Evening star., 1898-06-23
SCANNING THE MAP
officials Here Tracing the Probable
Course Of the Troops.
TWO LANDINGS BY SHAFTER'S MEN
The Generals Base of Operations
Not Yet Known.
| NJ I L 1 Z A RY WIR E

| A M L l. Il A X w | II Il
The military situation at Santiago, so far
| as the War and Navy Departments know
| 1t, remains today precisely as it was at
| shutdown yesterday. Troops are being land
ed from General Skaters corps, ard this
| landing has not vet been completed
Neither Shafter nor Sampson has reported
| since their cablegrams received last night.
| 1t is gathered from these taken in con-
nection with the press reports, that only
| enc landing in military sense has been
made, but naturally, with so large a num-
| Der or transports to be discharged, the
| troops have been scattered up and down
| the beach for several miles. The cable
! station Is within seven miles of the point
| where the debarkation is going on. The
officials here say that this work cannot
be completed for several days, although
| of course the troops without their suppl IS
! may all be ashore before that time One
fact appears, namely: that General Shafter
is arranging himself the details of landin,,
| advised by Sampson and perhaps Garcia
and that the military authorities here have
| allowed him to exercise mis- discretion in
| this, for they do not know whether le
| will make more than one landing or just
| where that landing is.
One beneficial effect from the landing at
| Daiquiri will be TO distract the attention
| of the Spanish from the harbor of Guam
| tanamo. The mines having been probably
| all removed, and the forts that command
| ed the lower harbor having been silenced
with the disappearance of the Spaniards
| from the country surrounding the bay, ,he
| bavy will be in full possession of what il
has long wished for-an absolutely safe
| -sy,1 1a,, 11n1
SIMPSONS fleet can find refuge, and prob
| ably the transports we'll in case of the
| occurrence of one of those terrific West
| Indian cyclones that are to be Dreaded
| from this time forward.
Dispatch From Col. Allen.
Gen. Greedy received dispatch this
| morning from Lieut.. Col. Allen of the sig
! nal service, in charge of the cable station
! esta blished at Playa del Este, Cuba 1t
| did not relate to military operations, but
| from the fact that no reference was made
| to important developments it was inferred
| that the situation has not materially
| changed since last night, when the land
! Ing of troops was in progress. Col. Allen
| VIII make Playa del Este the cable base
| but in addition to this military cable
| line will be stretched from that point west
ward along the coast to the headquarters
| of Gen. Shafter. By this shore loop Gen.
Shafter will be brought into direct cable
communication with the War Department.
| Col. Allen is now hurrying forward prep
arations in this direction. He has all the
material necessary for the shore loop, with
Instruments and operators ready to work
| the line as soon as the army headquarters
are fixed.
1t is not quite clear thus far at what
point Gen. Shafter and his main body of
troops have established their base. The
official dispatches to the Secretary of War
and Secretary of the Navy spoke of a
landing at Daiquiri, and a demonstration
at Cabanas. Other official messages stated
that the landing was going on simultane-
ously at two points, with view to making
an assault on Santiago in the front and
rear. The press dispatches also speak of
Juragua as probable point of landing.
At whatever one Of these points Gen. Shat
ter takes up his base the military tele-
graph lines will connect them with Playa
del Este, and thence to the War Depart
| ment. Being strictly military line, the
cable from headquarters to Playa del Este
will not be open for commercial business
although the authorities will be disposed
to give the press such facilities as are pos
sibie under the circumstances. Most of
the unofficial messages. however, will have
to be handled from Playa del Este in or
der to avoid Cutting the military loop.
Scanning the Map.
Army officers were today intently scan
nIg the map of the country around Santi-
ago, with a view of locating the troops and
fixing their formation on the eve of the
advance. Daiquiri, which appears to be
the main point of landing is given on the
military map of the War Department as
P1 o1t n,,crl, iS
known by the former name. 1t is about
fifteen miles due east from the mouth of |
Santiago harbor. A small river runs in
land at that point, affording additional |
facilities for landing. The map shows a
road direct from Baiquiri to the entrance Of |
Santiago harbor, and theEce along the |
hsrbor to the city of Santiago. Besides |
this road, a railroad starts a few miles |
west of Baiquiri, circing along the coast !
up to the mouth of Santiago harbor. |
Juragua, the other point mentioned in the |
dispatches, is midway between Baiquiri and |
Santiago harbor. 1t also has small |
stream, giving additional facilities for land !
ing, and the railroad appears to take its |!
start alcng the coast from that point. Back !
Of this railroad and highway the interior |
shows mountainous formations, which |
would make the progress of an army DIFF |
ficult. 1t seems evident from an examina-
ticn of the army map that General Shaft |
er's troops at BaiQuiri or Juragua will move |
westward along the highway, perhaps |
utilizing the railroad, and this approach |
ing Santiago from the southeast.
Another Landing Place.
Distinct from this landing, which is east |
of Santiago haIEor, it seems evident that /
at least part Of Gen. Skaters force will /
land west of the haIbor, thus allowing an |
attack on Santiago from the northwest
The dispatches state that demonstration /
was made against Cabanas, which is shown |
on the military map to be small place |
just west of Santiago harbor and not moro
ti.an two or. three miles from the mouth.
Further to the west some sixteen miles is
ArerTadero. where Gems. Rabbi and Garcia /
have a large force Of Crtan troops. It is !
clearly inexpedient fo- this Cuban force to
make the inland circuit clear around San
tiago and form a tuncture with Gen Shaf-