Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TU SUJSTZR WATCHMAN, J?t*blishud April, 1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established june, 12*19 ISUMTER, S. C.. WEDNESDAY JULY 6.1898. New Series-Vol. XYII. No. 48 Pu'a'lisisd SYsry felaes:day, -BY SUMTER, S. C. , TSRX8 : $1 50 per annum-in Advance. 1DT1B T IS CHEST: On^Sqnare first insertion..............$1 00 Erpry subsequent insertion........ ......... 50 Gontriicts for three mon tbs, or longer w il be made at rednced rates. AU co m ma nica tiona which subserve private intereeti will be charge! foras ad versements. Obituaries a ad tributes of respecta will be charged for. ADVANCE OF THE AMERICAN ARMY. Tile Enemy Steadily Retires. > S?gh!; Skirmishes Between Span? iards and Cubans-Heavy Losses Sustained by the Enemy in the Engagement of Friday. Go the Rio Guama, Jane 27. via Port Antonio, Jamaba, Jane 28 - The Amencao front has been advanced beyond the first crossing of the Rio Guama about a mile, and a tag lies three and ? half mailes from the Span i sb entrenchments. General Lawton's brigade rests on the road to Santiago de Coba. The Third brigade, auder General Cha free, the Seventeenth, Twefth and Seventh regiments, holds the trench, with his command lying across the road aid river. The First brigade, tbs Eighth. Tweoiy-secood and Second Massachu? setts, ander Gsoeral Evan Clark lies on the left flank, slightly in the rear, and the Second brigade, the Firs:, Fourth and Twenty fifth, occupies :he opposite positioa oa tbs right dank Gen. Wheeler, with the cavalry, is io the rear between Sevilla bills and the Rio Guacia A strong Hoe of outposts is main? tained ahead. GesACil Ch af tes brigade, with three thousand Cabana under General Agairra and several hundred under Col. Gonzales, was skirmishing towards tbe city this moro tog. The Cubans bad several alight skirm? ishes with the Spaniards stationed on the hills on the American right flank, and our auxiliaries -occupied the block? houses in that vicinity, which were evaouated before daybreak by the Span? iards The Utter retreated towards Santiago de Coba No fatalities are reported Generai Liwtoo, General CbafFee and General Wheeler have thoroughly reeoctooirrered the Spanish position, and, with tbe aid of information furn? ished by the Cubans, have very good maps of the roads and defenses of the city. Much information bas also been' ob taioed from Spanish paciScos, who have slipped out of the city and given them? selves op in the hope of getting food. They report great starvation and dis? tress in Santiago They say the Spanish troops are on short rations and that all the supplies are bf tog held for (heir cse. The sick io the hospitals/ the pac?? ficos say, are suffering from lack of food, and tbey also report that seveoty sev<io Spaniards were killed and that eighty nine were woanded as the result of the engagement oo Friday last with Col Wood's and Young's command. The most startling information ob taioed from the pacifico? is that since the advance began almost twenty thou? sand Spanish soldiers have arrived at Santiago de Coba This-statement ie made oo the authority of General Law? ton and be is also of the opinion that General Pando may be able fco effect a junction with General Linares at San? tiago de Coba There are two forts of considerable importance within the Spanish Hoes Poota Bianco, at the southern end of tbe bay, and Santa Ursala aft the south? east corner On the road to Cantey, on the north. is another fort. There are ?boot 450 men in each of these fortifications, and stretch? ing around the whole city are nice bar? bed wire feooes fifty, yards apart, wbiie jost inside these are linee of rifle pits. Outside, to the American outposts, is a Hoe of entrenchments, extending from the extremity of the city to Morro Castle A little west of Soo?b, at a distance of about, seven miles from General Lawton's headquarter*", lies Morro Castle. The road to within a few hundred yards of the batteries at the rear of Morro was reconnoitered yesterday afternoon by General Chadee andi several members of bis staf? The Cabaos believe that if the wa? ter supply of the oity can be cut off, Santiago wiii have to yield at once. They say that Admiral Cervera's en? tire fleet, expeot the torpedo boat de