The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 3, 1898, Page 1

"This. Paper not be taken from g I the Library. mmn— The " VOLUME LXXXIVi- SAN FRANCISCO, FRIDAY, JU-NE 3, 1898 PRICE FIVE CENTS. 2 WILL BE RAWING CLOSER THE FATAL NET ABOUT CERVERA SUNK OR CRUSHED Rushing the Preparations for the Work of Invasion. Three . Great Armies Are Being| Formed for Santiago, San Juan and CALL OFF O Washington, S The War Department is now rushin ° preparations with all speed for the invasion - of Spanish territory by three American The Ffirst will go to Santiago, the ® second to Porto Rico and the third to the 5 armies. - western end of Cuba, to an attack upon Hav d of the Santiago engineer rted , Supr of regul troox , is perhaps even now on the water. The Porto Rico expedition, it is believed, San Juan in a few days, =11l leave fo! are to be used has been ex- e expedition to S effort is being’made ure of a force large | ugh' to. take the city without re ¢co-operation of the in- | , 3000 of whom, according to a are now gathering | tory to an au:nk‘[ thrown up by the | s for the defense of the 1d - Admiral Cervera's fleet. operations of the American land i naval forces in the coming.siege Santiago will itute a notable sode in modern warfare. The 2 Department at Ad 1 Sampson i The cons ormed the is 1O bor, where he has relieved -Commio- | dore Schley of the supreme command of the flget, and is preparing to destroy | the Spanish ships as soon as they ven- e forth. - That they will be driven'| of the harbor the artillery experts | t ns_in the nited ment of the U vith these terrible eng pan- ish forces -have nothing that can cope. These guns can be fully protected in the hills abouit Santiago; and under the ractice of the American artillery ser- e, a terrific plunging fire can be di- rected upon’ the decks of Cervera's fleet that will sink his ships unless he steams out of the harbor, where Ad- miral Sampson is waiting to receive him. The guns of the Spanish fleet cannot be fired at a sufficient elevation to in- terfere in the slightest with the opera- tions of the American slege guns, and as the harbor in front of Santiago is only about two miles wide and very ghallow, the Spanish admiral will be forced to. choose between seeing his ghips sent to theé bottom without an opportunity to reply to'the American fire, and steaming boldly forth to do battle with Sampson’s armorcigds. In the speculation here as to Cervera’s probable course the best opinfon 1s uanimous that he will fight his ships even at heavy odds rather than see them go down:In the mud of Santiago harbor. 7 1t is probable that the expedition to fantiago will sail by way of the Wind- ward Pas which is the regular steamer .track to the southern coast from Havana and Xey West. The force will be landed about thirty miles east of Santiago, not far from the Bay of Guantanamo, which is an excellent harbor. Thence & road leads to the city of Guantanamo, which is now in the possession of the insurgents, and where the American forces -will be joined by & considerable detachment of General Garcia’s army that will un- doubtedly prove useful in guarding the cordon to be drawn around Santiago when the siege of that city s formally undertaken. % The surprise so generally expressed that the Navy Department has re- ceivad no word from Commodore Schley with regard to the bombardment .of the defenscc of Bantiago Is not shared by the more experienced naval officers Havana. ICE, Riggs House, June 2. 3 S [OJOXOXOXOIO) with an ultimate view ana. h PRA®E®®® will avoid cable stations as ssible, and will only report department when it seems abso- necessary for the welfare of the to do so. Board of Strategy is not now to the lutely cause The | engaged in giving detailed instructions | to our fléet in Cuban waters, but it for- | wards a daily cable to several points | 1 the W Indies conveying all in- rmation gathered during the preced- ing twenty-four hours; and experience has shown that these-advices are occa- misleading. s a naval veteran remarked to-day, Little news need be expected from our fleets until so.:ething ‘has been | donie worth reporting.” rations in the east are | attracting: the chief attention, the sit- | But while o uation in the Philippines is not being neglected. The Navy Department to- day sent an urgent telegram to the commandant ¢f the Mare Island Navy Yard instructing him to make ready to rush all necessary repairs on the Monadnock upon her arrival at San Francisco, whither she has been .or- ed from Puget Sound. This formid- ble vessel will start for Manila at the arliest possible date, and upon her ar- rival Admiral Dewey will find himself in command of a squadron fully cap- able of destroying the somewhat vis- de | fonary *“Cadiz fleet” should the Span- ish