Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1898 — WILL ACT TOGETHER [ARTICLE]

WILL ACT TOGETHER

* - ! Sampscn and Shafter to Cooperate at Santiago. *• BOMBARDMENT OF CITY POSTPONED. The Admiral Will Force Hla Way Into the Harbor and A~dd His Fire to That of the General In Reducing tbe Place. Washington, July 6.—As a result of the cabinet meeting Tuesday, instructions were sent by the president to Admiral Sampson and Gen. Shafter to cooler together concerning a joint plan of attack upon the city. Upon the outcome of this conference depends the line of action for the immediate future. For the present the land bombardment by Gen. Shafter’s forces has been deferred as the situation has so completely changed by the annihilation of the Spanish fleet that it Is manifestly the part of wisdom for this land bombardment to await the cooperation and support of a bombardment from Admiral Sampson’s fleet. Gen. Shafter’s demand for the surrender of Santiago, on the plan of bombardment, was made at 8:80 o’clock Bunday morning. An hour later Admiral Cervera made his suicidal dash from the harbor, resulting in a complete transformation of the naval and military operations. Instead of a menacing Spanish fleet within the harbor, the way has been cleared save for the shore batteries ,for the entrance of the American fleet up' to the very w'harves of the city. Will Strike Together. With this material change wrought, it was obvious to the authorities here that the blow, flrst intended to be delivered by Gen. Shafter alone, would be doubly effective and decisive if the two forces could be brought together and strike simulr taneously from land and sea. It is for this reason that the conference is held between the American general stod the American admiral. Up to the close of office hours Tuesday no word had come either to the war or

navy department, so far as was disclosed, as to what determination had been reached at the conference. At the same time it is the clear expectation of the authorities here that the conference will result in a determination by the admiral to take his Beet through the narrow neck of the harbor, make his way past the shore batteries and fortifications, and take position before the city for a bombardment. There is reason to believe that the instructions sent to Admiral Sampson at least conveyed the desire, If not the instructions, that he enter the harbor. But it is said that the admiral and the general continue to be the supseme officials in authority, and that, being on the seeqe, fully alive to all the conditions, their Judgment will be taken as final in the course to be adopted. Can Enter the Harbor. There is said to be no obstacle, so far as navigation is concerned, to the entrance of the harbor by the American fleet. The Cristobal Colon, which cleared the Merrlmac and got out of the harbor Sunday, drew 23 feet 3 Inches, which Is within seven Inches of the draft of the battleships lowa, Indiana, Massachusetts and Oregon, and is greater than the draft of the battleship Texas. Moreover, the navy department has known for the last ten days that the neck of the channel was open, despite the sinktng of the Merrtmac, and that there was a clear sea way of seven fathoms through which any ship In our navy could sail. This removes all difficulty, except from submarine mines, or from the shore batteries. As to the mines, little account is taken of them since the Spanish fleet passed over them. The Spaniards are in the habit of using contact mines, so thut there is little likelihood of there being mines operated by electric connection with the shore. A Terrific Fire Possible. The forts and batteries have been badly weakened by the constant fire of the fleet for many weeks past, and while still a factor, they are greatly disabled. Once up to the city, the fleet and army could combine in a terrific double Are. No less than 2D2 heavy gum* would be trained from the American ships on the city, and at the same time the big siege guns, which it Is expected have been brought to the front of Bliafter’s line, would rain down a torrent of steel fiom that quarter. The siege guns throw sheila of 135 pounds. Aside from them there are four Morton howitzers and a large number of smaller howitzers. These are in the heavy artillery, while the light artillery embraces a great number of guns of 3.2 caliber. Combined, this fire from land and sea would be terrific In its effect. Further Reason for Delay. The action of the foreign representatives at SantlHgo has been an additional reason for deferring the bombardment. It was mnde known lnte Tuesday that one of Gen. Shafter’s dispatches stated that these representatives had Joined in a request to him to put off the shelling of the city for another brief period, until their 1 respective colonies eouid be removed. This accounts for the departure of the foreign warships from Santiago harbor,’ns they are bearing away the foreign residents in the period before bombardment begins. The activity of the consuls at Santiago has led to no diplomatic complication which has reached the state department thus far, and the authorities here feel that nothing of that nature will develop. * I’nmid nt Mnntlnfto. The war department has been Informed of the arrival of Gen. Pando at Santiago with reenforcemeats for the enemy. The very great advantage of being lntrenclfled udds materially to their strength and, in the opinion of military men, makes their effective lighting force from a third to a half greater than our own. Gen, Shafter, in his dispatches, sta’es that thb excessive heat and rains of the last two weeks have contributed nearly as nfuch as the Spanish

bullets to the Ineffectiveness of our army. Under these circumstances It Is his opinion that It would be unwise to attempt to carry the city by assault. This view is shared by the officials here and also, It is understood, by Admiral Sampson, In commahd of the fleet. Disposition of Cervera. The disposition of Admiral Cervera and the 1,500 prisoners is receiving the attention of naval officials, but no exact determination has yet been reached. Admiral Cervera will be treated with consideration due his rank, and the department officials expressed a sense o { gratification that Lieut. Commander Wainwright had shown the gallantry characteristic of the American navy, when he received the defeated Spanish admiral on board the little cruiser Oloucester and tendered him the use of his cabin. Watson Will Go. The definite official report reaching here Tuesday that the Spanish fleet had entered the Suez canal made no change in the plans j of the navy department as to sending Commodore Watson’s squadron to the coast j of Spain. Secretary Long said It would start at the earliest possible moment, but ' he did not care to give the day of departure. j Praise for Schley. The annihilation of the Spanish fleet con- i tinues to be an absorbing topic among na- i val officials, and they are giving most generous praise to Commodore Schley for the notable manner in which he directed the fight, when the Immediate command fell to his lot. The commodore’s friends have long predicted that if he secured an opportunity he would render good account of the fighting ability of the American navy, and they are glad this opportunity was afforded. It Is one more, and perhaps the greatest, achievement, in a long line with which Commodore Schley’s name has been associated, others including the relief of the Greely Arctic expedition and the command of the Baltimore at Valparaiso when war was imminent as a result of a mot attack on the American blue jackets. Courtesy to Cervera. A graceful courtesy was on Tuesday extended to the captured Spanish Admiral Cervera by the president. Through Gen. Greely, chief signal officer, permission was sent to Cervera to communicate with his family in Spain by cable. Permission was also granted to other captured Spanish officers to use the cable to transmit personal messages to friends in Spain. The messages will be, of course, carefully censored,

and nothing will be allowed to pass that would be of assistance In any manner to the enemy. t riced to Surrender. It is learned authoritatively that tremendous pressure is being brought to bear upon the Spanish commander of Santiago by the foreign consuls resident in the city to Induce him in the interests of humanity to surrender to the inevitable. The consuls have.communicated with their home governments, and it is believed here that representations will be made by them to Spain to induce her to permit the city to surrender, thereby preventing further loss of life and property. What the result of these negotiations may be cannot be foretold. The opinion expressed by war officials is that the Spaniards will fight to the last, and capitulate only when they are forced to do so. For that reason any delay of offensive action against the city is not regarded in army circles with favor.