The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-01

tiagd before the reinforcements now on the
way from Manzanillo and elsewhere can
reach Linares, who is supposed to command
Santiago.
General Shafter telegraphs in such conf
dent terms tina, no room is left for doubt
that he feels perfectly able to overthrow
any force the Spanish commander may
throw in his way.
When Adjutant- General Corbin was
asked, 'What of Pando and his reinforce
ments?" he responded:
1--WE expect to take the city,"
Pando was again suggested as an OBJ
statle,
"w4ll General Shafter take the city before
Pando with his reinforcements comes up?"
With calm confidence he answered, I'VE
think he will"
Secretary Alger, who has become more
than ever concerned in the operation Of the
, army since he learned THAT h:c son was at
the 'front.' and actively employed, was san
guine of the early capture of Santiago, but
he disavowed some of the statements at
t-ibuted to him in which he predicted its
capture in forty-eight hours, or in any spec
lified number Of hours. He Is aware of the
difficulties which confront General Shafter
hut he Is also convinced that the care, en-
ergy, determination and stability with
which the army Of the United States has
taken hold of the business in hand will
carry it to victory in such way as to sur
urise the procrastinating Spaniards.
Not one word has come from General
Shafter suggesting the need of reinforce
ments. To the higher officers at the War
Department, and to the President this Is
evidence that General Shafter feels sure
that he has enough troops with him to ac-
| complish all that has been cut out for him
| to do.
| General Miles, firmly convinced of the
necessity of avoiding any reverse from any
cause. is anxious that success shall be
doubly assured and he is doing his utmost
| to provide General shafter with force
more than equal to any that may be pro-
vided by the Spanish.
The President and his Cabinet take much
comfort from consideration of General
Skaters reports to the Secretary of War.
Every line has been anxiously scanned for
information about the health and spirits of
the troops in a climate Of which the most
distressing reports are recalled. The
weather in Washington has been extreme
ly hot during the past few days. and it has
been assumed that the troops were suffer-
ing from weather worse than that here.
with the added discomforts of Indifferent
food, irregularly supplied, of marching in
tropical sun, assaults from strange and
voracious insect pests and in some cases
the burden of unsuitable clothing. If any
of the Inconvenience are felt they have
been borne stoically, for not one word has
come to headquarters to show that the
men are not having better time than they
were at Camp Ch1ckamauga, Tampa, or
Camp Alger. AS General Shafter will wait
for nothing, reinforcements, provisions,
horses or the many things he has prob
ably discovered that he might use, but
manifestly intends to do business at once
and not tomorrow" as the Spaniards do,
the War Department is prepared to hear
stirring news from him at any time.
The news that is given to the press is
sufficiently encouraging. There is reason
to believe that information not commune
Gated to the newspapers completely 1usti-
fies the belief that Shafter Is to hurl his
forces against Santiago at once.
Pando is hurrying to Santiago, but he
Is heavily handicapped, being obliged to
guard supplies which he is carrying to the
town. General Shafter is fully aware of the |
rate at which he is advancing and the diff |
culties attending his march to Santiago.