Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-06-01
THEY'VE GOT HIM.
Cervera Is Certainly Bottled UP In San
tiago Harbor.

THEY'VE GOT HIM.
Cervera Is Certainly Bottled UP In San
tiago Harbor.
The suspense of the past week as to
the whereabouts of the Spanish fleet
is ended. The Associated Press dis
patches published yesterday (Tuesday)
morning, announced positively that
Cervera was in the harbor of Santiago,
and that Schley was guarding the en-
trance on the outside.
1t was stated several days ago that
Cervera was in the harbor of Santiago,
and each day afterward the statement
was repeated but the statements were
inevitably coupled with qualifying
circumstances which seemed to indi-
cate that the department was uncer-
tain. For instance, at first it was said
that'"it was thought that Cervera was
in the harbor. Next Schley was quo
ted as having said che believed" the
ships were there, and Secretary Long
said such was "his belief" Accus-
toned to the war stories that have
been published for sometime past, in
telligent readers were not inclined to
pin their faith too closely to the asser-
ton. They recognized, of course, the
possibility of Cervera being where he
was believed 10 be; but they wanted
something more definite. Now, it ap-
pears we have confirmation, at least to
a reasonable certainty. The Associa-
ted Press dispatch, which brings the
news, was dated "Of Santiago, May
29," and reads as follows:
Commodore Schley and the Flying
squadron have the Spanish fleet bot
tied up in the harbor of Santiago de
Cuba. By the most clever manoeuvr-
ing, the commodore allowed the Span
iards to think he had left in disgust.
They took the bait and ran into The
harbor. Commodore Schley moved
down this morning, and at 6 O'Clock,
going close to the harbor, he saw the
Cristobal Colon, the Maria Teresa and
two torpedo boats. He believes the
entire fleet is there. Commodore
Schley has acted upon his own infor-
nation and judgment for the past six
days. He sat on the after triangle OF
the Brooklyn this morning until after
the discovery Of the feet, and he then
went to breakfast, saying: 'I have
got them, and they will never get
home" The United States auxiliary
cruiser St. Paul arrived here this morn
ing and was sent to the Mole St. Mich
olas with dispatches. She captured a
coal ship, which was sent to Key West
by Captain Sigsbee, in charge of a
prize crew. The coal was undoubted-
ly intended for the Spanish fleet. 1t
is believed there is not much coal at
Santiago de Cuba. The officers and
men of the Flying squadron are jubi.
liant over the fact that the location of
the Spanish fleet has finally been def
nitely established. The temperature
here is 10 degrees in the shade, and
in the steel turrets the heat is actually
beyond the power of imagination.
The American ships here are the
Brooklyn, Texas, Massachusetts, Iowa,
Marblehead and Vixen, an auxiliary
torpedo gunboat.
Upon the sending out of the news
from Santiago, it seems that the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent at Key
West was allowed to send out addi-
tional details. In a dispatch sent un-
der date of May 80, he gives the fol-
lowing interesting information:
Everybody knows now that Spain's
flying squadron, four splendid cruisers
and two torpedo boat destroyers, is
imprisoned in Santiago harbor.
This fact has been known here 4S
hours, and the speculation now is over
the probable disposition of the Span
iards-whether they will be blockaded
or the forts reduced and the vessels
compelled to fight.
In the latter case there can be but
one result, for Commodore Schley has
some of the finest ships in the world,
to say nothing of cruisers and various
smaller vessels, and could, in a few
days, be reinforced by other powerful
warships. 1t would be foolhardiness
on the part of Cervera to offer battle.
An interesting story remains to be
told of the reasons which led Cervera
to Santiago and of the way in which
he was hemmed in. 1t is now known
that when the Spanish admiral sailed
for the West Indies he expected to
enter San Juan de Porto Rico for coal
and supplies. On touching at Curacao
for news, his plans were upset by the
receipt of dispatches telling him that
Admiral Sampson had bombarded the
San Juan Notifications and was still in
the neighborhood of Porto Rico. There
upon Cervera sailed for the south
coast of Cuba. Why he entered San
tiago harbor instead of the harbor OF
is not known. The Amer
lean commanders were inclined to