The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-21
Hornet. Manning, Bancroft, Wampatuck,
Eagle and Wasp.
RED LETTER DAY.
Army Arrives, Direct Cable to
Cuba, cadlz Fleet
Located.

was important news at the War Depart
ment when Secretary Alger reached his
office today The transport with l5,oOo
troops, ne was informed had arrived
safely off Santiago and that direct ca
BILE communication had been established
between the United States and Guanta-
namo, where the United States marines
now hold possession OF Cuban soil.
Thus not only is Captain General Blan-
co cut off from any communication with
the outside world save through Key
West cable within our control, but the
authorities in Washington have been
placed in close connection with our
forces. army and navy, which are con-
Quoting the invasion Of Cuha.
To General Greely and his signal corps
belongs the honor of achieving this last
feat. He was entrusted some weeks ago
the task of re-establishing cable and tele-
graphic communication with Cuba, Under
his supervision Lieutenant Colonel James
Allen, of General Miles staff with Off
GERS and men of the signal corps have
been busly engaged in the execution of
that work.
The French Cable Company, whose
cable runs from Santiago to Guantanamo
bay, and thence to Cape Haytien where
a direct connection is obtained with New
York, was accorded the privilege of re-
storing this communication with Guam
tanamo and Santiago with permission to
send commercial and domestic dispatches
under strict military censorship ne
o;t otn11 11xr
The cable steamer Mancel was employed
for the work and operating on these lines,
communication was restored between
Cape Haitien and Guantanamo about 3
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. 1t is ex-
pected that today or Wednesday the cable
will be thrown open to the general public,
subject to censorship
The first message over this restored
cable was one from Lieutenant Colonel
Allen to General Greely, announcing the
re-opening of communication. General
Greely Immediately directed the officer
to obtain and forward the earliest possi-
BILE advices as to the arrival of the United
States troop transports. Lieutenant Col
onel Allen applied Captain McCalla, in
command of the United States Naval
forces in Guantanamo Bay
The Captain in turn sent out a boat to
Admiral Sampson S squadron, which re-
turned with the news that the transports
had arrived safely and were lying off
Santiago and that at the moment of the
report General Shafter, commanding the
military expedition, was on board the
flagship New York, consulting with Adj
miral Sampson respecting the landing of.
the troops. The news was particularly
grateful to Secretary Alger, who, besides
his official interest In the safe arrival of
the expedition, has a natural concern for
the welfare of his son, an inspector on
General Skaters staff.
The news was promptly communicated
to the Navy Department, where there was
a general expression of satisfaction at the
notification that they will be able here
after to communicate directly with Samp-
son.
Another piece of good news that came
to them through the medium of the State
Department was from a reliable author
ity in Marseilles, France, stating that
positive information had been received
there that the Cadiz feet had returned to
Cadiz after its pretentious departure, with
one of the most formidable of the ships
the Vittoria, disabled and in tow of one
of the other ships.
The Vittoria is one Of the broadside
ships of the Spanish navy, being very
similar in that respect to the Numancia
another vessel of the squadron. She has
no turrets, but like the old style of IRON
clads she has her guns mounted broad
side behind a citadel of heavy iron. She
has lain neglected for many years at
Cadiz, and it is presumed that the hasty
repairs made upon her to prepare for ac-
tive service were not extensive enough
to make good the damage sustained by
her machinery through neglect.
The vessels that have arrived off San
tiago, with the troops on board of each,
according to the data supplied to the
War Department, by General Shafter
numbered with the convoy forty nine yes
sells, and is the most numerous that ever
left the waters of the United States for
foreign country.
1t is executed here that the transports
will remain off Santiago, or perhaps near
er the exact landing point of the troops
until Santiago has been captured when
they will take abord the greater part of
the invading army if they can be spared
from that locality, and convey the troops
to Porto Rico to effect the capture of
that island.
The Navy Department continues to hear
from Admiral Sampson relative to the
general condition ofsaffairs with the fleet
off Santiago. These advices have not,
up to noon today brought word of the
landing of the troops under General Shat
ter, but the Department is hourly expect
ing that the cable communication, now
restored, will permit Admiral Sampson to
send full information as to the arrival of
the troops
The reports last received speak of the
satisfactory condition of affairs and par
ticularly draw attention to the continued
good work being done by the Cubans The
Admiral says he has now about LOCO Gu
bans, fully armed, engaged in the BUSH
whacking work, which has proved SO eff
fective in protecting the marines and n
This. force of Cubans is quite apart from
the regular force under Generals Rabi and
Garcia, and is a detached body of guer-
forces rather than with the army. The
extent to which the Cubans have been ex
posed to action is shown by the report
reaching the Navy Department that
thirty wounded Cubans have been placed
on the Solace,
Now that the army is about to set foot
on Cuban soil the purpose OF this move
on Santiago was pointed out today by an
army official fully acquainted with the
general plan of action. He said Santiago
base Of operations, as 1t was not adapt
cd for such use.