The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-30
The Spanish Admiral Took
the Bait
Which the Americans Laid
For Him.
ACLEVER MANEUVER
Causes Him to Think SChley Had
Gone Away.
Spanish WarsE1ips Are Sighted
in the HarbOr.
ACLEVER MANEUVER

Copyright, 1898, by Associated Press).
Mole St Nicholas, Hayti, May 3d.
The following dispatch has been re-
ceived here from the correspondent of
the Associated Press with the Ameri-
can fleet off Santiago de Cuba:
"OT Santiago de Cuba, May 29.-Com-
modore Schley and the flying squadron
have the Spanish fleet bottled up in the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba By the
most clever maneuvering, the commo-
dore allowed the Spaniards 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 be
Heves the entire fleet is there.
Commodore Schley has acted upon
his own information and judgment for
the past six days and believes the
whole Spanish fleet is there.
He sat on the after triangle of the
Brooklyn this morning until after the
discovery of the fleet and he then went
to breakfast saying: I have got them
and they will never get home
Inc OnlJeQ CRUISER
St Paul arrived here this morning and
was sent to Mole ST. Nicolas with dis
patches. She captured a coal ship,
which was sent to Key West by Cap
tain Sigsbee, in charge of a prize crew.
The coal was undoubtedly 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 jubilant over the fact
that the location of the Spanish fleet
has finally been definitely established.
The temperature here is 110 degrees in
the shade and in the steel turrets the
heat is actually beyond the power of
imagination.
The ships here are the Brooklyn,
Texas, Massachusetts, Iowa, Marble
head and Vixen, an auxiliary torpedo
gunboat.
Washington, May 3O-The navy de-
partment has received a dispatch from
Commodore Schley announcing definite
ly that he had located Admiral Cerver-
as Cape Verde squadron in the bay of
Santiago de Cuba The commodore
states that he has seen and recognized
the vessels of the Spanish fleet
While the naval officials have been
morally certain for several days that
Cervera's squadron was in the harbor
of Santiago de Cuba, the official an
nouncement from Commodore Schley
was received by the officers on duty at
the department with intense satisfac-
ton. Assurance is now doubly sure
that the Spanish fleet is bottled up and
that the cork is in the bottle.
1t is not believed that Admiral Ger
vera will attempt to escape from the
predicament in which he now finds
himself as such a course would surely
result in the destruction of the vessels |
and the loss of many lives precious to
Spain.
The suggestion is made, however, that |
the Spaniard may blow up his ships
rather than have them fall into the
hands of Schley, as they certainly will
If they remain in the harbor.
The definiteness of Commodore
Schley's dispatch would indicate that
he has effected a landing near Santiago
and made a personal investigation of
the harbor. 1t would be impossible
from the entrance to the harbor defin-
stely to see and recognize the Spanish
vessels, but by effecting a landing at
some point on either side of the en-
trance vantage point could be gained
very likely from which the harbor could |
De examined-In all reliability Commo-
core Schley or one of his trusted Off |
GERS has successfully performed this
hazardous undertaking in order to OBJ
tam the valuable information contained
an his disaptch.
what effect the certainty that Ger
vera Is practically helpless will have |
upon the plans of the naval station
with reference to the invasion of Cuba
can only be conjectured.
he
the island, it is understood. was delay
eo because of the uncertainty concern
ing the location of the Spanish SQUAD
ron. II that understanding is correct.
me probability of an early invasion of
Cuoa Is strong. 1t is not unlikely that
me movement of troops, which has been
aSeo tI5iS from time to time, will begin
ms week and that before the end of
Ane week. the United States forces will