stroyer Terror, is in the harbor. Gen eral Lawton is inclined to discredit the reports that gaos have been taken from the ship* to strengthen the defenses on land. He says it would be impossible for Admiral Cerrera to reach the po? sition of the American army with his big goos from where the Spanish ships lie. No aggressive move by the A rn- eri cao8 is anticipated for several days. The road to the base of supplies mast be greatly improved before the onward movement can be safely made. Apparently, General Lineras prefers to place faith io the defenses of the city and io tends to make a "last ditch fight" of it. A few-though only a few-bold to the theory that he does cot purpose figbtiog at all. General Calixto Garcia with 300 men, who iaoded yesterday, is expect? ed to reach the front today The Americans are in excellent spirits, and there is a remarkable lack of sickness. Thus far the water supply baa been good, mod there have been no bad ef? fects from the changes except a few cases of dysentery There was abrief raia sqaali hist sight. At noon today Major Coolidge re? ceived orders to olear the road beyond the front, where the stream doubles back aeross it, for the advance of the artillery .A dynamite gan and a Hotcokiss zan will be pat io position. General Wheeler, wbo made a re? connaissance for half a mile beyond the skirmish lines this morning, finding that be was unable to secare the desired view thoogbt the luxuriant tropical foliage, dismounted and climbed a tree. A major general of the United States tn the forks of a tree, surveying the Spanish outposts through bis field glasses, was a spectacle toat gave some idea of the wonderful energy of the dashing ex-Coofederate cavalry leader. This feat of agility in a mao sixty two years of age pat to blush macy-a younger officer in his owo staff Geo. Shatter "to The Front. Juraguj, Jone. 27. via. Kingston, Jamaoia, Tuesday, 28 -Major Gen? eral Shaffer, io command of the United States army of invasion arrived here on board the transport Segaraooa from Baiqotri with Col. Jobo Jacob Astor, Capt. Stewart Brice aod Lieuts. Miley and Noble, his staff, at about 2 o'clock this afternoon He was met by Geo. Gates, who will superintend the land? ing of oomm?8ary supplies io the surf. Gens Garcia and Castillo paid their their respects to the American command er. About oo hoar later Geo. Shaf? fer struck oat on the road to the front, io order to consult with Geo Wheeler aod the division commanders and look over the field of operations before San? tiago de Coba. The general said he would probably returo to the Jaragaa headquarters to-night. Permanent hospital arrangements are to be provided at ooce. The transport Iroquois, anchored off the shore, is provided with trained nurses and all convenience Tent hos? pitals will also be erected on a cliff overlooking the sea. There are very few cases of sickness among the troops -measeis, beat prostration and dysen? tery chiefly. Sporadic case? of yellow fever are reported by the insurgents, bot the disease is oot epidemic. The troops are io good camps, OD high groood overlooking the sea. The Dights aod mornings are cool and pleas? ant, but the midday soo is bard on the ucaoolimatizsd troops ia the marshes over the h?ls. The medical men say that if the campaign is short the troops will go through in good condition. The movement of the troops to the front is steady goiog on. The Amer* ioan and Cuban iofaotry and cavalry and long lines of mule paok trains and battries of artilery oboke all the road? ways over the hill to Santiago de Coba. At 10 o'clock this morning Gen. Pearson's brigade, the second, Tenth and Twenty-first infantry of the first division, Gen. Kemp cammandiog,, moved out to occupy a position on the extreme left, towards Morro Castle, and for a few hours the camp was al? most deserted. Theo the auxiliary crui? ser Yale came into eight with the ut w arrivais of American volunteers, con? sisting of the Thirty third regiment and one battalion of the Thirty fourth regiment of Michigan infantry commanded by Cols. Peterman and Boyntoo. Brig. Geo. Duffield accom? panied them and tho meo arc now en camped awaiting the rest of the Thirty fourth Michigan and the Ninth Mas? sachusetts regiment, on board the Harvard, which vessel is expected