The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-06

WASHINGTON. July 8. 1s9S.-As a re-
strucuons were sent B., the President TO
Admiral Sampson and General Shafter 10
confer together concerning a joint plan
of attack upon Santiago. Upon the out
come OF this conference depends the line
Of action for the immediate future. For
the present, the land bombardment by
General Skaters forces has been de-
ferred, and the situation has been so
completely changed by the annihilation
OF the Spanish fleet that it - maniiesty
the part OF wisdom for this land bonn
bardment TO await the cooperation and
support OF bOm1ardment from Admiral
sampson fleet
NOTHING DETERMINED on
Up to the close of office hours to-day no
word mad come either 20 the War or
Navy Department. so far as was d.
closed. as TO wnat determination mad
been reached at the conference. At toc
same time II is tho expectation of u1c
authorities here that the conference Will
result in a determination by the Admiral
10 take his fleet through the narrow neck
OF the harbOr, make his way past the
shore batteries and fOrtihcations and take
position before the city for a lombard
ment. There is reason 10 believe that
the instructions sent 20 Admiral Sampson
az least convey the desire. II not the
instructions mat Boo enter the harbOr.
But IL Is said that the Admiral and the
General continue o. bee the supreme Otii-
cials In authority. and that being on the
scene fully alive 10 all the conditions,
their judgment will De taken as final in
the course TO be- 1doptet'
40 DANGER IN THE CHANNEL.
There is said 10 ue no obstacle so FAR
as navigation Is concerned, 20 the en-
trance into the harH1r Of the American
fleet The Christobal colon, which cleared
the Merrlmac and got out OF the harbor
Sunday. drew twenty-three feet three
inches which is within seven inches Of
the draft Of the bat.sships Iowa, Indiana,
Massachusetts and oregon. 3nd is great
or than the draft of the battleship Texas,
Moreover the Navy Department mas
known for the last ten days that the neck
of the c1anneI was ouen. despite the sink
ing OF the Merrimac ana that there was
"a clear sea way or seven fathOms
through which any ship I'm our navy
could sail. This removes all difficulty
except from submarine mines or from the
shore batteries. As 20 the mines little
account is taken of them. since the
Spanish feet passed over them. The
Spaniards are in the habit Of using con-
tact mines. so that there IS litie likeh-
hood OF there being mines operated by
electric connection with the shore.
FORTS ARE DAMAGED.
The forts and batteries have been bad
lv weakened by the constant fire OF the
fleet for many weeks past and while
stuI factor. they are greatly disabled.
once mn TO the city the fleet and army
could combine in terrific double fire
No less than 292 heavy guns would De
trained from the American warships on
the CITY and az the same time the big
siege o-l,ns which 10 is expected have been
hroucht 10 the front of Skaters line
would rain down torrent of steel from
mt quarter Tho siege guns throw
shells OF l95 mounds Aside from them
are four mountain hOwitzers and large
number of small howitzers. These are
in tho heavy artillery, while the light
artillery embraces a great number OF
guns of 80 caliDre combined, TINS hre
from land and sea would be terrific in
effect
REASON FOR POSTPONEMENT.
IN, action Of the foreign representa-
ti,cs at Santiago has been an additional
reason for dcferring the bomhaTdment
n Was made known late to-day that one
of General Shaftcr's dispatches stated
tbat thee representatives, had joined in
a reouest 10 him to put of the shelling
90 the citv for another brief period. uni
tu tbslr respective colonies could be re-
moved. This accounts for the departure
~ the foreign warships from Santiago
harbor. as they are bearing away the
forcir-n residents before the bombardment
t,,,n,, The actiVity Of the consuls at
Santiaso has led 10 no diplomatic COM
nlIcation thus far. and the authorities
here feel that nothing Of that nature
will develop.
SOME ILLUSIONS DIsPELLED.
The state Department to-day took oc-
(continued on Seventh Page.)