The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-10
SURROUNDING SANTIAGO.
city to BE Starved Out by Siege on
Land and Sea.

Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press.
off Santiago de Cuba, Saturday June 4,
via Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, June 0,
9 a. m.-Every effort is being made to cut
off Santiago de Cuba's connection with the
outside world, and 1t is believed that
within forty-elght hours there will be a
practical accomplishment Of the design.
Since last Saturday, when Commodore
Schley found Admiral Cervera's fleet try
ing to quietly leave the harbor, and headed
off the attempt thus probably solving the
war problem, 1t has been the policy to SO
surround tho city and harbor that no as
sistance, either In supplying arms or am
munition could reach there.
After driving the Spanish fleet into a
more protected position In the harbor, by
the bombardment of Tuesday Commodore
Schley opened communication with the In
sprgents eighteen miles from Santiago to
the east. They were urged to obtain, if
possible, the names and number of the
vessels of the fleet inside the harbor, as
the contour of the land at the entrance
made 1t impossible to accurately determine
by view from the American fleet lust
how many vessels of the Spanish squadron
were there.
on Friday afternoon. Lieut.. Sharp of the
Vixen went TO the place of rendezvous and
received from the insurgents a map OF the
harbor showing the entire Cape Verde fleet
with the exception of the destroyer Ter
ror on the inside, and close up to the city
under protection of the guns mounted on
Blanco battery, on the northern extremity
of the harbor
The ships there, according to this chart,
are the Cristobal Colon, the Vizcaya, the
10 o,,I
the Reina Mercedes, destroyed by the
American warshlps since this dispatch
was written all cruisers Of the first class
and heavily armed. together with three
torpedo boats.
The dehniteness Of the information nat
urally gavo Commodore Schley great sat
isfactlon.
Although he had known that severnl
ships Of the enemy were there, he was not
certain that some others had not succeed
ed In getting away, or had not been sent
In another direction. With Admiral Samp-
sons arrival on Wednesday the blockade
was much strengthened and the plans TO
starve out the city, its troops and the
enemy's fleet were pushed vigorously A
cable boat was sent to find and cut the
cables communicating from Santiago 10
Jamaica, and Hayti. cables which IL had
been alleged, had been cut by the auxiliary
cruiser 81. Louis.
The boat was put to work, but up to
to-day had not found the cable for which
she was searching. Guarded by the bat
tlesblps Massachusetts and Texas. she
worked on Friday morning within two
miles of formidable fortifcations on shore
and strange to say without any attempt
OF the Spanish gunners to hit her, al
though In the early morning the big guns
were fred viciously at Commodore
sohley's flagship.
Just how long Santiago can stand be-
sieging Is O matter Of conjecture. Three
weeks ago It was claimed at Jamaica that
food IN Santiago was very poor and that
n was also very scant. The country about
the city Is unproductiye and mountainous
and the insurgents camps are so close that
tberc Is little or no communication be-
tween the city and its envrons. The rail-
way service Is not carried to a distance
much beyond ten miles from the town.
Since Sunday last when Admiral Cerve-
ra's squadron was bottled up by the fly
ing squadron under Commodore schley
nothins has gone in and the auxiliary crui-