here tonight - -I m Lil Some idea of the magnitude of the burden resting upon the Spanish peo pie can be gained by a comparison with our own situation. Their na tiona! debt per capita is about ?94 in American money, being more than 20 per cent, of the per capita weaith of the entire nation In the United States the per capita indebtedness is about ?14, or only about 1? per cent, of the per capita wealth of the nation. In Spain the annual interest of the public debt is nearly $6 per capita ; ii3 the United States it is only about 53 cents. Harbor of Guantanamo Cleared of Mines. Effect of The Shells the Ves? sels Threw atTJnseen Span? iards i _ Key West, Jane 29.-A vessel that has jost arrived here from Goan tanamo, which she left on Sunday, brought one of the officers of the United States gunboat Dolphin, who is returning home on sick leave. The officer in question says the Dol? phin has been co operating with the marines in Guantanamo harbor, though lately matters have been quiet there. When we left on Sunday there were 24 ships in the harbor, includ ing fighting vessels, colliers, the hospital ship Solace and the Red Cross society steamer State of Texas with Mi*s Clara Barton. It was the prevalent belief then that Santiago de Cuba would be taken before J uly 1, as the American troops were only five miles distant from the city and closing An excellent water supply bad been obtained on the shore at j Guantanamo where there were 600 j Cubans in addition to the force of I American marines The passage leading to the inner harbor, the officer reports, was thor? oughly cleared of mines by launches from the Dolphin and other ships Eight mines, weighing 180 pouods each, were taken up and sent to New York, where they will be cleaned be? fore they are put in use in American waters The Spanish troops at Caimanera and other points on the inner harbor are cut off from Santiago and are starving They may be captured at pleasure The Texas and the Marble bead have destroyed the forts at the inner end of the passage and our ships may enter the inner harbor and shell Caimanera whenever ?hey are ready. The Dolphin took a conspicuous part in the bombardment of Santiago on June 6. After the principal firing she went toward the shore and fired shelis into a train approaching the city with soldiere. With the glasses it could be seen that the train was wrecked and the men were scram? bling into the woods. The insur? gents afterward reported that 70 men and ll women were killed. At Guantanamo the Dolphin pro tected the camp of marines at night casting her search light into the woods occupied by the Spaniards and shelling positions with three inch shrapnel Throughout the fighting on both sides of the bay the Dolphin raked the Spanish shelters. Her most notable achievement was on June 14. when the marines made an offensive movement and captured the well. Our troops moved upon the Span? iards with the Cubans in front and on their flanks as scouts Whenever the Spaniards could be seen the Dol pbin threw shells among ' them When they made their last stand the marines wagged io the Dolphin "shell the house/' The Dolphin could see no house except one she had previously hit and which she knew was empty. She fired at random up the little valley and a shell tearing through the trees edenter a house hidden among them. The Spaniards poured out like ants from a hil! and the Cubans and ma rines picked off 63. The shell kill? ed 7. In some cases the ships could only judge of the skill of their gunners by observing the vultures gathering about spots where shots had been aimed - The Spanish dead were in many cases, left unburied. Every? body, the Dolphin's officer says, is enthusiastic in praise of the Cubans, who are utterly without fear and are unwilling to retire when ordered to stop fighting The fortitude of Cuban soldiers io described as remarkable, t - mm t . mam Hobson Heard From. Birmingham, Ala , June 29 -The Age-Herald will print to-morrow a spe? cial dispatoh from Greensboro, Ala , the borne of Judge Hobson, father of the hero of the Merrimac adventare at Santiago, giring a cablegram received from bis son st Santiago to-day : The oibleg^ <n reade : SANTIAGO DE CUBA, June 28. "My health continues good. Feel no unaasioeefi about me.'' Martinique No Base. St Pierre, Martinique, June li9. i The English steamer Remembrance, i which was consigned to the Spanish i consul, still remains at Fort de France. ? Strong inducements were made to allow i ber to transfer coal to the Spanish ves j 6el Alicante. United States Consul Dent interviewed the government on the bub ject and was assured that io no circum? stances would a transfer of tbe cargo be permitted, and the port would rot be allowed to become a storehouse for tbe belligerents. The Situation at Santi ?o. Strength of Opposing Ar? mies-What Shafter has to Contend Against. Washington, Jone 29.