Government decide to send it east- ward through Suez canal. In this connection the advocates of the annexation of the Hawaiian Isl- ands, who are now moving heaven. and earth to secure the passage of New- | lands’ resolution,. realizing that if. an- nexation can not be secured in time of war it certainly must .l in time of peace, are making a desperate effort to overcome Speaker Reed’s sturdy op- position. They now declare that Reed has been induced to withdraw his ob- jection to a special order for the con- sideration of the resolution, and that it will be passed by a large majority. The evident anxiety of the advocates of annexation, however, is the best evi- dence that they are not confident of a satisfactory outcome for the present. agitation. - WAITING ‘FOR THE : DYNAMITE CRUISER. The Vesuvius to Go to the As- sistance of Sampson and Schley. KINGSTON, Jamaica, June 2.—A dls- patch boat which left Commodore Schley’s fleet two days ago brings the Interesting information that no com-. bined assault will be made on the shore forts and batteries defending the en- trance to the harbor’ 6f Santlago- for the purpose of forcing an entrance and getting at Cervera’s fleet until the ar- rival of thé dynamite cruiser Vesuvius. The Vesuvius has been doing scout duty off the western end of Cuba. ‘When she arrives off- Santjago her dynamite guns will be tested in an ef- fort to explode rows of mines which are known to have been planted across the harbor’'s mouth. z The-dynamite shells the Vesuvius hurls will upon explosion, it.is claimeaq, explode by concussion any mine with- in 300 yards of the point at which the dynamite. shell strikes. The Vesuvius' guns, are however, capable of effective work only at a dis- tance of alout three-quarters of a mile, -1 and hence the reduction of the defenses that might oppose her in her task is nécessary. It was this work which the Towa, Massachusetts and New Orlenas -began on Tuesday last, and which it is belleved the combined fleets of Samp- son and Schiey will resume. They believe that both Sampson | : NEW YORK, June 2.—The Herald's Washington correspondent telegraphs: Effective measures taken by the ad- ministration will shortly render Manila harbor impregnable against Spanish attack. In connection with the de- fenses of that harbor I learned to-day that the City of Peking carrfed with her to the far East a large number of mines, containing fifty pounds of gun cotton, of the same character as those which were sent to the North Atlantic squadron at the request of Rear Ad- miral Sampson. Back of these mines will be placed the monitors Monterey and Monadnock, which will shortly start for the far East in tow of colliers, and there is good reason to believe that Rear Admiral Dewey’s force will be supplemented in the near future by the gunboat Bennington. There is talk in the Navy Department of relleving the cruiser Olympia, the flagship of the Asiatic squadron, and bringing her home. This action was contemplated just before the war broke out on account of the condition of her machinery, and that she has done good work is evidenced by the battle of Ma- nila bay. The Olympia will probably be ordered home during the latter part of the summer, provided Spain’s- re- serve squadron is not sent to the east. In withdrawing the Bennington from | Hawall it is not proposed to leave this Government without an adequate na- ) val r.premt/a.llon in those waters. INCREASE 2 OF DEFENSES AT MANILA The Harbor to Be Made Im- pregnable Against Span- ish Attack. Monitors Monterey and Monad- nock to Be Placed Back of Some Large Mines. TIONARY FORCES DESTINED FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. Sketched From Life While on Duty at Headquarters, Department of the Pacific, Phelan Bullding, San Francisco, Cal. The training ship Mohican, .now at Honolulu, and the Pensacola, which has just been completed at Mare Island navy yard and is now in commission, will also be probably sent to that point. The dispatch of the Monterey and Monadnock to the far East will leave the Pacific Coast with but the Phila- delphia and Yorktown to provide it with protection. The Philadelphia wiil be placed in commission on July 1. The Yorktown will not be completed .before fall. On account of the distance to the Pacific Slope from Spain, the Naval ‘War Board does not expect that Spain will send any ships to that section ex- cept via Suez Canal, in which event they would first encounter Rear Ad- miral Dewey’s squadron. In view of the large force being collected at Ma- nila and the precaution< being taken by this Government to protect the bay, it is not believed that Spain will send her squadron east, but if they move at._ all, it will be to the West Indies.. 