New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-27
THINK CERVERA rs CA UGHT
But NO WORD HAS COME FROM SAMP
son OR SCHLEY.

HOW NAVAL OFFICERS IN WASHINGTON
VIEW THE SUPPOSED SITUATION
AT SANTIAGO.
Washington May 26-The naval authorities
have advanced another stage in their calcua-
tions on the status Of Admiral Cervera's feet at
Santiago de Cuba. They rot only have good
reason TO believe that he is bottled M, but. as
officer expressed it to-day. the cork Is IN
the bottle" and it is practically impossible for
the fleet to leave the harbor day or night 1t Is
felt that this condition Of :he Spanish fleet Is
not only important from the present strategic
point OF view but OF momentous concern TO the
future conduct OF the war. as the Gripping oi
this most effective naval force that SPAN pos
sesses Will leave her such scant naval resources
as to make proongaton Of the war lmpropape'
That Admiral Cervera went to Santiago and
is still there continues to be the view taken py
the Navy Department At The same time not
word has been received from either Admiral
Sampson or Commodore Schley in confirmation
OF the view. IT rests now. as II did TWO Gays
ago on n semi official report coming 10 the Navy
Department from a source believed to b" trust
worthy 1t was not naval source. nor one
connected with the State Department. neither
did It come from press advices. II was from
partment ana in position to be accurately
advised The naval authorities were extremely
anxious to secure an official coniir:na ton from
one Of the American commanders, and had TINS
been received IT would have been made rublc
at once. But lacking this. the Department gave
TO the public all II felt warranted in giving from
the facts at hand, namely, an expires OF De
lief that the Spanish fleet wls in Santiago Har-
Dor This has been reinforced by the negative
fact that the feet has been seen at no other
point. and also by cumulative evidence from
London and elsewhere. still word from Samp-
son and Schley !s anxiousy awaited
ESCAPE CONSIDERED IMPOSSIBLE
Naval officers are now turning their attention
70 Inquiries whether or not Il is possible FOR Ad
miral Cervera 10 get out Of Santiago harhor. They
hold that this manpuvre is impossible. and thai
the career Of the Spanish Admiral IS AT an end.
So far as II constitutes menace 10 American
ships The British comment that Admiral
Hornhy in 1855 escaped with his entire feet
from a harhor under similar conditions. and that
Admiral Cervera VIII be able 20 make his "s-
cape when he gets ready 70 do So Is not be
Neved. The naval Wow here s. just the contrary.
II is pointed out that Admiral II ornby escaped
from an open bay. while Admiral Cervera must
come through narrow channel about three
searchlgh;s Will play constantly.
II is said that this is not mere opinion. but
that naval mannuyrcs were carried on AZ Key
West and Tor;uEas few months ago which
furnish positive denomination that Admiral
Cervera cannot leave the hai hor without being
discovered An officer who was ~ board one =
the American ships IN tho Toriuras movement
says a sham night aitack OF torpeio boats WAS
made on the bi. battle ships and cruisers. The
latter received no notice of tho projected attack.
and there extra guard such as tn"
American ships now maintain But every tor
pedo-boat engaged IN the attack was discovered
long before II within striking distance NJ
the cruisers and le-ships one II the NJ
tacking torpedo boats was go hewildcred by the
searchghts that 4 nearly ran into n cruiser.
The lesson drawn from this attack that
a night sally by m enemy was impossible owing
70 the modern methods ~ discovering an mp
proach. II showed also. that the attacking fleet
could not get within range FOR their torpedoes.
although they had come within range of the
guns on the ships attacked.
II Is said that these rnnnpuvres NJ Tortugns
and Key West practically represent the situa-
tion before Santiago II Cervera sent out his
torpedo boats scouts they would he detected
before they could do any damage. and he do
strOyel by the small guns OF Su'n 'EhlS'IF HH
the Montgomery. The American ships would
have the advantage ~ concentrating their on
tire fire on ono small passage about three hun
dred feet wide. \ night battle IS unusual in
naval annals. but It has occurred. The Constcl-
lation fought the Revenge NJ night. the engage
rnent continuing for six hours in the darkness.
in which time the malnmast OF the Constella-
tion was carried away and the ship crippled II
is believed that II Admiral Cervera attempts TO
escape he viii choosc the night for this move
rnent.
THE CHANNEL MAY RE BLOCKED.
on the other hand. naval officials are dis
cusslng the means the American commander
may adopt 10 make exit impossible In the
blockade Of Charleston. harGes full ~ stones
were sunk AZ the channel entrance. cutting or
ingress and egrcss. few old hulks would
serve the same purpose In the present casc.
There Is difficulty In getting such old vessels.
and the sinking of the dcrelict nj the proper
point in the channel would he attended with
great danger. 1t must be towed to position.
subtecting those in charge to the danger Of
mines and torpcdocs There are also the guns
from MORO Castle TO be guarded against II is
understood however. that MORO Castle has no
searchlighs. that night operation Of this
character could be executed without the Span
iards being made aware Of II. Taking every
thing into account. naval officers feel that Ad-
miral Cervera committed fatal blunder In
being trapped at Santiago. and that there Is no
fear tina; the trap will prove inadequate 20 hold
him.
COMMODORE SCHLEY rs OFF SANTIAGO
ADMIRAL SAMPSON rs WITHIN STRIKING
DISTANCE OF HAVANA AND IN A POSI-
TION TO HELP SCHLEY QUICKLY
Key West. Fla. May 2G.-Dennite news from
tho American squadrons operating In Cuban
waters was received here this afternoon. fully