Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-06-30
BATTLE EXPECTED SOON.
shafter Confident He Can Win In About
as Hours Spanish Reinforcements
Nearing Santiago.

WASHINGTON, June 30.-Word was
received yesterday from General Shafter
that he could take the city in 40 hours,
according to his belief, but at consider
able loss. Taken in connection with
the announcement contained in an
other dispatch that he was going to at
tack without awaiting reinforcements
it will be seen that the offici&ls have
grounds for their expectation that the
first general engagement of the war
will begin in a very short time. Nu-
merically the opposing armies are not
very different, the estimate of the
Spanish force being placed at 1900
men, thoroughly entrenched and be-
hind barbed wire fences and block
houses, as against about $4,000 men
under Shafter' S command, aided by 1 900
Cubans. One of the gravest elements
in the problem, however, is the Span
ish warships, for unless Shafter is
materially assisted by Sampson, who
might engage the full attention of the
Spanish ships, their fire upon the Amer-
can advance forces would be very hard
to meet
The military authorities here say that
General Linares has shown great mill
tary tact in slowly retiring during the
last few days, as he has gradually
drawn our troops away from the pro-
lection of the American ships and
brought them close to the fire of the
Spanish ships in Santiago harbor For
this reason it was with relief that the
announcement was received here that
Shafter had succeeded in landing all his
artillery, including his siege train, for
unless Sampson can be relied upon to
force his way into the harbor and at
tack the Spanish ships these siege guns,
planted on heights commanding the
bay, will be the main reliance of Gen
eral Shafter III offsetting the presence
of the Spanish ironclads.
Undoubtedly Shafter is animated to
attack as soon as possible by his knowl-
edge of the approach of the reinforce
ments for Linares from Manzanillo, for
with this additional force Skaters DO
sition would be disagreeable, if not per-
llous, at least until he had received re-
Inducements. The war department re-
ceived the first definite news YESTERDAY
as to the approach of these Spanish re-
inforcements This was in an official
dispatch, stating that 5000 men. with
pack trains and droves of.s animals,
were advancing from Manzanillo, and
We're "a miles from Santiago. 1t has
been known through reports from Lieu
tenant Joyce, made to General Miles,
that the Spaniards have $4,000 men at
Manzanillo and 10000 at Holguin, and
every precaution has been taken to
guard against their advance from either
quarter.
The official report yesterday showed
that 5000 of those at Manzanillo had
covered half the distance to Santiago,
and it is the belief of military officials
here that General Pando is making
similar advance with his 10000 men
from Holguin. These advances, now
practically unopposed, are regarded as
one OF the most serious phases of the
situation. There is the further element
to which the military authorities are
giving careful attention, that one man
intrenched behind earthworks or in
rifle pits is worth three men in the open.
1t is said that the battles of Chanceliors-
vile and Spottsylvania afforded the
most direct proof on this point.