The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-06

Washington, July 5.-As a result of
the cabinet meeting to-day. instruc-
tions were sent by the president to Ad-
miral Sampson and General Shafter to
confer together concerning a joint plan
of attack upon the city. Upon the out
come of this conference depends the
line of action in the immediate future.
For the present the land bombardment
by General Skaters forces has been
deferred, as the situation has so COM
pletely changed by the annihilation OF
the Spanish fleet that 1t is manifestly
the part of wisdom for this land bonn
bardment from Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet. General Skaters demand for the
surrender of Santiago. on pain of bonn
bardment, was made at $3.50 o'clock
Sunday morning. An hour later Ad-
miral Cervera made his suicidal dash
from the harbor, resulting in a COM
plete transformation of the naval and
military conditions. Instead of a men,
acing Spanish fleet within the harbor
the way has been cleared save for the
shore batteries, for the entrance of the
American fleet up to the very wharves
OF the city. With the material change
wrought ii was obvious to the author
tiles here that the blow was intended
to be delivered by General Shafter
alone would be doubly effective and
decisive IL the two forces could be
brought together and strike stimuli
taneously from the land and sea- 1t is
for this reason that the conference was
held between the American general and
the admiral.
no word had come either to the war
or navy departments. so far as was
disclosed, as to what determination
had been reached at the conference
AT the same time IL is the clear belief
OF the authorities that the conference
VIII result In determination on the
part of the admiral to take his fleet
through the narrow neck of the harbor.
making his way past the shore bat
teries and Notifications and take a posi-
ton before the city for bombardment.
There Is reason to believe that the in
structions sent to Admiral Sampson
at least conveyed the desire II not the
instructions, that he enter the harbor.
But IL is said that the admiral and the
general continue to be the supreme Of
hcials in authority, and that being on
the scene fully alive to all the condi-
tions, their judgment will be taken as
final in the course to be adopted.
There is said to be no obstacle. so
FAR as navigation is concerned, TO the
entrance of the harbor by the Ameri-
can fleet.
The Cristobal Colon. which cleared
the Merrinac and got out of the har-
Dor Sunday. drew % feet 3 inches.
which Is within seven inches of the
draught of the battleships Iowa. Indi-
ana, Massachusetts, and Oregon, and is
greater than the draught of the bat
tleship Texas. Moreover. the navy de-
partment has known for the last 10
days that the neck of the channel was
open despite the sinking of the Merri-
mac and that there was a clear sea-
way OF seven fathoms, through which
any ship in our navy could sail This
removes all difficulty except from sub
marine mines or from the shore bat
teries:: As TO the mines. little account
Is taken OF them since the Spanish
fleet passed over them. The Spaniards
are in the habit of using contact mines.
so that there is little likelihood "
there being mines operated by electric
connection with the shore. The forrs
and batteries have been badly weak
ened by the constant fire of the fleet
for many weeks past. and. while still
factor, they are greatly disabled.
Once up to the city, the fleet and the
army could combine in a terrible dou-
BILE fire. No less than 292 heavy guns
would be trained from the American
varships on the city, and at the same
time the big siege guns, which IL is
said have been brought to the front
OF SnatterS line, would rain down a
torrent of steel from that quarter The
siege guns throw shells of 135 pounds.
Aside from them there are four mod
ern howitzers. with guns of a smaller
caliber. These are in the heavy ar
tillery. while the light artillery en-
braces a great number OF guns of .
callber. Combined, this fire from land
and sea would be terrific in its effect.
The action OF the foreign represen-
tatives at Santiago had been addition
al reason for deferring the lombard
ment. It was made known late to-
night that one of General Skaters dis
patches stated that these representa-
tives had joined in a request TO him
10 put of the shelling of the city for
another brief period until their respect
i've colonies could be removed
This accounts for the departure OF the
foreign warships from Santiago har-
Dor, as they are bearing away the for
eign residents in the period before the
bcmbardment begins. The activity OF
the consuls at Santiago has led TO no
diplomatic complication which has
reached the state department thus far.
and the authorities here believe that
nothing will develop.
The state department to-iay took &C.
casion 10 dispel some of the spanish a.
lusions over the escape of Admiral Ger
vera's fleet. IL seems that Madrid y
not alone in the belief that the feet
made a handsome sortie from Santiago
and left the American ships far in the
rear. To-day a cablegram came from
United States Minister Lunls, at Car
acas. saying the Spanish residents there
were glOrifying the naval victory. The