Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-30
At Santiago.

w bottled up in the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba? The opinion prevails that ne
;s and that Commodore Schley is the
master of the situation, but neverthe-
less an uncertainty prevails which Is
very disconcerting. Since the estab-
lishment of the rigid press censorship,
which is heartily commended by pa
triotic press and public, the govern
either about it's plans or about exist
ing conditions. About all that appears
in the papers is guess work, pure and
simple, and real news has been very
conspicuous by its absence for the past
two weeks. Still we have been told
so long that the Spanish admiral is
really at Santiago and as he does not
seem to appear anywhere else, it is
hoped the reports are true. Just why
he went into that harbor is uncertain,
but if he is there he must either come
out and fight at a disadvantage against
ouuS VI itiidiiI DolliGtt up t'itt w "a
no more use to Spain than if he Were
at the bottom of the sea.
Santiago harbor may be likened to a
deep flask with only one outlet and
that both narrow and crooked. If this
makes the harbor easily defensible it
renders it also easily blockaded. The
channel of the outlet is SO narrow as 20
make its navigation by Admiral Ger
Vera's armored cruisers, vessels of eco
to 5000 tons. a task of the utmost deli
cacy. In coming out of the harbor his
vessels would have to proceed in a sort
possible for even two ships to steam
abreast there. Coming on in this mar
row formation the squadron could en-
ploy in the channel only the bow guns
of its leading vessel, whereas our
blockading fleet could use its broad
sides in ral1ing the approaching foe.
1t is true that the narrow entrance Of
Santiago harbor is defended by forti
tcations, but these, while they have an
imposing look, are old style works
built of the brittle coquina or coral
stone, 4 material that an ordinary shell
converts into gravel by it's explosion.
These forts are said to have recently
been re-armed with Krupp guns, but
sample of the quality of the artillery
practice of the GARRISON was given
week ago when the little gunboat
Wampatuck, covered by the ST. Louis,
succeeded in cutting the cable directly
under the guns of the batteries.
Neither of the vessels was hit though
a fairer mark than the st. Louis. an
ocean liner of mammoth proportions.
could not be desired even by recruit.
If Admiral Cervera has run into
harbor SO easily bottled up as that IF
Santiago his conduct can be explained
as consistent With his possession Of or
binary capability as a commander only
on the assumption that he was chased
by an overpoWering force. or he be-
lieved he was 50 pursued, or that one
Of his vessels breaking down, he hli
no other choice than to enter the first
open port at hand. To assume that
under existing conditions he deliber-
landlocked is TO deprive him of all
claims as a strategist and to put down
his movements as simply the wander
ings of a man who could not make up
his mind and had nobody at hand tc
make it up for him. The only chance
the Cape Verde squadron had for rem
dering effective service to Spain lay in
| its being handled in a dashing way.
Had it been boldly commanded it
might have greatly postponed the in
vasion of Cuba by our army. Ii is not
Of sufficient force to make it formid-
able in pitched battle against Schley s
or SIMPSONS available strength.
| Meantime the country is waiting
eagerly for the expected battle which
| may occur any time. 1t has been eX-
| pected for many weeks. and it may BE-
| just as far off as ever. 1t Will be diff
cult for our fleets to force Cervera to q
| fight if he prefers to avoid it by keep
| ing in the harbor. If the hopes for re-
| Inducements to aid him he will doubt
| less be doomed to bitter disappont-
ment. Blockaded at Santiago the
Spanish fleet no longer endangers oul
coast or causes delay in the plans fol
Cuban invasion. The government
maintains the same silence regarding
the plans of the army as those of the
fleets, and it is all a matter of con
lecture whether invasion will be un,
| dertakcn at once or postponed unit
| fall when the army will he better pre-.
pared and the climatic conditions more
| favorable. The presence of many
transports at Tampa, however, and tn,
general activity indicate that grea
army will be on Cuban soil at no dis
| tant day. But lust now the ewes O