The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 21, 1898, Page 1

The Call { 10’ the Library.**** L s ¥ ve VOLT {XIV.—NO. 21. SAN FRANCISCO, TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1898, ‘GENERAL SHAFTER'S ARMY ARRIVES AT SANTIAGO THREE DAYS TRANSPORT FLEET OFF T HE CITY “No Attempt Yet Made to Land the Invading Thousands. Scouts Sent Out to Select a De-| sirable Point for the Dis- embarkation. Copyrighted, 1838, by PORT ANTONIO, R. Shafter. ¥ troops. Genera er, my. informa- ice with Admiral Samp- They discussed at length mation obtained by Ad- Sampson’s scouts as to the ailable landing places in nity of Santiago and sent urther scouting parties along the In to-day’s parties were representatives of the army, as- signed to duty by General Shaf- ter. They inspected the points considered by Admiral Sampson to be most advantageous and the of the and vill decide where coast. commanders army navy speedily to land troops enthusiasm swakened among the men with Admiral Sampson’s fleet by the arrival of American troops. They gave cheer after cheer, the report states, and their enthusiasm met Tremendous was with an equally hearty response from the troopships. The re- peated delays in the departure of the army from Tampa had made the men with the fleet impatient and they awaited the coming of their allies with great anxiety. For more than ten days they had | had nothing to do aside from pre- venting the escape of Admiral Cervera’s fleet from the harbor. The officers and men, the fleet having done all the damage pos- sible preparatory to the landing of troops, were anxious for more | active warfare. From an early hour on Sunday | norning every vessel in Admiral impson’s fleet was on the look- The ad- miral had been advised from Washington that the troopships probably would join its fleet some time during the day, but no sign of the invading army had been seen when the sun went down. It was known here early this morning that the American army out for the transports. was mnearing Santiago, however, | the news having been brought by Captain List of the Ethelwood, which arrived from Philadelphia at 7 o'clock. Captain List re- ported that he had passed two of the troopships fifty miles north from Cape Maysi yesterday morning. . He could not distin- | guish the names of the vessels, Advices received here late this afternoon announce the arrival off Santiago of the first division of the American army of invasion under command of Major General William @ No attempt was made during the day, according to the report, to land American James Gordon Bennett. Jémaica, June 20.— [18. The troopships, s, after his arrival had a{by a gunboat and a converted | yacht, were heading to the south- east. | “The gunboat,” said Captain | List, “stopped me with a blank | shot, and, after learning my iden- tity, demanded the news. I gave 1er what information I had and asked where she was going. She would not answer that question. The ships were very large ones, and it seemed to me they were heading straight for Porto Rico, inasmuch as they were going south of Greater Inagua Island. Jut they may be taking that course merely to keep out of sight of land. If the latter sup- »osition is the correct one, then the troops are off Santiago this morning.” The enemy has been working for two weeks to concentrate a strong force in the vicinity and Spanish troops have been sum- moned from various parts of Eastern Cuba. must meet General Shafter’s army with a smaller force than he had expected, owing to the ne- cessity of leaving several thou- sand troops to guard Guantan- amo. Now that the marines at Camp McCalla have become firmly entrenched there the Span- iards must divide their forces to defend both cities. Our forces thus are about to reap another decided advantage through the successful landing of marines the eastern shore of Guantanamo Bay. Upon the ability of the troops | to stand climatic conditions, at | this season in Cuba, will depend |in a great measure the time to | be selected for the advance upon | Havana. If the regulars are able | to keep in as good health as have | the marines at Camp McCalla | you may expect to hear of speedy developments in the situation. I am told the men under Gen- | eral Shafter, despite their experi- ence of thirteen days in close quarters aboard the transports, |are in good health. They are | eager to get at the Spaniards and stirring scenes are certain to mark their landing. The transports and convoying warships, according to this re-. General Linares | A 0 3 ¥ s g LR LR R T ey | Manila. usual heavy rain. | BRIGADIER GENERAL WILLIAM of the Cuban Army of Invasion, N TRANSPORT SUI THE RIVER PASIG How Frightened Spaniards at Manila Prevented the Destruction of Torpedo Boats. Copyright, 1808, by James Gordon Bennett. ow 1SraveTe Off Santiago. U MANILA BAY, June 17 (via Hongkong), June 20—Rear Admiral Dewey still has power to throw the’Spaniards into a fit by a mere intimation that he intends to attack them. Last Tuesday a report was received that they intended making a torpedo attack against the fleet. Half a gale was blowing at the time and this gave them great weather advantages, but Admiral Dewey sent the Concord and Callao to forestall any such movement, and, be- sides, the fleet carried out the usual precautions that had been taken every night. Preparations made on Wednesday gave the Spaniards a little surprise party. Admiral Dewey decided to send a steam launch past the batteries into the Pasig River to destroy two torpedo craft known to have taken refuge there. Ensign Caldwell, the admiral’s staff secre- tary, volunteered to command the expedition. Dewey intended