-The opinion prevails- here that within a day or two at most Gen. Shafter will bare began bis attack upon the eity of Santiago proper. The important event of the day was the general's announcement that he could take the city io 48 hours, ! bot at considerable loss. Takeo ia connection with the annouoeement eon* j taioed in another dispatch that he is going to attack wi thoa t awaiting rein force men ts it wiii be seen that the officials have grouod for their expectation that the first general engagement of the war will begin io a very short time. Numerically the opposing armies are not very different, the estimate of the Spanish force being placed at 14,000 men, thoroughly entrenched and be? hind barbed wire fenoes and block houses, as against about 18,000 men under Shaffer's command, aided by 4,000 Cabana. One of the gravest elements in the problem, however, is the Spanish warships, for unless Shaf? ter ie materially assisted by Sampson, who might engage the full attention of the Spanish ships, their fire upon the Americao advance foroes would be very hard to meet. The military authori? ties here say that Geo. Linares bas shown great military tact in slowly re? tiring during the last few days, as he has gradually drawn our troops away from the protection of the Americao chips and. brought them close to the fire of the Spanish ships in Santiago har? bor. For this reason it was with re? lief that the announcement was receiv ed that Shafter had succeeded in laod ing all of his artillery, including bis siege train, for unless Sampson oan be relied upon to foroe his way into the harbor and a?aek the Spanish ships these siege guns planted on heights commanding the bay will be the main reliance of Gen. Shafter in offsetting the presence of the Spanish ironclads. Undoubtly Shafter is animated to at? tack as soon as possible by his knowl? edge of the approaoh of the reinforce? ments for Linares from Manzanillo, for I with this addional force Shaffer's position would be disagreeable, if cot perilous, at least until he had'received reinforcements. The war department received the first definite news today as to the approaoh of these Spaoish reinforcements. This was in an offi? cial dispatch, stating that 8,000 men, with pack trains and droves of animals were advancing from Manzanillo and were 54 miles from Santiago It bas been known through reports from Lieut. Joyce, made to Gen. Miles, tbat the Spaniards have 12,000 men at Manzanillo and 10,000 at Holgain, and every preeaution has been taken to guard against their advance from either quarter. The official report to? day showed that 8,000 of those at Man? zanillo had covered haif the distance to Santiago and it is the belief of mili? tary officials here that Geo. Pando U making similar advanees with bis 10, 000 men from Holgiun. These ad? vances, now practically unopposed, are regarded as one of the most serious phases of the situation. , There is the further element to which the military authorities are give* iog careful attention, that one man entrenched behind earthworks or in rifle pits ie worth three men in the open. It ie said that the battles of Chancellorsville and Spottsylvaniaa afforded the most direct proof on this point It was annoonced at the war depart? ment that by their reports, 3,000 sol? diers should be leaving Tampa to-day to join Shafter. The}' will be three or four days on the voyage and it is probable that it is this force that Gen. Shaffer refers to as likely to arrive too late for bis action. Camara'8 Squadron in the Suez Canal. Madrid, June 29.