The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-29
He Can Now Move on Either Santiago
or Moro Castle.
THOSE BARBED WIRE FENCES
Some of tho Soldiers VIII Bc Supplied
With Cutters 10 Destroy Them. Af-
terFirst Cleaning the Spaniards
from Them With Artillery.
Spain Cannot Buy the
BattIcship O'IIiggins.

WASHINGTON, juno 2s-It was very
late IN the day when the first dispatch
within two days came to the War De-
partment from General Shafter. but the
news was regarded as so good that there
was no disposition 10 complain. It dis
closed very satisfactory rate Of pro-
grcss on tho part OF General Snafter to-
wards the town OF Santiago itself. and
apparently he has gained all the ground
and has come within three miles Of SAN
tiago without suffering any losses since
the bloody skirmish o. Friday last. Al
together tho performance is regarded as
very gratifying by the department ofiiclals
here.
As near as can be gathered from tho
brief dispatch. tho American army is now
at the fork in the road-oue branch Of
which leads 10 Santiago and the other TO
Moro Castle at the entrance 70 the har-
Dor. General Shafter Is thus free 10
move I'm either direction, according TO the
demands Of the campaign. With the 1900
men who reinforced him yesterday on the
| Yale. and the additional brigade that VIII
reach him by tomorrow, 81 may be posi-
I Die 10 make even more laPtA pifh A''7 80
the advance upon Santiago as these men
| can be relied on TO relieve the main body
Of troops from the necessity OF keeping
| open the lire of communication between
| shafter and his base at Baiquiri.
REINFORCEMENT BEING SENT.
Meanwhile. further reinforcements are
/ being prepared and dispatched as rapidly
/ as the best energies OF the department
/ can direct and it ia believed that several
/ thousand men sailed from Tampa to-day
| directly for Santiago.
/ The department mas had in mind the
difficulties OF the campaign that are just
| developing 10 the public eye-such as the
| uso for the first time In civilized warfare
I of barbed wire fencing as means on de-
| fense. and acting upon the advice or
some OF our army officers who were In
! Cuba while the lighting was confined TO
| the Spauiard5 and the insurgents,
certain number I'm each regiment have
been provided wiah wire cutters and
charged with the duty OF cutting down
/ these fences so as TO permit the advance
| of the troops.
THE WIRE FENCES.
| IL probably will be necessary 10 sheH
out tho force defending these wire CheV-
aux DE- FTise before they can be cut uh-
less the men in charge OF that duty arc
to be unduly exposed TO danger. rms
vsl involve a larger use of field artillery
than would be required In ordinary war
| fare. The officials here have been tore-
| handed as 10 these details and IN fact
! have provided for the use Of barbed wire
/ bv our own forces. having sent about 80
tons Of this wire with General Merritt
! expedition
LINES ARE TIGHTENING.
The lines are being frightened around
| cuba and II will soon be impossible Tor
even small quantities OF food or war
supplies 20 reach the Spaniards there.
/ The proclamation issued to-day extending
the blockade TO the south coast ana 20
san Juan II is believed will accomplish
| this result. on the south coast the Isle
| of Pines will be cut on as "a transfer
depot for cattle and food supplies coming
from Jamaica and central America. By
/ closing San Juan harbOr the Spanlards
will lose the last chance of smuggling
wa-. supplies 10 Cuba and the future op-
erations OF the army and navy looking
10 the occupation OF the Island of Porto
Rico will be materially advanced by the
establishment OF a successful blockade
THE CADlZ FLEET.
There was no further word from the
Cadiz fleet to-day, though It ~ known to
be still lying at Port Said under preteXt
OF repairing one Of the torpedo-boat de-
strovers. The delay on the part of the
Spanish fleet has not stopped tho prepara-
tlons for the sending Of the Eastern
Squadron. under Commodore Watson 10
the Spanish shores. The Commodore Is
fastening with all speed southwark on
the Newark 20 join and confer with
Sampson or Santiago.
WANT THE O'HIGGINS.
II has been known TO our Government
FOR some time past that the Spanish
government was trying 20 obtain posses
sion Of the splendid modern armored
cruiser OHiggins. Our agents have
however watched these negotiations
carefully. and our government has beer
finally satisfied that they had failed. II
Is needless TO say that the result wa
agreeably received here as the grayes'
complications might have resulted from
the sale OF warshlp By neutral power
| 10 Spain.