Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-06
A LETTER TELLS OF LONG DELAY IN
DEBARkING TROOPS.
FOUR WEARY DAYS OF WAITING
ONLY HALF Of SANTIAGO TRANS
PORTS UNLOADED AT ONCE.
other. Were Sent to the Westward of
NOrrO Castle-Men Kept Com
stantly Ready to Debark,
With Three Days Ra-
tiOns in Readiness.
SPECIAL corresponaenee of The Journall

Especial Correspondence OF The Journaib
ON BOARD THE TRANSPORT SARA
TOGA, June Il. p. m.-Four days ago We
arrived in front OF Santiago de Cuba. and
We firmly expected TO land the first
night. Yet about half of Us are still wait
ing. and at last il has begun TO dawn upon
up that il requires time 10 debark an
army of lJ0e0 men hostile coast, with
Inefficient facilities and some pestilent
shore batteries which have TO be tended
to by our gunboats several times each
day Those of US who are still waiting to
land have very little knowledge of what
is happening to those who have been al
ready landed. Even the exact point of
debarkation is not known, though from
the intermittent firing about ten miles
down the coast toward Guantanamo lay.
We are led to conclude that this point has
been selected for one landing. while the
remaining ships, including the Saratoga
AMI three other ships of the same division.
will land higher up. on this west side of
Morro and the two forces will then march
upon the city from opposite directions.
The period of waiting seems interminable-
Our only occupation consists in gazing at
the green hills and mountains which sur
round Santiago or watching the maneu-
vers of the naval fleet in front of the har-
bor- The troepships in the day time lie
within i've miles and sometimes even
nearer to Moro castle. and in the even
ing We generally sail out to within eight
or ten miles. Here We are still in plain
view, and the long evening Is passed in
gazing at the play of the searchlignts up
on the mouth of the harbor and upon the
coast The battleships keep a glare on
the harbor during the entire night. and 1t
provides great species of entertainment.
resembling mammoth stereopticou view
show When the searchiight flashes upon
Ncrro castle. the great stone pile. even at
distance of ten miles, stands out against
the sky like an immense photograph
thrown upon a canvas. Then the light
shifts and we see the narrow harbor, then
the mountainous shore, then the light
flashes around the open sea and plays in
turn upon each of the silent war vessels
which lie in wait for the Spanish fleet
which never comes. In the morning We
get the invariabIe order to get ready tire.
days rations and prepare to debark in
light marching order. We know this is
simply precautionary move, but We get
everything ready and then go back to our
occupation Of scanning the Cuban coast
with field glasses. Prom our station to-
day we could plainly see the Spaniards en-
gagged in repairing the Notifications bonn
barded day before yesterday. They are
also building new works eastward of MORO
castle 7, is mn, believed that MORO itself
contains anv guns. II would be a yeritable
deathtrap for a battery. Its wall, are old.
and the already crumblinp masonry would
soon he knocked into a homeless ruin
E,verv dav s,renptbens the imprp-sion
that there will be sim fighting before this
pyace falls Every dax of the mast ,br,s
weeks since Ceryers took his flee, into
the barbor has doub,Iess beep ,,sed IN good
adx,n,,oa hv m. Snan;.r5s in fort;fvirg
the town and organizinr the forces of de-.
fense The town ia natnr,IIv nro,ec,ed
II presets some oi the points Oh ao'aht-
age 10 tne enemy which Eicksours pre-
: sehteo' tnousn the open sea presents 10
the army OF smarter an advantage Oh
eonmunleauoh "nich uraht couid not Sc
cure AT sicksours- other"ise tne situation
Is not oissimnar. Inc Town Oh santiago Is
compfeteiy suaroeo ON three sides py hii's
ana mountains upon ~nich the Iortinca-
uons Oh tne enemy can De intfenched' ana
from "hich every pass INTO tne Town can
oe eosereu ny sweeping hre- Inc TASK
OF capturing these defenses will be up