Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-06-10
Map of the Shore, Neal Santiago de Cuba.

nave actually been embarking at
Tampa. The reason for this belief is
found in the admission by officials that
the troops have been under orders to
embark for some time past. The DIFF
ficulty that presented itself was the
absence of absolutely necessary sup
plies, which, in most cases, were stored
away in one of the thousands of freight
cars which blocked the railroad tracks
many miles out from Tampa. The or
ders that went forward Monday were of
character to cause speedy breaking
OF the deadlock and if the troops now
have their supplies, which is believed to
be the case, there is no reason why they
should not sail at once for Santiago.
Easy to Land Troops.
BY the newspaper reports of the
breach Sampson has made in the coast
defenses there, there is every reason to
believe that little difficulty will be
found in the actual debarkation of the
troops, particularly if marines are al
ready ashore to guard the landing. A
suspicion is entertained in some quar-
tiers that Sampson was FASTENED in his
movements at Santiago by the news of
the intended departure of the troops
from Tampa and made this attack in or
der that the navy alone might have the
honor of effecting the first occupation
of Cuban soil. It is likely that the first
troops of the regular army TO take up
a position ashore will be the engineer
battalion, although they are so badly
hampered by the heavy siege trains
they carry that they must be greatly
delayed in making a landing. These
guns. by the way, have given infinite
trouble, for the transports THAI were
hastily chartered were SO lightly CON
structed as to require great deal of
strengthening before the great masses
of steel could be safely placed in them.
Sampson His own Master.
The extent of SIMPSONS attack on
the Santiago defenses has brought out
one fact very clearly, namely, that he
has practically unlimited power as to
the time and character of an attack.
and that he is unhampered by restric-
tions from Washington. The exact ma
ture of his orders has never been made
public, but a naval official in position
to know what they are, said that Adj
miral Sampson had greater power con-
ferrcd upon him than had ever been
given to any commander in chief. 1t
was for him TO decide on the time for an
attack, and the place and manner of its
| execution. He may attack before troops
arrive or, In his discretion, act with
out the cooperation of troops. Or if cir
cnmstances warrant, he may refrain
from any operations. In short, it is said
that Admiral Sampson is complete mas
ter Of the tactical and strategic opera
tions by the naval forces off Santiago.
The authorities here have laid down the
| general ends to be at tained in Cuba and
| Puerto Rico and the war board has sup
plemented this with every bit of infor-
nation which could assist the COM
mander in chief. But beyond this, Adj
mlrai Sampson's authority is practical
ly without limit. Under these circum-
stances the naval authorities here have
no means of knowing when battle is
to be expected or what the line of action
is to be.
Cuban Claims.
II will be good news for the many
persons interested directly or indirectly
in claims against the Spanish govern
ment growing out of i'll treatment in
Cuba, or loss to property sustained
there, to know that the state depart
ment has not Lost sight of them and
that their interests are to be fully con-
served when 1T comes to final settle
ment between the United States and
] Spain. These claims on file in the state
denArimeut now ana0ant. to an nggrs.