The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-12
SANTIAGO SURROUNDED.
shafter Delays Attack to Hem in
the City.

the City.
Washington, July 11.-Gen. Skaters re-
port from Siboney sent just before mid
night last night caused officials of the war
department to wait all day with the ex-
pectation Of hearing that the lombard
ment of Santiago had begun.
No word to that effect came, however.
up to the time the department closed,
and though there Is little reason to doubt
that the general carried out the pro-
gramme of which he had notified the de-
partment, II was regarded as possible that
he had consented to a further extension
under the flag of truce in view of certain
signs of weakening on the part of the
Spanish commander.
Tests made recently of. the naval ord
nance gave very unsatisfactory results
when it was attempted to project shells
over the high hills from the open sea
into Santiago city Possibly better re-
suits may be attained tomorrow If the
attack is resumed, though there is much
likelihood that the main reliance will be
on such of the light draft vessels of Ad-
nairal Simpsons fleet as may succeed in
ter position than the heavy battleships.
The officials here are satisfied that what
appears to be the delay on the part of
Gen. Shafter was really caused by his eff
forts to carry out strictly the Presidents
injunction to prevent the Spanish army
from escaping from Santiago.
lie might have attacked the town sew
eral days ago. with the result that If the
Spanish were overcome they would have
retrea ed without obstruction to the
northwest beyond the reach of our sol
diers TO follow. His dispatch, written late
last night. indicates clearly that he has
been trying to complete his line of invest
ment so as to prevent such an escape,
and as he appears to feel satisfied that he
has accomplished this, the final assault
will not be delayed much longer.
Gen Shafter is disposed to save every
life possible in the war. 1t is to save our
troops that he desires to make free use
of artillery before the assault proper be-
gins. and also to secure the cooperation
of the navy In the attack.
The little artillery duel of yesterday
appears to have been more serious in its
result than was at first suspected by Gen.
Shafter himself, for during the afternoon
he was obliged to report as one result
the death of Capt Charles W. Rowell,
gallant and popular officers of the regu-
| lar establishment.
The cable communication between
Washington and Gen. Skaters headquar-
| ters has now been gotten into excellent
condition, so that it has been possible to
receive at the department a message with
in twenty minutes after 1t had been dis
| patched by Gen. Shafter
Col Allen, who is in charge of Gen.
! Skaters end of the line, has reported to
! the department that he is now engaged in
| laying a cable from Guantanamo to Playa
del Este, which will still further reduce
the time required for the exchange of COM
| muncations.
The appearance at the navy department
| this morning at an early hour of Ensign
| Palmer, one of the officers of the st. Louis,
/ which arrived at Portsmouth yesterday,
led the officials to believe that he had
| brought with him the reports of the Amer
lean naval commanders upon the battle
which resulted in the destruction of Ad-
miral Cerveras S squadron.
1t turned out, however that the St.
Louis had started from Siooney before the
official reports on that engagement had
been prepared
ference with Secretary Long this after
noon upon the subject of fire-proof wood
for naval construction. He brought with
him a formidable array of facts gathered
from the newspaper reports of the battle
to show that fire was the element that
worked the greatest destruction among the
Spanish squadron, and that wherever
American vessels had been hit even in the
case of the tiny torpedo boat they had
escaped such fires because of all their
woodwork being freproof.
So impressed was Secretary Long with
the statement that he has concluded to
reconvene a special board which was ap-
pointed some time ago 10 deal with this
matter, and which had recommended that
the use of prepared wood be curtailed in
some measure in American warship build
ing
Naval officials say that a serious irreg-
ularty occurred at the time the ships of
Admiral Cervera's fleet hauled down their
colors and surrendered. Inquiries have
brought out the fact that the breechblocks
of the guns were thrown overheard, thus
disabling the guns and making them prac-
tically worthless and the valves by which
the ships were flooded opened after the
surrender, when, under the rules of war
fare, the enemy had ceased fighting and
asked for quarter
1t Is said that further destruction to the
ships at such a time was both wanton and
dishonorable, and that if the persons re-
sponsible for it are located they are likely
to be held accountable.
The department has not yet received the
report of the court of inquiry, showing in
detail the injuries the ships received and
the possibilities of salvage. The press re-
port of the boards findings, saying that
only the Maria Teresa could be saved. ex-
cited much surprise as il was confidently
believed that the Colon also could be
saved in whole or in part. The officials
are still hopeful that the full report Of the
board will show that there is a chance Of
saving the Colon.
FIGHTING WITH LIoN-LII1E SPIRIT.
Deadly Rain of Shells Poured in on