Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-18
U. s. S. OREGON SAFE
Blanco's Telegraphio Communication
with Spain Must Be Severed
Closing in on Spanish Fleet.
10TH PA. RECT. FOR MANILA
Correspondent Scoville Forbidden on Naval
Vessels-General Merritt Command to
Be Inoreased-15th q. s. Infantry
Also for Manila.

Washington, May 1S.-The complete
isolation of General Blanco from the
outside world is now looked upon by
leading military and naval authorities
as an essential move to be executed at
the earliest possible moment.
The pressing need OF this has become
more evident within few days, since
General Blanco is known to have been
in constant cable communication with
the admiral of the Spanish squadron
and also with Madrid. Havana's COM
munication with the outside world is car
ried on by means of five distinct cable
lines. Two of these run to the United
States, and are, of course, closed against
Blanco. The remaining three are by
water to Santiago de Cuba, on the south
coast of Cuba. The right to cut these
cables is not doubted by the authorities,
although most of them are British ca
bles.
The Oregon q. X.
The Oregon is believed to be safe, and
probably now is a part of Admiral Samp-
sons squadron.
Tenth Pennsylvania for Manila.
Recognizing the excellent soldier ma
terial of the Pennsylvania troops, the
war department has decided to draw on
that state for supplying in part the
quota for the Philippine expedition.
The 10th regiment will be hurried to
San Francisco so that the men may
leave with one Of the first ships for Ma.
nila.
The department will endeavor to give
General Merritt, who is to command the
expedition, probably 1000 more regulars
than was at first proposed. The 18th
infantry, located in New Mexico and
Arizona, will be drawn on unless the
present program is changed.
The Navy Department Hopes and Plans.
There has been no meeting as yet be-
tween the hostile fleets In the neighbol
hood of Cuba. That was all that could
be learned this morning at the navy de-
partment. If the department is aware
OF the location OF the Spanish squadron,
it has carefully concealed the fact. By
this time, supposing Commodore Schley
somewhere off the coast Of Cuba and it
may be he has joined his forces with
Admiral Sampson. Naval officers are
hoping the Spanish squadron really has
passed through the Straits Of Yucatan
into the Gulf of Mexico, for in that case
there is reasonable expectation that by
combined action on the part of Admirals
Sampson and Schley, one starting at the
Wlndward passage and Florida straits
and the other around south Cuba and
coming to the Yucatan straits, the Span
iards would be effectually shared.
Officers of the department are unable
to account for the reports coming from
several ports of the Gulf and the waters
in the vicinity of Hayti, that there was
heavy cannonading heard last Sunday
in that vicinity, for there is no report
yet of any action and no American ships
are known to have been in the locality
named. The safety of the Oregon is
now we'll nigh assured and there is rea
son to believe the department was in
formed today that she had joined Ad-
miral Simpsons feet, though no official
admission on this point has yet been
made. 1t is believed the big battleship
left Bahia the night of the 10th or the
morning of the 11th. If the same aver
age speed made on her way around Cape
Horn was maintained, it would place
her in Windward passage today. If this
belief is well founded the department
will be able to proceed at once to prose-
cutting plan Of campaign that was i'm
possible Of execution as long as the safe
ty Of the Oregon was at stake.
The Oregon Positively Safe.
Secretary Long this afternoon said:
1T can be stated positively and officially
that the Oregon is safe, but it cannot be
made known where she is
Braxil's Minister Goes to Portugal.
Senor Medonca, Brazilian minister,
today presented his letters Of recall to
the president, prepa ratory to leaving
for his new post as minister to Portugal. |
Yellow journal Correspondent Gets His
Dues.
An order has been issued by the Navy |
forbidding the presence Of
Sylvester Scoville, newspaper cores |
pondent, aboard vessels of the navy or at
any naval station, on account of his |
conduct in slowing himself away on
board the tug Uncas on q recent visit of |
that vessel to Havana, he having beenre-
fused permission to 60 as passenger.
Negotiations are In progress for the ex-
change Of Thrall and Jones, newspaper |
for Colonel COrtijO and