The evening times., 1898-06-30
PAAD6's USELESS MISSION
Before He Reaches Santiago
Shafter Will Be There.
OCCUPYING MORRO CASTLE
When the Chief City of Cuba's East-
ern Province Is Captured the Be-
ginning of the End Is at Hand.
II VIII BE the Entering Wedge of
, Havana's Downfall.

Gen. Miles is under the impression that
Pandos intentions to re-enforce Linares
at Santiago will not be fruitful Shafter,
Gen. Miles thinks, will be in Santiago to
give Pando and his 5000 Spaniards a
section of the province. The Spaniards
will in all probability then find the city
OF Santiago in possession of the American
forces and that will be the beginning of
the end of the reign of little Alfonso. so
far as the island of Cuba is concerned
as a part of his royal domain.
Secretary Alger has been Informed by
Gen. Shafter that the American forces
can take the city of Santiago within for
ty-eight hours. Although Gen. Shafter
has positive information to the effect
that the strength OF the Spanish forces
IN Santiago de Cuba Is li.000 men. and al
though he is fully aware of the strong
advantage which the enemy has in being
entrenched behind fortificaiions. he feels
assured that. with the assistance of Ad-
miral SIMPSONS fleet. he can take the
city in two days.
Gen. Shafter, according to the highest
military authorities in Washington. does
not intend TO shell or attempt to capture
the city of Santiago before he has pos
session of Moro Castle. When the real
attack on the Spaniards begins Gen.
Shafter VIII send the left wing of his
army against the Moro.
1t Is thought that the capture of Moro
Castle will be comparatively easy task
The American general has positive infor-
nation 10 the effect that the guns in
that stronghold are mounted In such i
manner as to be useless in repe!ling land
attack. The cannon In Moro can only
be brought to bear Ipol N. channel
leading to the city of Santiago and Upon
the sea.
The attack upon the city of Santiago
will be made by the combined land and
naval ofrces. After General Shafter has
raised the American flag over Moro
Castle immediate steps will be taken 10
remove the mines that are now planted
in the channel. Some of these mines are
undoubtedly contact mines. but the un-
derstanding is that the atority are op-
Grated from the shore After General
Shafter has possession of MORO he VIII
draw out of the channel ali the mines
that are operated from the shore. The
contact mines can be picked up by men
in small rowbOats sent out from the fleet.
As soon Admiral Sampson Is assured
that his vessels will run into no danger
from mines, part of the American fleet
will Immediately proceed into the chan
mel The fortifications of Smith Key will
have been destroyed by General Shafter.
Gen. Shafter will mount some of his
large siege guns in Morro Castle in such
a position that they will command the
outer harbor of Santiago de Cuba. The
city will be bombarded by the American
troops and the American warships. The
vessels will include the armorclads and
t, J,-p ay,,it NeS,fx-irrS
Gen. Shafter depends greatly upon the
strength of his artillery TO make the ac-
tion short and decisive. Considering the
fact that an army Of 5000 men has left
Tampa to re-enforce Gen. Shafter. and
that there Is large force of artillery in
this expedition. the probabilities are that
Gen. Shafter will wait until the arrival
of these re-enfOrcements before making
the main attack upon Santiago. He will
then have a force of about 5000 troops.
Meanwhile. II is not expected ihat Gen.
Pando will be able. even by making the
most rapid marches. to re-enforce the
Spaniards in Santiago.
After the capture of Santiago the COM
bined American and Cuban land forces
will subdue the entire province of Sani-
ago de Cuba. Steps are being taken to
send the horses belonging to the Rough
Riders and the entire command of mount
ed rifiemen under Col. Torrey to Sanu-
ago. The two vessels. Mohawk and Mis-
sissippi. will convey the horses and troops
to Santiago. They will leave the United
States within a week.