-In an interview ! this afternoon Lieut. Gen. Correa, roin ; ister of war, said the government had ! no special news from Cuba, but took a j favorable view of the situation. He asserted that Admiral Caraara's squadron had begun tho passage of the Suez Canal. it :8 aooounced that the Vitoria, the Nomaoo?8, the Alfonso XIII, and the Lepanto, all armored cruisers, are j ready to form the third squadron, i The armored cruiser Cardenal Cis . neros and the torpedo gunboat Dona i Maria de Molina, with several auxiliary j oruisers and torpedo boats that are to j be included, will be ready shortly. I Cairo, Egypt, June 29.-Admiral j Camara has asked permission to coal ! his fleet at Port Said, but the Egyptian ! government, believing the Spanish i ?bips have sufficient coal to steam to the nearest port of their own country, has definitely refused his request, in accordance with the neutrality laws Madrid, June 29, 8 p. m.-The general public is very bitter against England became of her supposed un frieodlioess regarding Admiral Camara's squadron. The subject is warmly dis? cussed io all public places, though offi? cial circles are mute. London. June 30.-The Port Said correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, telegraphing Wednesday, says : "Admiral Camara expected to sail to-morrow (Thursday), leaving the tor pedo boat destroyers here. The re? pairs to the Audaz will occupy another 10 days The Colon has landed a mau suffering from smallpox. Loudon, June 30.-The Madrid correspondent of The Times says : "Ministers deny the rumors that Spain is purchasing cruisers from China or other nations. According to El Itc paroial the demand for a cash payment of the oaoal dues delayed Admiral Camara's squadron. The dues, amount ing, we are trustworthily informed, to less than 400,000 francs, are now p id. "Duke Almodovar de Kio, minister of foreign affairs, denied in the coun? cil, El Imparcial says, that lesly has refused to coal Admiral Camara. "If the United States imagines that the threat to bombard Spanish ports would induce the Spaniards to recall Camara aod to soe for peace the Amer? icans are boood to be disappointed. The threat has ooly tended to excite the bulldog qualities of the Spanish national character. When these aroused, prudence aod logic are alike powerless The peace prospects, therefore, are much less bright than they were a week ago. ON DANGEROUS GROUND London, June 29.-The Berlin cor? respondent of the Daily News says : "The following semi-official oote has been published here, apparently with the object of preparing the world for the landiog of German marines at Ma? nila : "As yet no statement has reaobed here about the laodiog of German ma? rines at Maoila, but it is a matter of course that Admiral Yon Diedritchs will interfere as soon as it mayj be? come necessary for the protection of Germans there. Such a measure would have no political significance whatever. Neither at Washington nor at Madrid have negotiations occurred on this matter. "The assurance that a laodiog of marines would have no political signifi? cance is very oice. The ooly question is whether the United States aod other powers will share this opinion, or whether the other powers will see io the laodieg an act of interference com? pelling them to follow suit." --??-???. - Water Supply Said to be Cut Off. Siboney, Province of Santiago de Cuba, June 28, via Kingston. Jamai? ca, June 29,10.30 a. m-It is re? ported here to-night, on apparently good authority, that the water sup? ply of Santiago de Cuba has been cut off. If this proves true, the city is at our mercy. Gen. Wheeler to day forwarded his official report of the encounter be? tween the Spaniards and Col. Young's and Ocl Wood's commands. The officers are highly complimented for their dash and courage. The general says there is absolute? ly no warrant for the statement that our troops were ambuscaded. Ile says the attack was deliberately plan? ned, from knowledge in his posses? sion, the night before. The Tobacco War Tax. Washingtoo, June 30.-The com? missioner of internal revenue bas issued a circular of instructions to collectors io regard to the tobacco tax After quoting Seotion 4 of the new Act, the commissioner says : "It is held that 2,500,000 cigars shall he regarded as equivalent to 50,000 .pounds of tobacco, and the special tax of dealers will be computed on that bas i ?i. "It is assumed that 1,000 cigars is equivalent to 20 pounds of tobacco and that 1,000 cigarettes is equivalent to 3 pound? of tobacoo for toe purposes of determining the law. "If the dealer sells tobacco, snuff, cigars and cigaretts or only one or more uf these articles, and his aggre gate annual sales for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897, exceeded 50. 