to order the Callao, Lieuten- ant Tappan commanding, to tow the launch to the mouth of the river, where the Callao was to wait until Ensign Caldwell’s return, the water being too shallow for the ships to ma- neuver. Ensign Caldwell was to dash in during one of the rain squalls, most frequent every night, explode a spar torpedo under the torpedo-boats, and then, if possible, return to the Callao. The enterprise was one fraught with deadly peril for all engaged in it, but both offi- cers were eager to undertake it. However, the Callao’s preliminary reconnoissance on Wed- nesday so alarmed the Spaniards that they sunk the transport steamer Cebu across the nar- rowest part of the river’s entrance, thus effectually closing it against even a steam launch, and at the same time preventing the exit of their own torpedo craft. The rebels are doing little now, except to keep the Spaniards closely pinned up in Owing to the shooting of native civilians in Manila without trial, by Spaniards, Gen- eral Aguinaldo refuses to atlow the wife and children of Governor Augusti to be set at lib- erty. They are treated kindly, but General Aguinaldo sent a letter yesterday to Governor Augusti in reply to the latter’s inquiry, proffered through the British Consul and Admiral Deiderichs of the German navy, for the release of Senora Augusti and her children. Aguinaldo declines to say what message he sent to Augusti, but he remarked that he thought the latter would not shoot.any more non-combatant natives. The health of the squadron continues very good. The wounded Spanish prisoners in Cavite are generally doing well and are very grateful to the surgeons of our ships who per- formed several difficult operations for their relief. A southwest monsoon has set in with its LR AR AR AR R R R R R R R R R R AR AR R R R R R AR AR R LR R R R R R R R R R R R R R R NK IN General B R RN NN AR RN RN RN RRERURRRRNNRRRNRURRRNNRNRRRS Sunday morning. They were then going along the Cuban coast, fifty miles north of Cape Maysi, and something over 200 miles from Santiago. At their but they were numbered 6 and | port, were last seen at 8 o'clock | rate of speed they should have reached their destination in about twenty-five hours.,, They would be due at Guantanamo about 5 o’clock this morning and Santiago five hours later. The re- port of their arrival, received at k! Port Antonio, is, therefore, con- sidered here to be true. PRESIDENT SOON TO ISSUE THIRD CALL ‘WASHINGTON, June 20.—The state- PRICE FIVE CENTS. FOR LANDING OF TROOPS Shafter Will Give His Men a Rest Before At- tacking. ‘Movement on Santiago to Be Be- gun as Soon as They Have Been Re freshed. NEW YORK, June 20.—The Wash- ington correspondent of the Herald sends the following: General Shafter with his army doubtless has reached Santiago, but up to a late hour neither the Secretary of the Navy nor the Sec- retary of War has been officlally ad- vised of his arrival in the vicinity of Admiral Sampson's fleet. “It is possible,” said Adjutant Gen- eral Corbin, “the troops have reached their destination, but up to this time we have net recelved a word from Shafter. We shall probably hear the news first through press dispatches. General Shafter is not given to rushing reports to headquarters until he has something to report. Under the cir- cumstances we hardly expect anything from him until he has accomplished something in the line of progress. It is not an egsy job to land 15,000 or 20,- 000 men in small boats. “It is estimated the landing may be accomplished in three days. I do not imagine General Shafter intends to land his men directly from the trans- ports and march them up in battle lines. Some of the troops have been on board the ships for from eight to ten days, and it will require a day or two for them to ‘lose their sea legs.” Then General Shafter, as a prudent com- manding officer, will want to brace his men up with some fresh provisions, giving them a chance to freshen up be- fore being taken into battle. All those little details must be looked after, for it would be downright cruelty to expect men who have been crowded upon transports to wade ashore and _proceed to climb the hills surrounding Santiago before they have had time to get into fighting condition. Under the circum- stances I do not look for Shafter’s men to-get into action for several days. It is possible some landsmen among the troops may be sick from the effects of the trip. A few hours upon land and plenty of fresh water will bring them around all rightl “In the army as in the navy the com- manding officers do not have time to rush to the telegraph office and report to headquarters every movement they make_or intend to make.” It was this plain, straightforward statement General Corbin made with- out betraying the plans of the invading forces or indicating where the troops are expected to land. It is sufficient to know the troops are supposed to have reached a point where they can ¢o-op- erate with the naval forces under Ad- miral Sampson, and soon as the com- manding officers of the two forces have an opportunity to meet and confer -as to the best method to be employed against the Spaniards the attack upon Santiago will commence. When the command is given to advance there will be no halting until the American flag flies triumphantly over the ancient city of Santiago. ment made in these dispatches last| week, quoting Chalrman Hull of the | House committee as authority for the prediction that another call for volun- teers would be issued, is likely to be verified soon. Instead of 00, the number will probably be 100,000. This | new call will be made by reason of the | determination reached at the