New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-07
THE BLOCKADE EFFECTIVE
MoNoTONoUs WORK FOR THE SQUAD
RON. WITH FEW DIVERSIONS.

CONTINUED NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
THE SHIPS pErERIoRATE AND GOLDEN
OPPORTUNITIES ARE LosT-oFFI-
GERS IMPATIENT TO MAKE
A LANDING IN CUBA.
f-onvr,eh, 1898 by the Associated Press)
On Board the Associated Press Dispatch-oo BOAT
Kate Spencer, off Havana. via Key west e'a''
Nav 6.-The blockade Of the Cuban ports by
the warshps Of the United States Is still as e'
fectiye as ever No vessel has entered one OF
the blockaded ports.
II IS monotonously weary work. drifting IDLY
about in the burning sun during the day ana
patrolllng the coast at night. with only an oc-
c,sional chase FOR diversion. Therefore. IL Is
not Astonishing that the officers and men or the
feet alike are looking eagerly forward 20 INC
DIV when the rumored movement OF the Cniteo
States Army will take place.
The glorious news OF Commodore Dewey VIC
tory neagre az are the details whicn nd'e
found their way 70 the bockadhs Squa"'o ''
was received with intense rejoicNg, ana '"e'7
were many hearty cheers for Uncle sam a.
though the victory was nothing more than what
every American naval officer expected cr"s"
Ing defeat for the Spanish feet from the cape
yerd Islands. II II reaches American wa'e's'
being also put down as one OF the aDsoau'e .e
taintes Of the future. The possiDiity Vi
snanisb victory Is not even entertained much
less discussed.
The Associated Press d.spatch-boat ha'e
snencor crused up the Cuban coast. from Ma
tanzas 70 Havana. yesterday. Az Ma'anN"S
tornedo boat was spoken on her return west
ward from, the flagship 70 which she nan car
,iea d,snatches for Rear-Adnral sampson
which had arrived after the departure OF me
Network.
MOUNTING GUNS AT MATANZAS.
4. oe,oor ~ tho Hornet says that Yesterday
morning the Spanish flag was raisen over
lighthouse on a sand spit just east Of the en-
trance ~ Matanzas and he thinks two guns
v.re mounted there II sunrise proves TINS 70
he correct It is possible that with the ala OF the
Hornets quick frng G-pcunders. that Object
will soon be in possession Of the TWO SPa"'S"
gurs and the lighthouse
4 number OF cane fires are burning BETWEEN
Maianzas and Havana. hut Few 81 the si"a''.
turret-llke blockhouses whit h DO. the crest Oh
th. green bluffs the shore show evidence o.
life At the mouth Of a small met however
Law O. tiny coastguard vessel at anchor she was
about the size OF small naphtha Iauhch' Out
she had the yellow flag OF SPAN n2a''hS ''o'"
her taffrail
wbre ,he d,spatch Goa, was skrtng the
fort. but they were probably from small arms
a. ,bo resuIt o- the Spanish target practice
could not be located.
There has been a feeling 81 unrest IN 'ne
blockading squadron. and some criticism owing
IN the failure TO receive orders 20 occupy "A port
of Cuba The supposed nature OF the orders re-
Gently received by Rear-Admiral sampson mas
cssend this tension.
n the advantageous circumstances which al
present render SIMPSONS feet so nj 20 Neh'
would only continue indefinitely. naval ohcets
could possibly find some explanation !or the ue-
Law But it Is ar yed against this View mat every
twenty-tour hours spent al seq detracts so"'e
what from the lighting capacity or up-to-da'e
! warship. Their bottoms become foul. espe-
c,au, in Southern ATTITUDES. and their speed Is
diminished their crews. particularly on "ear'
somc blockade. suffer from continual high pres
sure without its safety-valve action. and. IN
general sense. their primary purpose-to de-
s,roy-is rsked with every days needless eN-
posure to the ,le,er!oratng influence OF the sea
Then. too. in short time the rainy season
VIII begin. and military operations will then be
conducted at ii disadvantage. At present there
or. many places suitable for landing troops
,nde- the guns Of the fleet. where the danger or
vellow fever is nil. where naval and military
base can easily be established, and whence
rair-s,zed army can operate with every chance
OF success. ,.. -,
No doubt OF ultimate victory is harbored oy
any naval officer. nor does any petty Jeaousy
Of the Army prompt criticism OF the campaign.
AN OFFICERS IMPATIENCE.
The general view Of the officers OF the fleet
may perhaps be outlined In about the following
words as expressed by an officer OF great OK
perience:
I'VE went into this war on the offensive. not
on the defensive We said we would Ninoicate
n principle by force OF arms. For a week we
have been showing our forcible vindicaton D!
| adopting defensive plan of campaign ana en-
/ forcing a blockade that Is probably bringing
! more suffering TO the Cubans than II ever VIII
! 10 the Spaniards Golden opportunities have
! slipped by US But It is not yet too late. In
stead % allowing the fast ships OF the Flying
| Squadron TO patrol our coast. let them be sent
! To Spain. They can do more damage there than
| anywhere else. They can fight pretty nearly
| anything and run away from everything. Iher
| presence in the Mediterranean would at once
! cause a division in the Spanish fleet, which IA
now concentrated They would be obliged TO
send vessels back for home defence. The use
| funess of the Spanish feet In Cuban waters or
| against our Eastern coast would thus De NUN
fed nearly so. It Is an old saying that IL Is
| the attack thai wins. II We were fighting some
| powerful nation this policy OF delay might he
| understood II the Army had been in the same
state Of readiness that the Navy was " hen war
was declared the blockade Of Cuba would prob
| ably have been a thing ~ the past by this time.
Get the dea that yellow fever Is rampant
out of the public mind. oct the Army moving.
| Let them do their drinG on CGSas hills. where
! healthy brceZeS are now blowing. and where II
| IS as easy to catch yellow fever as il is to catch
| q shooting star. II this IS don" quickly there
wil, be no necessity to raise the blockade in or
| der To meet the spanish Meet Raising the
| blockade means opening The ports 70 all the
| world and II for only one day beginning all
the tedious work over again send the heavier
| vessels os the Flying Squadron to Porto Rico
| and take il before ii Is surrounded with Spanish
| men-of-war. We to-day in peculiarly
| fortunate position to carry out such operations.
This IL war. Some persons seem IN have for
| gotten that fact"
| Aoo, an NJ q ar