5 STRENGTH OF THE __CUBAN ARMY. Vice-President Capote Says Garcia Has a Large Force in Santiago Provinc:. ; NEW YORK, June 2—Domingo Mandez Capote, the Vice-President of the Cuban republic, arrived in this city to-day, After going to a hotel, where |OTIS’ CONFIRMATION : MAY BE DEFEATED. LOS ANGELES, June.2—Ad- vices received here this evening from Washington indicate that Colonel Harrison Gray Otis, edi- tor of the Times, will not be con- firmed by: the United States Senate . as brigadier - general. Ever since Otis’ name was sent into. the Senate labor organiza- tions of this city have been ap- pealing to their affiliated organ- izations throughout the country, asking that the Senate Commit- tee on Military Affairs be ap- pealed to to retire Colonel Otis. - Very urgent requests h been made by Colonel Otis’ friends here of prominent labor leaders, asking them to let up on their fight on Otis. The reply to this appeal’ has bheen that in all his editorial career in this city. Otis never-has manifested the slight- est’ feeling in his treatment for men. * i d 3 S “He has never at any time let up on' anybody,” say the labor - leaders, ‘‘and we do. not propose to let up on him, but will fight- him to the bitter end.. We have received ‘advices which encour- age us. very much,’ and we are still at work. Otis Wwill never be a brigadier-general Wwith our - consent. s 7S 000000000000 00BND he met General Palma, the head of the Cuban Junta, He visited Cuban head- quarters. Questionied-as té the strength of the army, he said: : “Not_counting those who have re- cently joined his forces, Garcia has gbout 12,000 men under him in’ the east- CO000 [ 0000000000000 000C00COO000D0000 | Principe. About 3500 of these mén were in the neighborhood of Santiago when 1 last received word. All were fally armed and equipped, and it was the in- tention to concentrate &ll of the force in the eastérn portion to that. point. 1 cannot tell definitely how many men there are in the other provinces. Gomez has about 5000 men at Santa Clara. Probably 30,000 men, all fully armed and equipped, are in the ranks of.the Cuban army. A large number, prob- ably 20,000 more, are armed with ma- chetes, and there are thousands of oth- ers who have recéntly left the towns to join the ¢ my becausé they couid no jonger live in the towns. From Porto Principé alone 10,000 men and women | have left because of the scarcity of provisions, preferring to take their chances in the country, and further in- ' fluenced by the fear that at the last moment the Spaniards, driven to de- spalr, will, out of revenge, resort to | slaughter.” 000000‘0000000000000300000'000000090000 ern department at Santiago-and Porto | ‘| American troops will land in the vicin. TROOPS FOR ~ SANTIAGO ~ EMBARKED Force of Four Thousand Now Ready for the Land Siege. Insurgents Will Join Americans in the Attack on the City and Cervera’s Fleet. - NEW YORK, June 2.—The Washington correspond- ent of the Herald sends the following: -The United States troops detailed to take Santiago de Cuba .ate going there in two detachments. ' The. first force, which has diready. em- - barked ‘on six transports at Tampa, consists of :about 4000 well equipped-and well organized troops. ‘It is expected that ‘this detachment will have -everything ready: for ain immediate “attack by land on Santiago de Cuba aiid Adrhiral Cerverd’s fieéjt by the tinie the second detachment reaches. the scere. C0000000000000 Wasliington authorities have, through'| mauga, as: rapidly ‘as ‘they can be thejr. agents, notified. ‘the . insurgent | équjpped for actual ser ,-will be or- army under General Garcia -that the | dered to-Tampa,’ New Orleans and Mo- | vernment is ‘making rapid | progress in obtaining transports to con- | vey the ' main army of invasion to When the forces have landed in Cuba | €uba. ' Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn they will establish themselves upon the | has chartered these ships in addition to hills overlooking Santiago de Cuba, and | the thirty-three previously chartered: earthworks’ will be erected around the A Knickerbocker. which can carry 500 guns. It Is expected, now that the in- | men; Comanche, 1200 men; Louisiana, surgent army under -General Garcia | 500 men;. Specialist,-1200-men, and Un- has been supplied with arms and am- | ionist, 1400 men. ~The ‘Louisiana and munition, it will be able to afford ma- | Comanche are vet at New York, but terfal help. Preparations are rapidly. :‘:1‘;@;1?&;‘-25?"1:‘;::\;?“ I‘th::u?hti: being made in organizing the volunteer | nocegsary when landing troops in Cuba forces preparatory to the main inva- |to take them from transport ships to {sion of Cuba. The troops at Chicka- | the land by means of lighters, ity of Santiago de Cuba, and it is ex- pectéd he will form an immediate junc- tion ‘'with the United States-forces. b