Evening star., 1898-04-29
SPAIN'S FIRST MOVE
HerE1eet at st. Vincent Sails, Sup
posedly for Cuba.
ONLY FORMIDABLE SHIPS COMING
Torpedo Boats and Unarmored
Cruisers VIII Remain at Home.
PORTU GAL IS NEUTRAL

MADRID, April 29-Dispatches received
here today from Manila. capital OF the
Philippine Islands. say the United States
fleet is expected to arrive at Manila on
Sunday. The Spanish fleet has been divided
into two squadrons. Two cruisers, the
Castillo and other vessels remain near the
front Of Manila. The remaining Spanish
warships, under Admiral Montejo are
patrolling the western coast awaiting the
arrival of the American warships.
The Sps.Eish fleet. it appears. has been
reinforced by a large auxiliary cruiser
said to be capable of steaming twenty
krots and armed a warship. She is
known as the Montevideo. but an exanlina-
ton of the maritime registers fails to es-
tablish her identity. 1t is claimed, how
ever, that she is a very large vessel.
Claim Regarding Hntanzas Forts.
1t was officially announced today that
"the forts of Matanzas have not suffered.
in spite of the three hundred shells fired
by the American fleet" and that mot one
man was killed or wounded thereby"
In official circles the stories of the bonn
bardmeEt received via the United States
are read with shouts of derisive laughter
There have been no disturbances here
and the newspapers continue their weak
efforts TO belittIe the United States fleet
and its work
The Impartial says: "All the world now
knows thai America tried to bluff Spain by
war threats which she is unable to fulfill.
America on being called shows a wretch
edly weak hand. Its real strength is exactly
known-five ironclads, two belted cruisers.
three urbelted and twelve other cruisers
All the rest are theatrical supers."
Continuing, the Impartial says it regrets
Daudet did not live to write s'Tartarin.
Yankee Admiral" based. it adds, on
SamDson's glorious eighteen minutes
bombardTent of Matanzas, resulting. as
the official dispatches inform US, in the
death of mule
COrroboratcd in London,
LONDON. April o9-The Evening News
this afternoon publishes dispatch from
st. Vincent. Cape Verde Islands. saving
the Spanish cruisers Maria Teresa. Alnli-
rante Oquendo, Nlzcaya and CrstobaI CO.
lon, accompanied by the Spanish torpedo
boat destroyers Pluton, Terror and Furor.
had at the hour the dispatch was filed %
O'Clock this rGOrning) just sailed in a west
erly direction, presumably going toward
Cuba.
The dispatch adds that the Spanish tor
pedo boats Azor. Raye and Ariete and the
Spanish transports San Francisco and Ciu-
dad de Cadiz sailed at the same time in a
northerly direction, probably going to the
Canary Islands.
Fighting ships Sail West.
The Evening News, commenting on its
dispatch from st. Vincent. says:
The import OF the cablegram is that the
whole effective fighting force OF the SQUAD
ron has been despatched west. while the
non-enectives and non-combatants are pro-
ceedinS TO another anchorage
'Well-informed naval authorities are
aware that the torpedo boats could NOT
traverse the Atlantic at the present time.
as they have rot sufficient coal capacity
Tor voyage TO Cuba, and the risk of coal
Ing in rl!GOcean is too great
This long-delayed move is most signiG-
cant. Its significance is in the fact. which
can hardly be accomplished that it is
practically Spain's first real move since
the outbreak of hostilities"
PortnSaIs Neutrality Decree.
Lisbon. April 29.-The Official Gazette
today publishes the neutrality decree of
For Jugal in the war between Spain and
the United States. 1t is similar TO the de-
cree issued at the time of the outbreak of
the Franco-Prussian war and contains six
articles.
ID Forbids tie equipment of privateers
In Portuguese waters
t2) ForbiIs the entry Of privateers into
Portuguese waters.
G) Permits beiligerents to make a short
stay at Portuguese ports
CD Defines legitimate trade as regards
belliserents and forbids trading in goods
which may be considered contraband of
war.
Co Warns Portuguese and foreigners in
Portugal against actions contrary to the
security Of the state.
60 Refuses protection to any infringers
OF the decree.