Evening star., 1898-05-23

SIDE the Caribbean sea with his original
stock of coal used up, with scant additions
already well exhausted, and with coal
ing depots in sight for a complete recoal-
irg. This, in naval parlance, woull starve
the ships before long.
Relief Only From Golfers.
The only relief possible fer this danger
Gus condition is the juncture with Golfers
frem the other side. A good collier car
ries from leo to 1000 tons of coal, and
two or three of them could completely re-
ccal Admiral Cevera's fleet. Whether th,
Spanish will succeed in accomplishing this
is d matter of doubt, and it is a doubt on
which large results depend. There nave
been unofficial reports that British colliers
Were sighted off Martinique. and also eff
the Venezuelan coast, and reports from
LCndcn have stated that Spain took the
precaution of buying and shipping large
quantities of British coal before the decla-
ration of war. 1t is understood that the
British authorities. while maintaining the
strictest neutrality, and one exceptionally
favorable to the United States, have rot
considered it proper to interfere with ship
mcats of coal TO Spanish ships, when the
shipment actually antedated the war. But
there has been no official confirmation of
the report that its Golfers made n juncture
with Admiral Cervera's fleet The naval
authorities are inclined to the belief that
the Scanish c. mmander is dangerously near
a cCal famine.
Ccrveru's Critical Position.
If this cordition exists or is likely to arise
ii the near future Admiral Cervera's posi-
ten will be extremely critical, even though
he does not meet the American ships. He
will be much IN the position of Commodore
Dewey after being warned away from
Hong Kong and before his successful at
tack on Manila. The Spanish admiral will
be in the Caribbean sea. but he will 6e
able to get out OF it. Not less than 1000
tors Of coal would be required to take him
safely across the Atlantic, back to Spain
or to the Cape Verde Islands.
prominent naval official said today that
naval strategy consisted mainly in knowing
just the condition of the enemy's feet. 1t
IS for this reason that the condition of the
coal supply on the Spanish ships is looked
upon as vital. not only in foreshadoWing
any aggressive tactics Admiral Cervera may
be emboldened to adopt, but also in dis
closing his chances of escaping from this
side of the water row that he has got here.
Secretary Long will return tomorrcw W
iiOm Massachusetts, where he went to cs-
tablish Mrs. Long, who has been in deli
cate health of late In his absence Mr.. A.
len, who sTcceeded Mr.. Roosevelt, IS act
ing secretary. He received a number os
callers today, including Senators Hale,
Burrows, Money. Perkins and Representa-
tive Hilbourn. Except for this. and :or the
large amount of routine business attendant
upon the war program. there were de-
The department has sent half dozen
divers to Key West to clean the bottoms of
the warships. This is temporary expedient,
as it is not possible at present to dock the
ships and give them thorough cleaning.
The divers can accomplish this cleaning,
ter all practical purposes, renewing the ef-
fciency of the ships in their evolutiurs
but it will be impossible to repaiat the
bottoms and thus add to the good effects
o. the cleaning.
Need of ArmOred Cruisers
Representative Hilbourn, who is a mem-
Der of the House committee on naval af-
fairs, referred to ex-Secretary Tracy's re-
cent suggestion that Congress should order
six armored cruisers at once, to place our
navy on an offensive as we'll as defen-
sive basis, and said:
mat VIII not 90 Just at present, but it
may come in time when we get our bear
ings. The war is costing US 81 ,OOOO 900 per
day. From present indications. l think it
is going to be long war. When it is over
we will have lot of outlying islands, and
will have to adopt the policy of Great
Britain of looking after these islands with
adequate naval and military forces 1t will
BE- time enough then to talk of more armor.
ed cruisers. They are not things which
can be supplied in a day. 1t is out OF the
question to have them built now"