Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-04-16
WAR ALMOST ON.
Meeting Of American and Spanish
warships May Start the Fight.
g2yinE Squadron Puts 20 sea-said to Have
Gone 70 Porto Rico TO Intercept the
Spanish squadron-No Word
from the InsurgentL

WASHINGTON, April 14-To all in.
tents and purposes state Of war ex.
lists between Spain and the United
States. Actual hostilities may yet be
held in check for few days, but the
war Is on now. The house yesterday
adopted resolutions for immediate
armed intervention to drive Spain
from Cuba and to establish stable
government for the island. In the SEN
ate equally rs drastic resolutions were
reported, supplemented by n scathing
arrangement of Spain which must be
followed by shot and she'll to make 1t
good.
The first meeting OF an American
vessel and ship flying the yellow end
red OF Spain must result in conflict
Unless Spain yields Internationally
before the Legislative routine now
pending is completed, there can be no
possible evasion of tho inevitable.
The stern fact is fully appreciated here
rs well rs in Europe. The question
now uppermost Is. when will the first
blow be struck, by whom and where?
Debate in the senate is not expected to
last longer than two days. Develop
ments may bring it to an end ut any
time.
The ships Of the flying squadron
slipped their anchors Mt two o'clock
l<and are now out Mt sea. The Key West
fleet is also ready to go. At the navy
department 1t is stated that the flying
squadron is going on IS hours prac-
tice cruise, but this is taken with
grain Of salt. 1t is stated on good au-
thority that the squadron has been or
dered to Porto Rico to intercept the
Spanish squadron.
The war department plans are
known. II, in the meantime, the joint
resolution passes congress the North
Atlantic squadron will make demon-
stration against Havana next Sunday
morning, and by Tuesday the landing
of the boys in blue will begin. The
first troops will be conveyed by the
Yankee, the Dixie, the Prairie and the
Yosemite, us transport ships in the
convoy of three warships OF the squad
ron. They will carry 1000 men each.
The present plans do not contemplate
making the landing at Havana, but at
Santiago, the metropolis Of eastern
Cuba. 1t is not doubted that few
thousand men can take that city Mt
once.
Immediately afterward the Ameri-
can troops will open communica-
tion with the existing government,
which controls all the island east of
Santiago. This makes possible imme.
diate cooperation with the recognized
republic. AS soon thereafter as posi-
BILE the troops of the two republics
will invest Havana by land. This
statement OF projected operations was
given yesterday by n distinguished
army officer Mt the navy department.
Early In the forenoon yesterday the
naval strategic board went into ses.
sion, and called Consul General Lee
into the conference. The session was
o long one, and was devoted to thor.
ough discussion OF offensive and de-
fensive movements in Cuban waters,
Gen. Lee being able to give the board
much valuable information regarding
the defenses of Havana. At the war
department details attendant upon the
pre-arranged plans for moving the
troops were put in shape, but matters
In this regard are so well in hand that
no new orders were issued.
NO WORD FROM INSURGENTS.
WASHINGTON, April l4.-There Is
still no word from Cuba as to what the
insurgents in the field will do toward
nm armstice. Seventy-two hours have
passed with the Spanish soldiers rest.
ing their arms. In this time no word
has come of IN aggressive movement
by the insurgents. 1t was thought
that skirmish or n raid
would serve to show that the
insurgents proposed to con.
tinue their fighting. No such move
has occurred, however, and it is now
stated that the absence Of active oper.
atoms by the insurgents will not be
significant in disclosing that they &c
cept the armistice. Their plans Of
warfare, It is said, at the Spanish lega'
tion, are not so much aggressive rs
they are to maintain their organiza-
t;on In the mon ntains. swamps and In.