Show AT SANTIAGO I It is good news that General Shafter I has arrived at Santiago The problem I that now confronts General Shafter is to successfully and without unnecessary unneces-sary delay debark the troops It is desired de-sired that the debarkation shall be accomplished ac-complished with as little loss of life as possible for while soldiers are debarking debark-ing they are utterly unable to defend themselves much less to act on the offensive If the Spaniards are present in force they will make a landing both a hazardous and arduous undertaking A landing on any part of the Cuban coast would be a difficult undertaking at present but in the present case the Cuban patriots will undoubtedly render valuable assistance They are perfectly per-fectly familiar with the Spanish method of warfare and they know the country perfectly The business of debarking the troops is the important thing Just now What the plans for it are will scarcely be divulged di-vulged until they have been carried out It cannot be assumed for a single moment General Shafter and Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley are not cognizant of all the difficulties to be met and overcome or that they will not use their best judgment and greatest I great-est energies in meeting and overcoming overcom-ing them When the troops are landed will come the tug of war It is to be expected that the Spaniards will do all in their power to prevent the landing an easier task than to defeat the troops after they are landed That they are fully alive to all this is certain Many are asking why the troops were sent to the southeast end of Cuba The answer to this is a secret of the administration ad-ministration and will only be divulged in time The statement of an army officer whose name is withheld that Santiago is not to be used as a base of operations is no inore than an unauthorized I I un-authorized unsupported statement and isnt worth any more than such statements state-ments generally are it is about as valuable val-uable as the statements made by distinguished dis-tinguished but unnamed diplomats In the present instance may or may not prove to be correct After the troops are on Cuban soil the first question will be How are they affected by the climate The marines I i who have landed have not been Injur iously affected by it Quite likely the troops will not be The next question will be What is the plan of campaign Probably the capture of Santiago and the capture or destruction of Cerveras fleet That fleet disposed of Samp sons and Schleys ships will be at liberty lib-erty to go wherever ordered but so long as Santiago is in the hands of the Spanish and Cerveras fleet is not finally fin-ally disposed of our own ships are not i entirely free The operations around Santiago will be keenly watched by the people of the United States and of Europe and upon their success will be predicated the prospects of the success of other operations One thing the people do expect and they will be very impatient impa-tient if their expectations are disappointed disap-pointed and that is that General Shaf ters army will be actively and aggres sively employed And they will demand II that his army be reinforced so that it may carry all before it and that the enforcements be promptly sent and I that there be no more Tampa delays |