Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-06

Can &c Found He Will Be Given
a Crushing Blow.
New York, May ga special to the
Herald from Washington says:
SPANS Atlantic fleet is not TO be al
lowed to reach Porto Rico or to APP
proach the coast of the United States.
Rear Admiral Sampson has perfected
plans for meeting the enemy on the
high seas and giving battle at a time
and place of his own choosing. The
successful issue of the battle may de-
pend in large measure upon khe Span
ish admiral being kept in profound
ignorance of the intention of the Amer
lean commander and being given the
least possible time in which to escape
or prepare for battle. Consequently
the Secretary of the Navy and Rear
Admiral Sampson have kept the details
Of the plan of operations profound
secret, and, as the time for the move
ment against the Spanish ships draws
near censorship of kilograms from
Key West has BEEN established. This
makes it impossible to obtain direct
from Key West news of the movement
of the armored ships under the 'imme-
date command of Rear Admiral Samp-
son.
All that is definitely known here is
that the four most powerful ships in
Rear Admiral SIMPSONS command
the New York, the Indiana, the Iowa
and the Puritan-were ready for pro-
longed sea voyage yesterday Their
coal bunkers were filled to their capa
city and additional supplies Of coal
were carried in bags on deck. Two
golfers carrying 5000 tons of coal were
ready to accompany them TO sea.
At the same time Commodore Sch
Iey's squadron at Hampton Roads, COM
prising the Brooklyn, the Massachu-
sets and the Texas, with two golfers
carrying 5000 tons of coal, is ready 10
sail at moments notice. Swift aux
iliary cruisers are securing the ocean
in search of the Spanish fleet.
These facts all point to the theory
that there is to be union Of the ar
mored ships under Rear Admiral Samp-
son with those under Commodore Sch
ley at a point in the ocean previously
agreed upon, and that the scouts are
to report to them there the location and
direction of the Spanish ships. 1t is
not believed to be possible that the
Spanish ships will be able to avoid all
the scouting ships.
AS soon as Rear Admiral Sampson
learns the Whereabouts of the Spanish
feet and the direction in which it is
sailing, he will get under way to inter
cept it. throwing his scouts out in
front so as to cover a wide expanse of
sea and following with his armored
vessels in line of battle and ready to
give fight as soon as they come in con-
tact with the enemy.
Opinions differ somewhat in naval
circles as to the destination of the
Spanish fleet. Many naval officers can
scarcely conceive it to be possible that
the Spanish admiral would be so rash
as to bring his vessels within reach of
such an overwhelming force as that
which Rear Admiral Sampson could
bring against him. They believe that
if he has held westerly course he
counts on being able to reach Porto
Rico and get his vessels safely into
the harbor of San Juan before he can
be attacked by an overwhelming force.
When he left st. Vincent the American
force was divided. Rear Admiral
Sampson was apparently fully occupied
with the blockade of Cuban ports and
the only vessels available to be sent
against him were those under Commo-
dOre Schley.