Cabinet | meeting on Friday to rush re-enforce- | ments to General Shafter at Santiago and dispatch a big expedition to cap- ture Porto Rico at once. The addi- tional force sent to Shafter will com- prise fully 8000 men. Adjutant General Corbin, by order of General Miles, to- day telegraphed to the commanders at Mobile and Chickamauga to rush_ the preparations to embark troops for Por- to Rico. Authoritative Information has reach- ed Camp Alger to the effect that only one brigade, consisting of three regi- ments, is to be sent to Santiago. The regiments chosen are the three most perfectly equipped—the First Rhode Isiand and the Sixth and Ninth Massa- chusetts. The other regiments which | were to have been sent to Fernandina— | the Sixth Illinois, Bighth Ohio, Third and Sixty-fiftth New York, Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Michigan, and possi- bly the One Hundredth and Fifty- ninth Indiana—are to join the Porto Rico movement and will not go to Fer- nandina at afl. Major H. O. Howard, quartermaster in chief of the corps, left camp last night to arrange for transportation to Santiago. Going first to Hampton Roads, he was instructed to arrange there to have the regiments named car- jed from Dunn Loring to Newpo! ews. There they are to be put aboar: transports and sent directly to Cuba. While arrangements are being made for re-enforcements to be'sent to Shaf- | ter it is not because there is any great | need of them, but because men will have to be left at Santiago when the regulars are moved on to Porto Rico. The capture or destruction of Cervera’s | fleet is of course the real object of lay- ing siege to Santiago, although the city will be held after capture. Excepting Santo Domingo, Santiago de Cuba is the oldest city in the new | world. It was founded only eighteen | years after Santo Domingo, which was' established by Columbus, RE-ENFORCEMENTS FOR ; GENERAL SHAFTER Several Thousand Additional Troops ‘Will Be Hurried to | Santiago. WASHINGTON, June 20.—It was an- nounced at the War Department to- cay that no additional transports other than the Newport, which had been im- presged on the Pacific Coast, had beea obtained. Of the eleven ships available by the department in the East, ar- rangements are being made to have a half dozen or more rendezvous at Tam- pa for the purpose, presumably, of car- rying additional re-enforcements 1o | General Shafter. Just what portion of General Shafter's re-enforcements are to be taken from Tampa is not vet an- nounced, but with a haif dozen ships at its command the department ought to be able to transport approximately 2000 soldiers with their equipments and subsistence stores. Most of the re- | up to General mainder, it is expected, will be taken from Camp Alger, amounting, 1t is said, to a brigade. The latter will leave the country by way of Norfolk or New- port News, going in the vessels Har- vard and Yale. Secretary Alger was asked this after- noon just how heavy re-enforcements would be sent to General Shafter, but he declined to state definitely the num- ber, saying, however, in a general way, | that there would be between 5000 and 10,000 men. The lack of suitable vessels for carry- ing supplies of fresh refrigerated beef for the army in Cubg. as well as for the starving people there, is proving very embarrassing to the officials of the commissary general's office. Nearly a week ago General Egan opened bids for supplying this necessary article of the soldiers’ diet, and would have awarded contracts before this but for the reason that there are no ships available to-carry the supplies. The ships when obtained will have, to be fitted with refrigerating apparatus in order to preserve the meat fresh, and this will take some time. GENERAL BLANCO WILL NOT EXCHANGE Special Dispatch to The Call. WASHINGTON, June 20.—The fol- lowing was received to-day from Com- modore Watson: ““The Captain general states that the Spanish Government refuses to ex- change the prisoners.” Hobson and his men are the prison- ers in question. KEY WEST, Fla., June 20, 11:30 a. m. —It is learned from naval officers here that Captain General Blanco has noti- fied the blockading fleet that he will hereafter recognize no flag of truce, adding that every vesse. within six miles’ range will be fired upon, whether gying the Stars and Stripes or a white ag. It seems that the events which led Blanco’s letter began with the sending of the Maple under charge of Captain Ludlow to open ne- gotiations for the exchange of Lieuten- ant Hobson and other Merrimac pris- oners. General Blanco's letter was ad- dressed to the monitor Terror's cap- tain (Ludlow). After refusing to nego- tiate for the exchange of the prisoners he delivered the ultimatum as to boats with flags of truce. v MADRID, June 20.—Premier Sagasta, when questioned on the subject to-day, said nothing had been deciaed “in spite of the American reports,” regarding the exchange of Naval Constructor Hobson and his companions, who were captured by the Spaniards after they sank the collier Merrimac in the narrow channel leading into the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. KINGSTON, Jamaica, June 20.—F. ‘W. Ramsden, the British Consul at Santiago, now acting for the United States in the negotiations with the Spaniards for the exchange of Liéuten- ant Hobson and his comrades of the Merrimac expedition, has suggested to the officials at Washington that even a ransom might be paid to secure the prompt release of the American prison- ers, That idea was undoubtedly ex- pressed in the cable dispatches which passed through the colonial authorities here, but in what form it was shaped is not clear.