Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-11
surrectionists do not resort to lawless ant
incendiary measures.
Expecting News From Sampson.

SurrectionistS do not resort to lawleSS and
incendiary measures.
Expecting News From Sampson.
The Navy Department Is in almost hourly
expectation of advices from Admiral Sanp-
son. What the character of these advices
will be the officials do not intimate, but
they evidently expect interesting and IN
portant developments. 1t is rather mat
ter of surprise to them that the press mas
rot already received information from the
squadron via ST. Thomas and the fleet dis
patch boats which accompany Sampson
squadron. Notwithstanding the cable ad-
vices to the effect that the Spanish flying
squadron has rejoined the Spanish home
squadron at CadiZ, tr~ laval strategy
beard is by no means assured on this point,
and it is believed that while Admiral Samp-
sen has been placed in possession OF the
cable reports he has been warned not to
accept them as absolutely conclusive evl-
dence as yet. In this state of affairs the
only prudent course of action by the de-
partment would seem to be to confer upon
Admiral Sampson full authority to exercise
his own discretion in his movements, ana
1T is believed that this has been done. A
possible limitation was a request that he
hold himself in readiness to furnish an
armed convoy defense for troops for CUBA.
1t might seem strange that the Navy De-
partment should be in doubt to whether
or not squadron of large men-of-war is
lying in a harbor where they would be
plainly visible to the eyes of 10000 peo-
pie. 1t must be remembered, however, that
the United States has now no representa-
tive in CaGiz nor can it look to the repre-
sentatives of foreign governments in Spain
to furnish any information touching the
Dol, h.. c6
either upon severely censored newspaper
dispatches or upon the reports of spies and
neither of these are of unimpeachabe ac-
curacy at this juncture. For this reason
the Navy Department is disposed to accept
all reports with extreme caution.
Assault on Havana.
The strategy board is carefully preparing
it's plans for an assault upon Havana by
sea in connection with the regular army
movement by land. the work being rather
of preparatory nature, however and not
committing the department in any way to
a final adoption of this plan. 1t has been
represented that the feet might with safe
ty assemble, say TO the extreme east of the
Spanish fortifcations at the entrance of the
harbor.
In that position it would be exposed TO
attack by only one battery at the end of
the linz. The entire fleet could enfil2de this
battery and destroy it in short order. The
attack would be followed down the line of
shore, taking one battery at time anu
thus reducing to a minimum the exposure
of the ships, while bringing a terrible con-
centration of fire upon the batteries in
turn. One naval officer who was consulted
upon the subject, guaranteed that the fleet
could knock out all of the fortificatiOns one
aft=r another in two hours. 1T would look
like knocking down a row of bricks" said
he.
To Nominate Dewey.
Admiral Dewey will be nominated TO the
Senate as d full rear admiral just as soon
as the Navy Department is advised of the
signature of the President to the resolution
Of thanks, which conveys the necessary au-
thority His promotion will make Capt.
Silas Casey, now commandant at the
League Island navy yard. a commodore,
and will place Capt Sampson at the head
of the list of captains. lie In turn will be-
come a commodore July next upoa the
retirement of Admiral Kirkland, command
ant of the Mare Island navy yard.
Admiral Walker mad a long conference to-
day with Secretary Long, and there is a
rumor ahoat which seems to have more
Than the ordinary degree of substance to
the effect that the admiral is slated for ap-
pointment to some post of great distinction
in the navy.
The New Assistant Secretary.
Mr. Charles II. Allen, the newly appointed
assistant secretary of the navy, reported at
the department this morning and received
the oath of office at the hands of Chief
Clerk Peters, and was then introduced by
I 81 W he cd
all of the officials and employees of the Navy
Department Mr.. Alien has taken up his
residence at the Portland. where SECRETARY
Long resides. Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt took
with him from the assistant secretary's S
office Edward aIshall, who has fer years
been the coachman of the assistant secre-
tary Marshall is q veteran, having been a
member of the 10th Cavalry, and he in
sisted on going with Lieut. Col. Roosevelt
to serve in che regiment of mounted rifle
men, and leave of absence was secured
for him for that purpose. Lieut.. Col. Roose-
welt expects to leave Washington tomorrow
night for San Antonio.
General Miles has postponed, for 1ew
days at least, his departure from Washing
ton to Tampa. Everything had been pre-
cared for leaving Washington last evening,
trunks were packed, berths engaged and
rooms telegraphed for in advance for the
general and his stsff, but all of this is nee
essarily suspended. Major General Fitz-
hugh Lee, who was also under orders TO
pI oceed with dispatch, to ChickamauSa and
report to General Brooke there, found MIN
self likewise checked in his departure, and
will now remain in Washington or near by
al his Virginia home until further orders.
No one appears to know exactly what these
changes mean.
The Strategy Board.
Secretary Long is taking an active part
in the work of the strategy board, and he
is necessarily obliged to restrict consider
ably the free access that the public has
heretofore enjoyed to his office. In order to
find time to dispose of business of the most
imperative nature he has been obliged to
announce that hereafter he will be unable
to receive any person save the officials of
the Navy Department after o'clock in the
afternoon each day. Heretofore rule of
this kind has been applied to ordinary Wis
itors but SO numerous have been the calls
of congressman that the Secretary has been
obliged to include them in the exclusion or