The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-19
MORE CABLES TO BE CUT.
BIancO to BE Isolated by Severing All
Submarine Telegraph Lines.


WASHINGTON, May 1s.-The complete
isolation of General Blanco from the out
side world is now looked on by leading mill
tary and naval authorities as an essential
move TO be executed at the earliest pos
sible moment. The pressing need Of this has
become more evident within the last few
days, since General Blanco is known to have
been in constant cable communication with
the admiral of the Spanish squadron and
also with Madrid. He has thus been an in
termediary between the government and the
admiral, informing them of his own needs
and advising them on matters of policy.
The authorities here feel the need of bring
ing this communication to an end and off,
cial inquiry has developed that there will
be little difficulty, in isolating Captain Cen
quickly taken and energetically.
Havana's communication with the outside
world is carried on by means of five dis
tinct cable lines. Two of these run to the
United States and are, of course, closed
against General Blanco. The remaining
three cable exits from Havana are by way
Havana is connected by two land lines with
Santiago and also by one shore cable with
Santiago. The actual departure of the cables
from Cuba occurs at Santiago, two of the
lines running thence to Jamaica and one
10 Haiti When message has once left
Cuba by one of the three lines still open
It has no less than six different cable routes
It can adopt after leaving Jamaica or Haiti.
From Jamaica one route goes to Colon,
Pernambuco, Cape Verde islands and thence
10 Spain; second route goes to Bermuda,
Halifax and thence to Spain; a third route
goes to Venezuela Pernambuco Cape Verde
and thence to Spain; fourth route goes to
the Windward islands, Dutch Guiana, Per-
nambuco, Cape Verde and Spain. From
Haiti there are two routes, one to Vene-
zuela, Pernambuco, Cape Verde and Spain
and second by way of the Windward ISL
ands to British Guiana. The authorities
nave with much labor figured out all of
1nese various means by which General
Blanco can keep up his communications.
They are satisfied that the three cables run
ning 10 Santiago are the routes from which
aii these various branches spring and if
this triple root is cut the entire system of
communication between Cuba and the out
SIDE world will be at an end
santiago is not a strongly fortified town
ana IL y belleVed there would be little danger
attending the cutting of the cables at that
point. The right to cut these cables is not
doubted by the authorities here, although
most OF them are British cables The chief
vanced the principle that in time of war
the right existed to destroy property found
an an enemy'S territory and in the case of
caDles, that the right existed to destroy
1hem within the three marine leagues con-
stituting SPANS Jurisdiction This principle
mas now been accepted and is the policy
on winch the government is acting When
the cables at Santiago will be cut is not
1lsciosed, put there is strong pressure to-
wards having the work done Immediately,
Tor until 1t is done General Blanco maintains
his communications and is thus enabled to
emDarrass the operations of our military
and naval forces