Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-04

oe'AAO0 AAO I1Ollduo OuOl1lelIiAO
Torpedo Boat May Take a Try at
the Spanish Fleet - Camaras
Cadiz Fleet Causing No Alarm.
Washington, June "a brief bulle
tin telling Of Commodore Schleys &c
connolssance at Santiago ON Thursday,
was all the information the Navy De-
partment had to contribute to the press
to-day. This bulletin went to confirm
the press dispatches which told of the
firing on the Notifications at Sam
tiago, but which have been so stead
lastly discredited since the first re-
port. 1t appears from the bulletin
given out that Commodore Schley con-
centrated pretty good fire upon the
Spanish defenses and it seems proba-
BILE that had he found conditions more
propitious than they were, he would
have resolved the reconnaissance into
an assault in force.
hO SlCaI HAUL al Sll Cu6lIl vi tllS
Spanish position and the formida Bile
character of their batteries, as indicated
by Commodore Schley, have confirmed
the naval officials in the belief that
they have been wise not to direct any
such reckless assault upon the place
in the absence Of proper forces as has
been advocated in some quarters. The
problem would be simplified were it
known that there were no mines in
the channel AS it is, the problem
presented has enlisted the active in
terest of the army engineers as well as
of the naval officers here. 1t is the
duty Of the army engineers in this
country to lay just such mines as are
supposed to be in place in Santiago
harhor, and they are curious to see
how their brothers in the navy pro-
pose to go about the work Of destroy
ing them. A good deal has been writ
ten in the text books about counter
mining, and many theories have been
brought forward to show how this
one Of our engineer officers, these
theories have never been
SATISFACTORILY TESTED,
and there is no case on record of sue
cessful counter mining against modern
improved electrical Mines 1t remains
to be seen how Sampson is going to
solve this problem, whether by the
use of the Vesuvius with her dynamite
projectiles, by the aid of divers, or by
recourse to the old method of drag
ging for the mines with small boats
as in cable cutting operations. The
owners Of the Holland submarine boat
who had proposed to go into Santiago
harbor and destroy the Spanish war
ships at so much a vessel, have come
forward with a request for a practical
test by the naval officers of their
craft The Navy Department was
obliged to decline to entertain the
first proposition, as it smacked of pri-
Watering and was in violation of in
ternational law. The principal objec-
ton was that the broat could not be
in regular commission and in command
of a naval officer Besides, they con-
tended that she has never been thor
oughly tested Now the boats owners
propose that a naval officer or officers
be designated to go down in the Hol-
land, and then that she be commits
stoned
notwithstanding the rather positive
statement coming from Jamaica to the eff
feet that the second Spanish fleet from
Cadiz has crossed the Atlantic and is
about to join Cervera to-day at Santiago
the officers of the navy refused to be
frightened at what they declare to be a
bugaboo 1t appears that the basis of
their confidence is
A TELEGRAPHIC REPORT
of as late date as yesterday, declaring
that the Cadiz fleet is still at Cadiz
Moreover they know that there are not
so many as sixteen warships in that fleet
Captain Sigsbee of the auxiliary cruis-
er St Paul, reported at the Navy De-
partment to-day and had a conference
with Acting Secretary Allen. Messrs.
Thrall and Jones, the two newspaper
correspondents imprisoned at Havana
and recently exchanged for the Spanish
officers. were also at the Navy Depart
ment during the day.
Acting Secretary Allen, late this after
noon appointed a.court OF inquiry to ex-
anime into the collision on May 18th, be-
tween the United States cruiser Columbia
and the British steamer Foscaia off Fire
Island, which resulted in the loss of the
latter vessel The court will consist of
Commodore w. p. Mccain. retired, Cap
tain George w. Sumner. Commander C.
H Sperry and Lieut.. Douglas Robin, re-
tired. as judge advocate. 1t will meet at
New York next Monday.
The Navy Department found it neces-
sary to-day to make an explanation of
the method is had employed of advancing
on the list of the captains of the vessels
engaged in the battle of Manila. There
appeared to be a great inconsistency in
the recommendation, Captain Frank
Wildes of the Boston. for instance. going
up only five numbers. while Commodore
Wood of the little Petrol, jumped ten
Admiral Dewey himself
WENT UP ONLY TWO NUMBERS.
The reason for this, according to the De-
partment officials. is that a number in
the higher grades is worth much more
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