Troops At Hand

Mole St. Nicholas, June 21. - General Shafter's army of 15,700 men, on forty transports, has arrived off Santiago and Camp Guantanarao. The marines were reinforced and Camp McCalla made secure. Shafter, after a conference with Sampson, will begin to land his troops at once. There win be no movement against Santiago until the latter part of the week. Washington, June 21. - The following dispatch was recoived from Commodore Watson: "Captain General Blanco states that the Spanish government refuses to exchange prisoners." Hobson and his men are the prisoners in question. The belief is now gaining ground that the devoted man and his companions have been dead for some time, fallen victims to Spanish treachery. It is the opinión of many that they have never been confined in Morro castle and that the pretense of the Spaniards that they were prisonera there has been merely to prevent Sarnpson from destroying that stronghold. Key "West, Fia., June 21.- It is learned from naval offlcers here that Captain General Blanco has notified the American blockading fleet that he will hereafter recognize no flagof truce, adding that every vessel within six miles range will be fired upon whether flying the stars and stripes or a white flag. Madrid, June 20.- There is considerable comment here over a long conference which has just taken place between the British ambassador to Spain, Sir Henry Drummond-Wolff, and the Spanish minister for war, General Correa. The newspapers of this city publish the text of a manifestó from the inhabitants of Catalonia, of which Barcelona is the capital, in favor of peace between Spain and the United States. Kingston, Jamaica, June 17. - The brick fort and earthworks at Caimanera, at the end of the railrcad leading to the city of Guantanamo, have been demolished by the bombardment of the Texas, Marblehead and Suwanee. The warships opened flre at 2 p. m. and the bombardment lasted one hour and thirty minutes. Madrid, June 18.- Admiral Camara's fleet, said here to consist of over twenty vessels, is reported to have been divided at sea and to have firoceeded to different destinations. Washington, June 21.- There was a rumor around the Capítol that Manila had fallen and that the Spanish governor genera] of the Philippines had surrendered to Admiral Dewey. Hong Konsr, June 21.- A steamer which has just arrived here from Manila says the insurgents now hold 4,000 Spaniards and 1,000 natives 'prisoners with their arms. Madrid, June 21.- The belief is expressed in government circles that Captain General Augusti will ask the foreign warships to land detachments to occupy Manila, on the groun'd that he is no longer able to resist the insurgents. Kong Kong, June 21.- General Filipino officially proclaimed a provisional government in oíd Cavite June 12. There were great ceremonies and a declaration of independence was read renouncing Spanish authority. General Aguinaldo was elected president and Daniel Pirondo vice president. The insurgents' governroent wil] not oppose an American protectorate or occupation. The rebels have captured the Spanish governor and the garrison of 300 men at Bulucan. The governor and garrison at Pampanga are surrounded and the governor and garrison of 450 men have been captured at Batangas. Kingston, Jamaica, June 21.- [Copyrighted, 1898, by the Associated Press.] - Several attempts to find landingplaces for the United States troops within a distance of two miles west of Santiago have demonstrated, along with previous inquines to-the eastward, that the shore for fifteen miles is lined with Spaniards. While this will not prevent a landing close to Santiago it may entail considerable delay, as the surrounding country must be thoroughly shelled and cleared before the troops can land in safety. City fteadv for the Toreh. When Rear Admiral Sampson received advices that upward of thirty transporte would be here he sent word that they should stand to the south ten miles and lie there until a landing place had been secured. Cuban scouts report that the inhabitants of Caimanera have strewn the streets with stravv and oil, with the intention of destroying the city and fleeing to the hills. Caimanera lies four miles up the bay from Camp McCalla, under the guns of the American ships, and the situation is desperate. Starving and faminestricken, convinced of the ultímate triumph of the American arms, and without faith in the protection of the Spansh soldiery, the people are believed to have determined to leave their houses in ashes behind them and seek safety in the mountains of the north. A Fearful Situation. The scouts declare that the story is accurate and say that every building of the town Is being rapidly prepared for the torch. The situation of the besieged is a fearful one. The people are eatiri% horses and mules and are scouring the hills for fruits and herbs. casionally brief bombardments by the American fleet leave the helpless citzents terror-stricken, no preparation for defense being made. It is also announced that the Spanish gunboat at Caimanera has been loaded with inflammables and will be burned with the city, the commander declaring that it will never become an American prize. The scouts also say that the Spanish soldiers are in almost as complete a state of panic as are the civilians and that they could easily be induced to surrender. On the Verge of Surrender. Some of the prisoners taken by the marines say they believe the Spanish troops are on the verge of surrender, owing to the lack of food. Captain McCalla of the cruiser Marblehead and Lieutenant Colonel Huntington, in command of the marines, are not so sure, however, of the reported Spanish rout. They received information that a genera! attack by a forcé of 3,500 Spanish soldiers and guerrillas on Camp McCalla is contemplated within a night or two. Every preparation is bei'ng made for an assault.