New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-20
NAVAL PLAN TO BLOCKADE CUBA
NO BOMBARDMENT OF HAVANA CONTEMPLATE
JOY on BOARD THE FLEET.


Key West. April l0-Great satisfaction is felt
among all the officers at the news OF the adop-
ton OF the Joint resolution by Congress, as as
surfing the independence OF Cuba. They regard
# a. equivalent to a declaration Of war, and
expect that the fleet viii shortly be under ORDERS
to sail for Cuban waters.
CAPTAIN Sampson. Captain Evans OF the Iowa
and Captain Taylor Of the Indiana had con-
s,,ltation this afternoon IN the Admrars cabin
on the flagship New-York, and then came
ashore
TIE naval plan Of action. It is understood, has
been finally and definitely decided upon. II In
wolves the blockade Of Cuba. but not lombard
ment ~ Havana The blockade will involve no
ENGAGEMENTS Il is expected. except the acci-
dental encounters which more or less. are bound
10 occur
The senior naval officers OF the nghtlnG squad
ron believe that Spain is playing n clever game
In concentrating her entire naval forces Al i dis
tance from the immediate scene OF action.
The effect Of the news soon noticed on
board the ships lying In the inner haroo-. The
officers began sending their personal belongings
ashore. and the ships stripped OF whltcver
super,uous articles remained.
All the work in progress Is being rushed TO l
finish. but little or nothing remains to be done
which would delay the fleet for a moment.
sub-callbre target practice was taken up dur
Ing the afternoon.
The Cuban colony here Is In high state OF
eation. All the morning groups OF excited pa
trots have been discussing the possibilities.
while others have been marching through the
streets shouting Cuba Libre"
A high naval official whose name cannot be
mentioned. discussing the situation to-day. sad:
,,.;,h
fight. She must make n show Of resistance, In
order 10 appcase her people at home. I sup
pose she will now be given twenty-four or forty
eight hours notice to get cut; but personally
think Ave minutes Is all she should get. and
that the fleet should be sent to Havana forth
with go that the Spanish troops may evaculte
the island under our guns"
Wherever the eve turns tonight Il Is met by
the colors Of Cuba Libre Invariably the Stars
and Stripes fiaunt above the insurgent ensign:
and here and there n new broom surmounts all,
sgnifying that Spain will be swept from the
sea Every conveyance wears the bunting OF the
two liberty loving nations and the streets OF the
town are Kaleidoscope with color Throughout
the entire day the "Vivas" OF patriotic Cubans
have sounded through the town, and there have
been professions In every part This afternoon
some 900 Cubans headed by a brass band.
marched through the streets and halted In front
OF the hotel. After n serenade OF American ma
tional airs. cheers were given for President Nc
Kinley and the newspapers Of the United States.
Several prominent Cubans made addresses In
Spanish, the burden OF these being gratitude to
America and JOY at the prospect Of free
dom for Cuba. The procession then marched TO
the cable office. where the following message
was sent to President Mckinley:
Thousand Cuban volunteers Key West offer
services under L. S. A. flag.
j. s. GOWN Major
Active steps " i'll re taken to form n regiment
To-day has been Cuban holiday The schools
have been closed and the streets crowded with
excited groups discussing the situation. For the
first time the fegpoe over the old Spanish Con-
suate was made to bear the Cuban fag and
when the banner was raised Cuba Libre," rang
out from every throat"
Word for the movement OF The fleet on Havana
and the transportation OF troops for Cuba is ex-
pected at any moment. and when 1t comes Il
will find no delay here. All day the warsnips
have been making final preparations For imme-
date action. and but few OF the officers have
been ashore.
AS TO THE FLYING SQUADRON"
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: There appears TO be a misundersta ndlng
among the public to the meaning OF the term
Flying Squadron"