The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-04
STRONG FLEET OFF SANTIAGO.
TWELVE FIGHTING SHIrs WAITING
TO SINK CERVERA.


Binds Madrid to Cuba Cut--The
Iarbor Almost ImpregnRbIe with
the Forts on the Hills and Ger
vera's ships within.
Copyright 1898, by the Associated Press.
Off Santiago de Cuba, June S.-By the
Associated Press Dispatch Boat Wanda,
via Kingston, Jamaica, June 3.-Rear Ad-
miral Sampson. with the United states
cruiser New York, his flagship, accom-
panied by the battleship Oregon the
cruiser Mayhower and the torpedo boat
Porter, Joined Commodore Schley's squad
their combined commands have the Span
ish fleet securely locked an the harbor.
Admiral Sampson left the heavy moni-
tors and light gunboats off Cardenas Mou-
day morning, all danger Of the appear
ance of the Spaniards from the eastward
having been removed with the definite in
formation that Commodore Schley had
hunted them to their hole, and under COM
mand of Commodore Watson, the moni-
tors and gunboats returned to reinforce
the blockade on the north coast of Cuba.
Admiral Sampson did not assume COM
mand and amalgamate the squadrons on
his arrival. Each squadron retains It's
separate entity The fleet now off San
tiago numbers twelve fighting ships, two
golfers and a cable-cutting ship.
Neither the solace the hospital ship,
nor the Red Cross ship State Of Texas,
which the Associated Press dispatch boat
Dauntless passed on her way here, has
yet put in an appearance.
The fighting ships include the New York,
Brooklyn. Iowa, Oregon Massachusetts,,
Texas, New Orleans Marblehead, Dolphin,
Mayhower and Vixen, and the torpedo boat
Porter.
There is every indication that active op-
erations will begin at once.
The last cable which binds Cuba to Mad
rid and the outside world was cut to-day.
Pending the execution of Admiral Samp-
sons plan of campaign our ships form a
Gordon about the entrance of Santiago har-
Dor to prevent the possible egress of the
Spaniards, should Admiral Cervera be fool
hardy enough to attempt to cut his way
out.
Communication has also been had with
the shore The mountains and hills which
surround Santiago are in fun possession Of
the Cuban insurgents; and in certain con-
tingencles the latter might be enabled to
render effective cid
The econnolssances made by our ships.
principally the smaller auxiliary yachts
and torpedo boats which are able to creep
close in shore at night, have pretty def
nitely determined the location and char
acter Of the defenses Of the harbor.
Several new batteries have been thrown
up on the high ground, on each side of the
entrance, and il is evident the Spaniards
are prepared to make a stout resistance.
The lines of batteries which crown the
hills and the grim, gray walls and castel-
lated turrets of MORO castle, with the yell
low and red flag Of Spain flying from the
keep on the central tower make brave
picture from the line of the blockading
squadron lying five miles off the shore.
Across the narrow neck Of the channel,
which at the entrance is scarcely more
than a hundred yards wide, have been
placed three rows of mines marked by
wooden buoys
SO far as has been ascertaned, there
are three new batteries on the west side
of the entrance. These appear TO be form
ed entirely of earthworks. The embras-
ures for the guns can easily be dscerned
with the glasses
Cayo smith, a small island which Hes
s4ffl
is fortified; and back OF MORO. which sits
on the rocky eminence at the right of
the entrance, are Estella battery and Saint
Carolina fort.
Further up the bay. guarding the last
approach to the city of Santiago, Is BlancQ
battery. The forts are Of stone and were
constructed In the early sixties. Saint Car
DINA. fort is partly in ruins The guns In
both Moro castle and Estella battery are
Of old pattern, 18 ard "A Founders, and
would not even be considered were It noi
for the great height Of the fortificatlons,
which would enable these weapons to de-
liver plunging ire.
Modern guns are mounted on the batter
les TO the left Of the entrance on Cayo
Smith and al Blanco battery there are
also four modern guns.
The mines IN the narrow tortuous chan
mel and the elevation Of the forts and bat
teries, which must Increase the effective
ness Of the encmys guns and at the same
time decrease that OF our own, reinforced
by the guns Of the Spanish fleet inside
make the harbor as IL now appears, al
most impregnable. Unless the entrance
is counter-mined 1t would be folly
TO attempt to force It's passage
without ships. But the Spanish fleet Is
bottled up and plan is being considered
70 drive In the cork.
II that is done, the next news may be a
thrilling story Of closing the harbor. II
would release a part Of our fleet and leave
the Spapiards to starve and rot until they
were ready to hoist the white flag.
Not a gun has been fired from shore or
ship since the bombardment on Tuesday.
The Spanish feet, which lay near the
mouth Of the harbor on that occasion, has
Withdrawn 10 a safer anchorage farther
in, probably behind Cayo Smith, and not
a eiimpsc Of IL has been seen since.
II may be that the final act In the Span
fsh-American war drama Of which the Gu
ban revolution was but the prologue, may
be enacted here, where the insurrection
originated three years ago.
VESSELS AT MOLE ST. NICHOLAS.