Evening journal., 1898-06-11
READY FOR TROOPS.
Guantanamo Harbor Controlled by Our
Ships.

Ships.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, juno 1.-THE
navy awaits the army.
The fighting ships OF Rear Admiral
Sampson and Commodore Schley have
battered down the coast defenses Of
southern Cuba and have sealed UP Ad-
miral Cervera's feet in the harbor Of
Santiago dc cuba by the brilliant sink
ing Of tho collier Merrimac in the chan
mel at it's entrance. which the guns OF
the fleet cover increasingly
Scout boats running under the shad-
ows OF El MORO have cut the Haitian
cable and now hold s5 miles OF the coast
east OF Santiago do Cuba, including
Guantanamo harbor.
Under the cover OF the fleet eastern
Cuba may be safely invested by land
and sea, Admiral Cervera's fleet annihi-
lated and the entire province and Its
towns and harbors seized and held after
a short campaign.
The barbor Of Guantanamo Is a fine
base for land and sea operations. The
harbor is capacious and has 40 feet Of
water. The land approaches are not
so precipitous as az Santiago do Cuba.
The low lying hills can be easily crossed
with trains OF siege guns. and there are
level roads TO Santiago de Cuba. 30
miles distant. where a few mountain
batteries, beyond reach Of the fleet, Will
be taken 70 an en1inence commanding
the city and the Spanish ships.
Guantanamo IS an important place. II
has six miles Of water harbor and will
be OF great value 10 the United States
as Q navy and army supply station,
oealing depot Rpd cable terminus
The &paniarte made but slight de-
fenss. Their batteries were Sllenoed on
tuesday By tha Merblehead In a few
Tninutea firing Al 1000 yards. A small
spanlsb ganboas ran away.
d-he Oregon, aaafblenead and Yankee
bold the harDeH svaitins to land ma
Nnea.
The navy wprR has been well done
Daily and nightly ships patrol the 3,
miles of coast within easy gun range d
the shore. Tha officers and men are
ever ready and inpatiently say:
What more can We do? We have
opened the way. Where Is the army Of
invaslon7"
The answer seerns near at hand.
The Marblehead returned to Guam.
tanamo on Wednesday. taking Captain
Goodren OF th6 marines 20 survey land
ing places.
Yesterday morning the New York. thi
New Orleans and the Porter were clos'
IN shore on paiqniri east of Santiago
de Cuba, whera there are extensive iroi
works. A largo pier offers an exeellen
landing place. Possibly one detaohmen
Of the army will land there. anothe
force may land west of El Moro. and
third body Of troops may Land at Guam
tanamo. II Is nalieved Santiago can b
captured w1thin few days and tina
Admiral Cervera will be compelled q
fight.
The destruction Qf the shore batterie
now enables theft OCCUPATION BY trobps
giving the American feet an opportu
nifty to enter the harbor, remove tn
mines at the eptrance and effect JON
blow Of the Army and navy. involvin
the surrender OF the Spanish troops 4
the eastern provinces, now PRACTICAL
all concentrated at Santiago de Cubs
and the surrender OF destruction Of I'D
miral Cervera's fine ships would neces
sarily have an important IL not control
ing bearing In closing the wap
1t ie in this view that such a clos
watch Is maintained 10 prevent the @.
cape OF the Spanish ships, and nece!
sarily the presence Of the soldiers is r,
qured to prevent the defeat of the wor
thus far accomplished by the navy.