Evening journal., 1898-05-21
Says He Has Authentic
Information That Fleet
Is at Santiago.
THAT PORT A RAT TRAP
If Cervera Doesn't Get Out 1t Will
Go Hard With Him.
BARKER LEAVES STRATEGY BOARD

Consul williams Report Chances of
spain Getting ConlIng station
at Martinique Slim.
WASHINGTON. May 21.-All OF the
news that was given out yesterday at
the navy department was comprised in
the one short bulletin posted at the
close OF the day stating that the de-
partment had information, believed to
be authentic. that Admiral Cervera,
with his Spanish flying squadron, was
at Santiago de Cuba This went to
confirm the newspaper reports and also
fhe Madrid cablegram published yos-
terdny morning the latter a rather un,
usual circumstance for the Spanish bull
letins have been notably deceptive ever
since the flying squadron teft Cadiz
Accepting this statement as correct It
Indicates that there is little probability
of n hostile meeting between Sampson
or Schley and Cervera Immediately.
Looking over the charts Of Santiago de
Cuba harbor. the experts soon discov-
cred that the place would be veHtabla
ruN trap for the Spanlards, with Its
narr0W entrance, in which n single
American monitor could bottle up the
whole Spanish fleet.
The naval strategy board. reohrlsten-
cd OF late the war board. Is TO lose one
OF its most active and valuable mem
bers In the person of Captain Barker.
He leaves Washington today for Hamp-
ton Roads 10 take command of the pro-
teoted cruiser Newark. which has just
hoen extensively repaired at the Nor
folk navy yard. II Is expected that the
Newark viii join SIMPSONS squadron
la the West Indies as soon as she can
get there.
It has not been determined who viii
succeed Captain Barker as a member OF
the war board. place requiring the
very highest professional qualifications
and involving a knowledge of strategy
as taught scientifically which Is not the
possession OF all naval officers It may
DO that the vacancy will not be filled at
present. though thero has been fhvora-
bic mention OF tho name of Admiral
Ramsay. retired. In that connection.
Another loss to the department will
occur today, when Lieutenant Gibbon
leaves 20 servo az one Of Captain Bark
ers officers on tho Newark. This young
officer has displAEed tho greatest ener-
81 Ia SECURING Cor the aorvioes OF the
navy the vaTteus naval militia organ
iz0tlons OF tlie states, and az an Incl
dent 10 that work ne was Obliged to
put forth hls Deet efforts 10 secure the
formation Of now organizations where
none existed and additional battallons
In the states that already possessed n
naval militia. The great value OF this
work Is shown by the fact that many
OF the vessels Of the auxiliary navy and
most Of the old monitors that have been
commissioned for coast defense pur-
poses are manned almost altogether by
tho naval militiamen.
The complaints OF tho shoeless among
tho volunteers just brought into the
army will soon be silenced as the war
department has Just placed orders for
200, 900 pairs OF soldiers shoes.
4 beginning was made yesterday to-
ward the organization OF the independ-
ent volunteer forces under authority
conferred upon the president by special
resolution. The national guard will
have part IN these organizations. which
viii be made up OF engiReers, immunes
ana electricians
The state department yesterday an
ncunoed that the Polarla. the Ham
burg-American line steamer at Key
West which was authorized to land
certain passengers In Havana. had de-
clined 70 avail itself Of the privilege, 50
the department Is relieved OF what
promised 70 be an embarrassing Incl
dent and Of tho necessity of establish
ing what might prove TO be a dangerous
precedent
The department published in the
shape Of consular reports yesterday
some statistics from United States Con,
utr1 ns IN.
that last year out OF $50 vessels OF. al
kinds departing from the philippines
% were from the United States, 100 from
Great Britain. 80 from Germany and 4
from Spain. The arrivals were abou
in the same proportion. Mr.. Williams
last report is dated April .. showing
most aourishing condition of the Manil
la customs the receipts for Februar,
last exceeding by S67.9i0 the receipt
for the corresponding month of 1897.
Officials here dismiss as pure inven
tion the story coming from Montrea
that Former Minister Polo has succeed
ed I'm securing for Spain as coaliig sta
tion one of the French islands of 81
Pierre and Miquelon, off the Newfound
land coast At the French embassy tn
report is treated with indignant con
tempt as the French decree of neutrali
~ is binding on the French governo
OF those islands and effecually pre-
vents the granting of such exceptiona
privileges as coaling stations. II Is no
generally known that France possesse
these small islands in thc north Allan
tic. When the French gave up Canad
and Newfoundland 10 Great Britain.
was provided I'm the treaty Of Utrect
that France should retain the two Is
lands of St Pierre and Miquelon, whic
have since been utilized as coaling sta
tions for French steamers.
Sighted Six warships.
NEW YORK. May 2i.-The Rrltis