The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-25

WASHINGTON, May PAT is said by
those best acquainted with the situation
that a decisive battle may occur within
few hours or may not occur for sew
eral days, possibly weeks. At the same
time the authorities believe that the
chances are greatly lessened of Admiral
Cervera pro onging his elusive plan for
any considerable time.
There are several reasons for this,
but the main one is that the Spanish
ships have made inroads on their coal
supply. The run across from Cape De
Verde used up the greater part, if not
all, of this supply. Since then stops
have been ma e at Martinique, Cura-
Gao and Santiago, but at no one of these
places has 1t been possible to take on
more than nough coal for temporary
uses. At Martinique tho French de-
cree of neutrality prevented the Span
ish ships from getting more than
enough coal to carry them to the next
port, which would be 300 to 400 tons at
most. At Curacao the amount of coal
secured die hos exceed 700 tons. At
Santiago ere il no coal, unless colliers
have brou- hit it there recently, which
is not belcvei to have occurred AS
against these small supplies the Span
ish ships have been consuming much
coal on their elusive runs.
There a G no other coaling depots in
the Wes ALLAN islands open to the
Spanish s.. p, except for their most
temporary ,ecds. The British islands,
Jamaica, I.,,ibadoes and others, are
closed agai. them by the decree max
ing coal con .aband of war. The Dutch
islands will We them no further coal
relief "a 4 : suit Of negotiations with
the Dutci. authorities, following the
coaling of The spanish ships at Curacao.
The Danish island of St. Thomas is
similarly closed against them. Guada-
loupe and other French islands have
the same restrictions as Martinique.
Haitian ports are closed to them by
strict t4Da,N provision between Haiti
and the Unit q states, which the Hal
tian authorities will see is not waived
in the pres mt case. Santo Domingo
ports are sl4ilarly protected against the
chance o. eecoaling by Admiral Ger
vera's fleet.
Id shott, naval officials believe the
Spanish adm raj is now inside the Carib-
bean sea With his original stock of coal
used up, With sant additions already
well exhausted, ana no uepOtS Ill sight
for a corur.ete recoaling. This, in
naval parlanca would starve the ships
before lon The only relief possible
for this dangerous condition is juno
ture with golfers from the other side.
A good collier carries from 1000 to
1000 tons OF coal, and two or three of
them couAi completely recoal Admiral
Cervera's .4eet. Whether the Spanish
will succeed III accomplishing this is
still i'll douet, and it is doubt on which
large results depend
There has been unofficial reports stat
ing that british Golfers were sighted
off Martinique and also off the Vene-
zuelan coast, and reports from London
have stated that Spain took the precau-
ton of buying and shipping large
quantities of British coal before the dec
laration Of war. But there has been
no official confirmation that these col
liers made a juncturo with Admiral
Cervera's feet. and the naval authori-
ties are inclined to the belief that the
Spanish commander is dangerously
near coal famine.