THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. 34 Santiago, to assist in the direct attack on the Spanish positions. Feints would be made at other points, both east and west of Santiago, to mislead the Spaniards.

It was promised that some riflemen and guns should be landed from the fleet to help him to hold the pass in the Sierra above> Aserraderos, and thus keep open his own communications with the fleet, and that the transports should transfer part of his force to the coast east of Santiago. The question of the landing-place was discussed,and the ideaof using Port Guantanamo for the purpose was rejected. It was too far from Santiago, and the intervening country toodifficult, now that the rainy season hadbegun. Daiquiriwas finally selected. There were bands of Cuban insurgents in the neighbourhood who would co-operate,and as soon as the landing was effected,part of Garcia's force would be transferred by sea to the east of The conference ended, the American officers returned to the shore, between two lines of Cubans, who presented arms as they passed. Sampson returned to his flagship to send out his orders for next day's work. Shaffer, in the Seguranca, his floating headquarters, rejoined the transports. The invasion of Cuba was to begin next day in earnest. It was just two months since the American fleet had first appeared before Havana. But the third month of the war, now beginning, was to witness decisive events.

U.S. SURGEON AND AIDE.