Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-07-06
THE WAR.
NEWS AND RUMORS OF ARMY
AND NAVY.
DESTRUCTION OF CERVERA's FLEET A
LONG STEP TOWARD THE DESIRED
END-FALL OF SANTIAGO NEAR.

Immense strides have been made this
week toward the desired end of the war.
The past weeks events have been the
most decisive since Dewey's glorious vic
tory at Manila. Cervera's fleet, the pride
OF the Spanish navy, has been destroyed.
The American army as pressed forward
toward Santiago through deadly storm
of shot and shell with courage which
knows no fear. The exhibition of
heroism and fighting ability to which
Spaniards on sea and land have been
treated this week, will have a powerful
moral influence in future engagements.
But the grand victories of the week
have not been unaccompanied by sorrow.
AS predicted in this column last week,
the approaches to Santiago were not
taken without cost, and the week records
the first heavy losses in the war.
But as an Offset to this comes the
achievement of Sampson in accomplish
ing the destruction of Cervera's fleet OF
four armored cruisers and two torpedo
boat destroyers without serious damage
to any Of his ships, and the loss of only
one man. This immunity of the Ameri-
can ships can only be accounted for by
the misera BILE gunnery Of the Spaniards.
The battle of Santiago has furnished
deeds OF individual and combined
heroism which will be the theme OF song
and story in years to come.
But what is of present Importance to
US is the immediate effect of these two
battles on the war. Spain, it is asserted,
still says she will not sue for peace: that
while there are 900 men in Cuba ready
to die in defence of the island, surrender
is not to be thought Of. But that state
ment was made before Spain learned OF
the destruction of Cervera's fleet, or
ather, before she accepted it as true.
What the effect of the news will be
when it becomes known to the excitabe
populace is matter of conjecture, but in
| view of the excitement caused by the
Manila defeat, it would not be surprising
if the defeat of Cervera precipitated the
threatened uprising i'll Spain.
| But this is purely a matter Of con-
! lecture. What is known is that the
defeat of the only Spanish fleet in West
Indian waters, will relieve the American
fleet from the police duty in which it has
| been engaged almost since the beginning
| of the war, and will hasten he attack on
| Porto Rico and the raid on the Spanish
| coast.
The fall of Santiago will relieve the
| troops now engaged there and they will
| be pushed forward at once on Porto Rico.
Many of the troops which We're being
hurried forward to reinforce Shafter at
Santiago will be too late to participate in
its fall, and will go direct to Porto Rico.
Commodore Watson, with his fleet of
swift cruisers and powerful fighting
ships, will soon be headed for the Spanish
coast, and the war will be brought home
| to Spain most forcibiy.
| 1t seems evident that Camara's fleet,
which started presumably for Porto
! Rico. has divided at Port Said, the battle
| ships and auxiliary cruisers going on
through SueZ canal, and he torpedo boat
destroyers returning to the Spanish coast.
1t is not unlikely that Camara will find
| some American ships close on his heels
| before he reaches Manila.
IL the report is true that with charac-
| teristic Yankee shrewdness this govern
ment has bought up all the available
large supplies OF coal along Camara g
route, the Spanish admiral will find his
movements seriously embarrassed before
he reaches his destination.
GOOD NEWS FROM MANILA.
All the good news Of the past week has
uOI DccH COuAHeu " SuUh dlu Cuc VSoI
Indian waters. From Manila comes news
Of the safe arrival of the cruiser "Charles-
ton" and the first expedition of troops,
with the further news that the expedi-
ton, as forecast in this column last week,
stopped long enough at the Ladrone is
lands to walk off with the Spanish garri-
son and run up the stars and stripes.
Admiral Dewey also sends word of the
surrender to him Of a Spanish gunboat
He reports the general situation as satis-
factory. 1t is possible hat another week
will bring news that the stars and stripes
are floating above Manila.