The herald., 1898-03-27
CONCERNING ADVANCE OF THE
FLoTILLA
MEN WORKING DAY AND NIGHT
TO! Give the Spanish Torpedo Boats a
Proper Reception IF They
Ever Arrive
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, March 26.-No pro-
test or representations of any kind re-
epecting the advance Of the Spanish tor
pedo flotilla have been made up to the
present time so far as can be learned In
the best posted quarters. The move
ments Of this f1otilla continue to be
watched with the keenest interest by
naval officials and close estimates are
being made as to their location today
and the time intervening before their
arrival at Porto Rico. The Navy De-
partment calculates that the run from
the Canaries to San Juan, Porto Rico,
Is $500 miles. 1t is believed they have
already covered about 400 miles of this
distance. They are moving slowly, be-
ing accompanied by a collier which re-
tards them and the remainder of the trip
will take twelve to fourteen days. AL
though the movement is gravely dis
cussed by the highest naval officials, II
Is not accompanied by any intimation
that steps toward actually intercepting
the .f1otilla have been matured or even
considered except in the most general
way. 1t Is stated on high authority that
the reports that the Flying Squadron,
under Commodore Schley, might be util
lied in this connection, are not warran-
ted by any steps thus far taken.
On the contrary, it is pointed out, the
entire plan of the Flying Squadron was
developed before the torpedo fleet left
the .Canaries and it was designed for
another line of work.
In this connection Representative Hill
born of California, one Of the senior
members of the House Committee on
Naval Affairs, was at the Navy Depart
ment today and talked with the officials
concerning the movements of the Span
ish flotilla. Mr.. Hilborn presented new
phase of the movement and one not in
line with the current view of naval Of
f1cials.
'It is not for us to interfere in any
way with the movement of the Spanish
torpedo f1otilla or other Spanish vessels"
said he. "The high seas are an OPEN
highway to the ships Of the world, and,
while there Is no declaration of war, we
are not in position to say that these
boats shall not move as Spain sees fit
to direct them. We are assembling our
own ships at Key West and other points
and this is not the time for the United
States to interrupt the movement of
Spanish ships. That would be an overt
act and not permissible in the absence
of a declaration of war"
THE FLYING SQUADRON
WASHINGTON, March 26.-The Fly
ing Squadron will not complete its or
ganization until the middle or latter
part of next week, although its nucleus
will be at Hampton Roads when Commo-
dore Schley hoists his pennant on the
flagship Brooklyn next Monday. At that
timegthe Brooklyn and Massachusetts
will be the only ships of the Flying
Squadron, the Texas being at the New't
York navy yard to receive her ammuni-
tion hosts; while the cruisers Column
bia and Minneapolis are expected to be |
ready to leave League Island navy yard |
in time to reach Hampton Roads about |
the middle of next week. BY the end of |
the next week the Flying Squadron will |
be complete in it's organization of ships,
men and armament