Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-06-02
THE SPANISH FLEET.
The Authorities in the Dark as to
Whether Cervera Is In Santiago.
no PRESENT MOVEMENT OF TROOPS.
Determination to Postpone Invading Cubs
and Porto Rico Until Positive Inf0rma.
tion About the spanish Squadron Il
Received Theories ON Situation.

upon by those In authority, is to make
no further movement Of troops, either
upon Porto Rico or Cuba, until full and
definite information is received as to
the location Of the Spanish squadron
and Its possibilities as factor in the
aggressive movements Of Spain. That
being the positive determination, there
is no present purpose to hurry forward
the troops now at the several points Of
concentration, but the interval prior
to an aggressive forward movement
will be employed in seasoning the men.
Steps have been taken to secure
early information as to whether Ad.
miral Cervera's squadron Is inside San
tiago harbor and whether the Ameri-
can squadron has such advantage of
position outside the harbor as TO make
the escape Of the Spaniards practically
impossible. For the last few days
army circles have shared the public
belief that the Spanish ships were
trapped in Santiago harbor, and that
has given impetus to arrangements
by which large bodies of troops
at Chickamauga and elsewhere
might be moved forward rapidly
to Tampa for embarkation. The
presence of 80 or more trans.
ports in Florida waters added to the
conviction that movement on a large
scale was about to occur. All this has
been going on with the understanding
that Admiral Cervera's career as a pos
sible menace in the rear of our troops
had been cut off by his being securely
held within Santiago harbor but in
the absence Of positive information on
this point, together with the certainty
that he can be held inside the harbor,
there is no purpose whatever on the
part of the war department to make
an aggressive forward movement on
Cuba or Porto Rico This was stated
last night in the most positive manner
and from an authoritative source.
Unless the navy Departmental succeeds
in securing some direct and official in
formation respecting the Spanish and
the American fleets within the next "a
hours through the aid of the West In
dian cables, it will resort to the use Of
dispatch boats 1t can be again
affirmed on the highest authority, and
Notwithstanding oil rumors to the
contrary, that at the close Of the day
the department had nothing more
than belief, founded on unofficial ad.
vices, that the Spanish squadron was
lying In Santiago harbor and no news
as ito Commodore Schley's whereabouts.
However, the majority Of the officials
of the navy department entertain no
doubt that Cervera is within Santiago
harbor and that they have succeeded
in impressing this belief upon the
president and members Of the cabinet.
The reports from the newspaper dis
patch boats as to the movements OF
SIMPSONS and Schley's squadrons dur.
ing the past week are very mystifying,
even to the naval officers here, and
one Of them called attention to state
meut coming from the West Indies te
the effect that 10 war vessels were
seen for a short time off Cienfuego.
Wednesday. This he thought wa.
Schley's squadron, and in that case he
could scarcely have covered the dis
lance between Cienfuegos and Santi
ago with slow moving fleet Of iron
clads In less than two days, in which
case Schley would be due off Santiago
some time yesterday. OF course, al
this Is speculative, but II shows tina
there is still an element Of doubt il
the departments calculations as to tn,
whereabouts Of the fleets
II was announced yesterday tina
Holland, the inventor Of the subma
rine boat Of that name, was expected
here to-day to discuss with Capt
O'Neil, chief Of ordnance, the feast
bility Of using that novel craft in al
attack upon the Spanish squadron a
Santiago, II the vessels are still there
THEORIES ON THE SITUATION.
WASHINGTON, May VS. The last off
cial report from the naval command
ers supposed to be on guard over tn
Cervera squadron at Santiago de Cub
is the subject Of much comment here
Among the most noteworthy theorie
expressed BY number Of naval eS
perts. who are thoroughly fnmilia