000 pounds, he will be required to pay the special tax commencing July 1, 1898. "It is held that a person who has not engaged in the business of dealer of tobacco prior to July 1, 1898, but who on that date or subsequently dur? ing the year engaged in the business, will be required to pay the special tax whenever bis sales have at any time j within the year exoeeded 50,000 pouod?. The special tax will be com? puted from che first day of the month io which be commenced to eogage io the business " Wisdom to-day means comfort to-morrow To prove ii buy a "White" aod use it. Dewey Makes Officia! ml Report. Says "The Progress of Agui? naldo Has Been Wonder? ful" No Pear of the Germans. Wasbiogton, Jooe 29.-The oivy department to-day made public the fol? lowing cablegram from Admiral Dewey, brought by the McCullooh to Hoog Kong and though undated, supposed to have been seot from Ca vi te Jane 23: "No change io the situation sioee my telegram of June 17. Five German, three British, ooe French, aod one Jap? anese men-of-war in port. The insurg? ents constantly closing io oo city. Aguinaldo, the io6argeot leader, with 13 of his staff arrived Maoy 19, by my permission oo the Nan sh an. He es? tablished himself at Cavite outside the arsenal ander the protection of oar guns, and organized bia army, The progress of A gain aldo has been won? derful. He has invariably conducted the war humanely. My relation a with bim aro cordial, bat my conferences have generally been only of a personal nature." Madrid, June 29-Dispatches re? ceived from Manila to day under date of June 24, says tbe Spaniards are de? termined to fight to the death, aod that wheo the American troops arrive des? perate fighting will occur on land aod sea. It ie supposed at Maoila that the German warships will prevent the bom? bardment of that place, and it is alleg? ad that Prince Heory of Prussia is on bis way there on board a warship. The Spaniards are said to be actively push? ing preparations for the defense of the city. Gen. Aguinaldo, the insurgent lead? er, declares that the family of Captain General Augusti, who are prisoners io hie hands, are well treated. CAMARA STILL AT PORT SAID. Cairo, June 30-The following official announcement was made this afternoon : "The Spanish ships at Port Said began coaling irom their own colliers, which arrived from Spain. The Egyptian government * notified them that they could not allow this and that it must stop forth? with and that they must aiso leave Port Said, as the 24 hour limit had been greatly exceeded. The Span? iards then stated that their ships wanted repairs and began dis? charging coal and other material in order to repair " London, July 1.-The Madrid correspondent of the Daily Mail says : "The government has ordered the formation of a small flying squadron composed of the cruisers Alfonso XIII, Meter (formerly the Ilavel) and the Ciudad de Cadiz, under com? mand of Lieut. Commander Jose G. Sobral, former naval attache of the Spanish embassy at Washington. The cabinet has decided to court martial Admiral Montojo for the Cavite disaster and it is probable that General Augusti, captain general of the Philippines, will receive a large reward Many More Ships. London, June 30 -Tbe daily Mail announces this morning that tbe United States bas purchased the steamers Al? exander, Boadicea, Victoria^- Cleopatra and Wioifreda, of tho . Wilsons aod Furoesa-Lelyland line, all Dearly oew and each with a tonnage of about 7,000. ?j ? ? muwm London, June 28.-The Hong Kong correspondent " of the Daily Telegraph, telegraphing Tuesday, says: "I have consulted with the German authorities, who declare unanimously and emphatically that the reports from Manila of German interferences are impossible: What? ever the Spanish may have done the German adn*: I has held out no such hopes or praises " ?Royal makes the food pure, $ wholesome sod delick'-u. I mun Absolutely Pure HOVAl BAKIMG PQWPCR CO.. NEW YORK.