Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-11
People in Congress Not Sure About
Cape Verde Fleet.
MISINF0RMATION Is EXPECTED
This Government Prepared to Meet
Any Contingency.
A L Il e r N AT1VE ORDERS S

"AiO ii'NS poSli NlSltlIlS tile departments
and Keeping a close watch on the naval
movements do not regard as absolutely GER
tain the information that the Cape Verde
fleet has arrived at Cadiz. While the pre-
vailiEg opinion in congressional circles has
all along been that the Spanish fleet would
turn up there, many of the best Informed
especially those intimate in naval circles
hold that 1t would not be safe to place i'm
pnclt confidence in any advices received
from Cadiz. Some who have visited the
department today say that while the board
or strategy are assuming that the informa-
ton Is correct, they are not going to take
any chances which might result in n sir
prise to us.
Dispatches May Not BE Reliable.
lhey say that there is no absolute Ger
tainty that the dispatches announcing the
arrival OF the Cape Verde feet at Cadiz
are reliable. Though the dispatches to the
department, they say came from two Off
clal sources, it is realized that IT would
be entirely possible for both Ambassador
Hay and the naval attache at London.
from whom the dispatches were received,
to have been deceived. The mere fact that
q dispatch making that announcement to
the press and to the American officials at
London could be got out of Cadiz they saw
gives ground Tor suspicion as to it's accu-
racy' even though not improbable The
censorship over the telegraph from Cadiz
Is very strict, and it is regarded as not
likely that any information could be got
from there by wire unless the Spanish au-
ttorities were willing that 1t should go
out. Consequently, there is a great differ
ence of opinion as to the reliance To bo
placed on the information. 1t is said that
Whlfe the department is acting on this in
formation. this is done largely because the
movements in contemplation would have to
pe Hlade anyhow, in view OF the failure of
Admifal sampson to find the Spanish fleet
IN west lnGian waters, and precautions
against any surprise are being as care
luliy taken as if the Cape Verde fleet had
rot been reported at Cadiz. The uthori-
ties who have held all along to the theory
that the Spanish fleet would return to
Cadiz accept the report as conclusive hut
others still hold to the doubt 1t is said
by the latter that if the fleet has reassem-
b!ed at Cadi. it cannot be expected to re-
main there, since Spain must either do
something with her navy very soon or else
give up the war. The belief is that the
Spanish people would resent with violence
this retreat on the part of the fleet, which
was depended on to relieve Cuba and Porto
N>'No' 'Ni-- SiiSAl us ar di Ut SaClZ "nen
publicly known in Spain would be the sig
nal Tor the overthrow Of the government
Misinformation Expected.
Misinformation and treachery are always
expected from Spanish sources, and While
assuming that the Spanish fleet has ar
rived at Cadiz, the department, it is said,
VIII take no chances which would not be
warranted anyhow, upon the advices re-
paiI cd mi.
tain information. The apprehension Of the
Spanish fleet going to the relief of Manila
or to attack San Francisco is very slight.
should such Il move be made, it would be
Il foolhardy venture on the part Of Spain,
exposing the Spanish coast, giving I'D the
struggle In Cuba and Porto Rico, and our
navy would probably make an Immediate
attack upon Spanish forts, compelling
Spain to sue for peace and put an end to
the war before the Spanish fleet could
reach the Philippines.
Spain will have to do something with her
navy, however, to satisfy the demands at
nome, unless the government is prepared
to give Up Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, and devote its energies entirely to
the settlement of affairs at home, and il
is thought in congressional circles that if
the Cape Verde fleet has returned to Cadiz
there will be assembled at that point the
entire effective force of the Spanish navy for
an aggressive move upon our fleet or against
some port. 1t is either this or the end of
the war. Whatever move Spain may make
however, We are fully prepared, and no
apprehension is felt on account of uncer-
talnty as to the Spanish intentions.
SIMPSONS Alternative Orders
Admiral Sampson is said to be acting I'M
der alternative orders, and without refer
ence to the information from Cadiz His
failure to come up to the Cape Verde fleet
would lead him to proceed upon the second
alternative, which, it is intimated today,
is TO return to Cuba, possibly after detach-
ing two vessels to meet the Oregon
1t is regarded as extremely doubtful that
an attack will be made on Porto Rico in
the absence of the Spanish fleet in those
waters until after our army of invasion
has been landed in Cuba, and probably un-
til after Havana has been reduced. If the
Spanish fleet is at Cadiz, there will be am
pie time for operations in Cuba before that
fleet can reach Porto Rico, and Sampsou's
fleet, having returned to Cuban waters, an
attack from the combined Spanish fleet
upon us in that quarter is not to be dread
ed If. after operations have begun in
Cuba, 1t is learned definitely that a strong
fleet has sailed from Cadiz, sufficiently
strong naval force can be organized to
meet the Spaniards without in any yay
hamperfng our operations in Cuba ind the
certainty as to where the Spanish fleet is
will make it possible for Schley's SQUAD
ron TO be used either in the Cuban cpera-
tions or to meet the Spanish at Porto Rico
without there being any apprehension en-
account of our seacoast cities being left
without naval defense. The naval and mil
ftary operations have been very greatly
simplified by the determination to invade
Cuba at once with a large army, and the
fact that our fleets have been SO orgaEized
as to be able to operate against the Spanish
fleet in whatever quarter it may appear.
The patrol of our scout cruisers has shown
that there is no Spanish fleet In any quar-.
ter where we have any reason to dread ii.
and nearly any alternative that can be
thought of has been so well prepared for
that the departments are not hampe-ed in
aggressive operations by any apprehension
as to our own defenses In fact, 1t is felt
that we can very nearly see the eza of all