The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-18
No Particular Effort Made to Pursue
Spanish Fleet.
WILL KEEP 1T PENNED UP IN THE
CARIBBEAN.

The Torpedo Boat Wins1ow Damage Much
More Than as Expect ed-Wn Have
News of IN Engagement in Which the
Little Craft Participated Before Her
Disaster-A Spanish Signal Station
Destroyed at Diana Cay.
Washington, May 1.-THE official bulle-
tin boards today failed to yield any news
of the movements of either the tbree
fleets, SIMPSONS, Schley's or the Spanish
believe that the department itself has re-
ceived no information on that point.
The department officials ara beginning to
show a little sensitiveness to criticism in
the matter Of delay in engaging the
Spanish feet, conscious as they are that
they have made all despatch compatible
with due regard for the safety of our own
ports as we'll as of the lives of the crews
of our warshipF. Every day there is talk
of a change in the naval plans brought
about by soIue movement of the Spanish
SQUADRON, but what the latest phase of
campaign is nobody outside of the MEM
1ers of the war board is competent to say.
The general Impression today is that no
particular effort is to be made just now
to pursue the Spaniards SO long as they
keep within the confines of the Gulf Of
Mexico and the Caribbean sea, but that
Sampson and Schley in combination will
encircle Cuba, maintain the blockade and
convoy troops across the Florida, straits,
il necessary, meanwhile simply keeping a
watch on the Spanish squadron to see
that it does not do mischief either to the
american fleet or by escaping into the
Atlantic to attack seaboard cities.
BY this plan, the military and naval
officials might hops to silence the rather
severe criticisms that are being expressed
because of delays in opening the military
campaign in Cuba itself. Considerable
pressure has come upon the admlnistra-
tion from Congressional quarters to have
the campaign hastened and there are
thought to be signs of a resumption of
the plans of the military leaders for the
invasion of Cuba at the point where they
were suddenly suspended by the ans
noUncement of the arrival of the Spanish
flying squadron at Martinique. One sign
of this was the inclusion in the regular
army orders of direction to Cap tain
Alger 60 go to Tampa to join General
Miles. At army headquarters there was
no sign of immediate departure, but in
view of the fact that three times at least
everything has been prepared for move
ment to Tampa, 1t may be presumed that
everything is in trim for departure at
short notice without open manifestation
of preparation.
The department processes to feel no ap-
prehension that Admiral Dewey or his
men are in any wise endangered by their
occupation of Manila harbor on the
present basis, but this cannot be said of
t he unfortunate inhabitants of Manila, if
the present situation is protracted un-
duly. 1t is no small matter to organize
and transport an expedition of 1900 or
is, 900 soldiers GOOO miles across the sea at
short notice and the indications are that
within week some of the soldiers, at
least, will be on their way from San
Francisco following the Charleston,
which is expected to leave at any moment
with few supplies most urgently needed
by Admiral Dewey.
There are indications that the war de-
partment has been brought to see the
wisdom and fairness of the suggestions
| thrown out by General Merritt that his
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