Abilene weekly reflector., 1898-07-07
Destruction Of the Spanish Fleet
Postpones Attack on Santiago.
LAND and SEA FORCES TO BONBARD.
Commodore Wats0n's Expedition to the
spanish Coast to start at the Earliest
Possible Moment-schley'a Vic.
tory the Leading Topic.

to Admiral Sampson and Ten. Smarter
TO confer together concerning q joint
plan Of attack upon the city. Upon
the outcome Of this conference de-
pends the line Of action for the imme.
diate future. For the present, the
land bombardment by Gen. Skaters
forces has been deferred, as the situa.
tion has SO completely changed by the
annihilation Of the Spanish feet that
1t is manifestly the part Of wisdom for
this land bombardment to await the
cooperation and support ofa lombard
ment from Admiral SIMPSONS feet.
Gen. Skaters demand for the
surrender Of Santiago on the
pain Of bombardment, was made
at $3.50 Sunday morning. An hour
later Admiral Cervera made his
suicidal dash from the harbor, re-
sulting in a complete transformation
Of the naval and military conditions.
Instead Of a menacing Spanish feet
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 this material change wrought, 1T
was obvious to the authorities here
that the blow, first intended to be de.
livered by Gen. Shafter alone, would
be doubly effective and decisive II the
two forces could be brought together
and strike simultaneously from land
and sea. 1t Is for this reason that the
conference was ordered to be held be.
tween the American general and the
admiral.
There is said TO be no obstacle, so
far as navigation is concerned, to the
entrance Of the harbor by the Ameri-
can feet. The Cristobal Colon, which
cleared the Merrimac and got out of
the harbor Sunday, drew 2SH feet,
which is within seven inches Of the
draft Of the battleships Iowa, Indiana,
Massachusetts and Oregon, and is
greater than the draft Of the battle.
ship Texas. Moreover, the navy de.
partment has known for the last ten
days that the neck Of the channel was
open, despite the sinking Of the Merri-
mac, and that there was clear sea
way Of seven fathoms, through which
any ship in our navy could sail This
removes all difficulty, except from
submarine mines or from the shore
batteries.
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 of there
being mines operated by electric con-
nection with the shore. The forts
and batteries have been badly weak
ened by the constant fire Of the fleet
for may weeks past, and, while still a
factor, they are greatly disabled.
Once up to the city the fleet and army
could combine in terrific double fire.
No less than 99s heavy guns would be
trained from the American warships
on the city, and at the same time the
big siege guns which it is expected
have been brought to the front of
Skaters line would rain down tor
rent of steel from that quarter. The
siege guns throw shells of 1856 pounds.
Aside from them there are four mod
ern howitzers and guns Of smaller
caliber. These are in the heavy artil-
lery, while the light artillery en-
braces great number of guns of SO
caliber. Combined this fire from land
and sea would be terrific in its effect.
The action Of the foreign represent
atives at Santiago has been an addi-
tional reason for deferring lombard
ment. 1t was made known late yes-
terdav that one of Gen. Skaters dis
patches stated that these representa-
tives had joined in request to him to
put off the shelling Of the city for an
other brief period, until their re-
spective 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
bombardment 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 feel that
nothing Of that nature will develop.
The definite official report reaching
here to-day that the Spanish feet had
entered the Suez canal made no change
In the plans Of the navy department
as to sending Commodore Watson's
squadron to the coast Of Spain. Sec
retary Long said 1t would start at the
earliest possible moment, but he did
not care to give the day Of departure.
The annihilation of the Spanish feet
continues to be an absorbing topic
among naval officials, and they are
giving most generous praise to Com
modore Schley for the noble manner
in which he destroyed the feet, when
the immediate command feel to his
lot The commodore's friends have
long predicted that II he secured an
opportunity he would render good ac-
count Of the fighting ability of the
American navy, and they are glad the
opportunity was finally reached.
- -
Woman Whips Physician.
WICHITA, Kan, July 8.--On a public
street of this city Mrs. A. G. Ramaley