
 Tn the course of another dispatch l General Shafter, referring to the condi- | tion of those injured, says:
 "All the wounded are doing singularly
 well, only one death having occurred | since the battle"
 private cablegram received from General Sumner. formerly colonel of the | Sixth cavalry, stationed at Fort Meyer, | Va, near this city, says: "All Fort Mey- | CT officers safe and we'll"
 The glad tidings received from both l General Shafter and General Sumner l concerning the condition of the troops,