The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-27

sunday at their desks IN the wal anu
navy departments today there did not
seem to be any expectation Of import
ant news from the seat Of war Sec
retary Alger explained this readily. In
his view, the army has been moved,
one Of those stages incident to the pro-
gress of all campaigns and is now ef-
fecting a new formation. The reports
show that there is only one road, and
that poor one, from the sea where
the troops landed leading to Santiago.
Along this the army necessarily has
Lecn Obliged to move in a single col
umn. Strong accommodating forces
we're prudently thrown out ahead and
it was these that engaged in the ac-
tion of Friday morning. They de-
veoped the presence of the enemy in
force directly ahead and drove in their
advance guards. Before undertaking
a set battle our army must be formed
in regular battle array, not single col
umn front as il advanced along the
road but in broad omen order across
the country. the only feasible manner
of conducting n battle successfully. AS
part Of this plan the advance must
halt and wait until the rear guard
comes up. In the seCretary's opinion,
this was going on yesterday. The
forces left at Baiquiri were being hur-
ried up to the front near Savilla, where
the Spaniards are supposed to be in
force; the field artillery was being
dragged up the rough mountain roads
and the QuartermaStCr was hurrying
along the stores as fast as they could
he landed from the transports. All
this is very necessary. but not such as
would call for an official report from
General Shafter
PRESIDENT GRATIFIED
To say that the president and Sec
retary Ager are grattied with the
success that has so far attended tho
progress of Skaters campaign would
be stating the case mildly. The pres
ident in quick appreciation of General
Skaters energy has sent a cablegram
congratulatng him and the men COM
posing his army on the excellent work
they have done. The message could
not be obtained here the officials taxi
Ing the ground that it would he prop
er for General Shafter alone to make
1t public but it is known to be
couched in terms of praise. Secretary
AlGer added his tribute today in the
course of a short talk with an Asso-
sure Shafter would prove himself to
be wise, brave and prudent general.
He was particularly impressed with
one short statement in Skaters de-
spatch received yesterday, stating that
he wanted nothing, which the secre-
tary regarded as an evidence OF the
self reliant character of the man.
Nevertheless, the secretary is send
Ing along renforccments with all pos
sihle promptness. 1t is good deal
better to have 1000 too many soldiers
than one too few, in his opinion. He
believes that General Duhields troops.
10 the number of 1,3OO which en-
barked four days ago from Newport
News, will arrive at Baiquiri tomorrow
and within four days 3 900 more troops
which leave Fort Monroe today will he
at the scene Of action. In addition,
there will he further movement of
troops to Santiago just as soon as the
men and transports are ready. Pos
sibly General Miles may go with these
If the troops are not needed when they
arrive, nothing will be lost, for they
can be very we'll employed elsewhere
and Will have the advantage Of season
ing. The secretary took occasion to
state again that General Shafter is be-
ing allowed the widest liberty of aC-
tion, unrestricted by unnecessary or
ders from Washington. He thinks the
wisdom of this course is amply iuSti-
fed by the results so far obtained For
this reason, it is not possible TO aCcur-
ately foretell General Skaters plan of
operations against Santiago but the
matter being largely in his own hands
OPENING COMMUNICATIONS.
General Greely, chief signal officer,
received a dispatch last night from
Lieutenant Colonel Allen, in charge of
the signal corps, with Shafter's army.
He said nothing about the military
operations, but stated that he was
about to extend his line of telegra phic
communication westward from Playa
del Este to Aquadores, which is only
half dozen miles east Of MORO castle
and very much nearer the advance of
the American army. This will he done
by shore cable which already exists
between the two points.
A field teiegraphc service has al
ready been dispatched from Tampa, so
that in the course of a few days at
most General Shafter will have a tele-
graphic instrument i'm his own tent put
ting him in direst communication with
Washington. The little band Of signal
corps men have been doing some of the
most energetic and eXhausting work
of the campaign. The cable operators
arc also deserving of the greatest
praise. There are only two at the
cable terminus, which means turns of
twelve hours each of the hardest kind
Of work under the most trying condi-
tions Of weather. General Greeley al
ready has taken steps to have them
assisted by other operators as soon as
the latter can he gotten there
APrRECIATIVE WORDS.
Naval officials are gratifed with Cen
eral Skaters expression of apprecia-
tior of the assistance he has received
from Admiral Sampson. Assistant Sec
retary Allen has been striving earnest
ly to procure for the general, the ten
ders he desires for landing the heavier
supplies Of the army and the siege
train He has lust secured several
colliers at Key W est, which on account
Of their light draft serve admirably
as tenders. These have heen ordered
TO steam with all speed for Raiquiri.
They should reach there by Wednes-
day They are not fitted with heavy
derrlCks such as the tenders carry.
but have material aboard which will
enable Simpsons sailors to convert
them speedily into powerful lifting ma
chimes capable Of handling the heaviest
cannon carried by the expedition.
BOR EVANS ALL RIGHT.