The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-25
THE CHASE OF CERVERA.
Guessing at the Movements Of
6chley and Sampson.
PEOPLE cRITIcIsE
Naval Experts Think Now That the
Spanish Squadron Has Neither the
Coal Nor the Speed to Escape
Its American Pursuers.

Washington to the World says: News
from Admiral Sampson and Commodore
Schley is looked for at the navy depart
ment every hour, but no one at the de-
partment appears to be able or willing
to say just where the news is to come
from. All that a be positively ascer-
taine there is that the United States
fleets are somewhere south Of Key West
looking for Admiral Cervera and hoping
to come up with and fight with him..
Whether it will DE at Santiago, Cien-
fuegos or somewhere between those
places or at San Jua de Porto Rico no
one VIII venture to say.
Meantime, there is some discussion
among naval officers about the actions
of the fleet Of Admiral Sampson tha
suggests a spirit of criticism. Naval
officers who have the highest respect for
the men who are supposed to have de-
signed the plan of campaign of the
United States are expressing wonder
that Admiral Sampson was permitted to
travel all the way from San Juan to
Key West to consume a great deal OF
coal and then to coal again merely to
sail back over the course he had lust
1sA9 IL >
believed. would have led him to remain
in the Windward passage, holding a po-
sition OF great strategic advantage until
his scouts brought him news of the
presence of the enemy and many off,
GERS believed him to be. there after he
had left for Key West.
As to the other suggestion made by
the officers that the Washington au-
thorities did not know the Spanish feet
was at Martinique until Sampson was
fairly on his return trip. the unofficial
s~trategist hat the navy de-
partment knew a week ago that Ger
vera was at Curacao; that IL had at its
command two or three swift cruisers
that could have stopped him before he
could have come half way on his re-
turn, n that Golfers could have been
provided to take coal to him and tina
he might thus have been able to inter
cept the Spanish fleet on it's way to
Santiago harbor.
AS it a Admiral Sampson left Key
West the day the news was received
there from Washington that Cervera had
arrived. If the news of SIMPSONS de-
parture worked its way to Blanco he
probably sent 1t by wire to Santiago
next day n Admiral Cervera was af-
forded a anc to move out and renew
his explorations of the Caribbean sea.
But the navy department will forget
the waste of time by Admiral Sampson
IL il learns tomorrow or next day that
he has arrived at Santiago and found
ADMIRAL Cervera still there. When he
started from Key West last Thursday
he had to, steam 700 miles to reach San
tiago. At a 10-knot pace he could nave
mad the distance In three days.
The most unanimous opinion of naval
officers is that whether Cervera has de-
cided to stand and fight or run and wait
a little while before giving battle, he
cannot long postpone a meeting with
ADMIRAL Sampson n perhaps with
Commodore Schley at the same time.
The policy of silence concerning naval
movements has been very strictly OBJ
served now for a couple of weeks, but
not so strictly that Ii did not become
known here that Commodore Schley got
away from Key West a little sooner than
Admiral Sampson. II ii was but a half
day sooner, he ought to have been able
with his swifter ships to reach Santiago
de Cuba on Saturday. 1t is assumed
that he did so by those who conclude
that the department sent him to look
for the Spanish fleet where 1t was last
heard of. 1t is believed Schley went to
the south of Cuba by the Yucatan pass
age. Few of them believe that Cervera
has attempted to stay at Santiago. They
incline to the opinion that he went to-
WdIu oldItlulQut " Duccb AiC chI
over to provide him with the fuel he
must now need, n perhaps be Joined
by some of the vessels of the Cadiz fleet,
which some conservative naval officers
are disposed to think are on their way
across the Atlantic to reinforce him.
This last possibility will not spoil the
chance, now seemingly good, Of an early
fight. Very prominent nava officers
who to-day talked with members Of the
administration expressed very decidedly
the view that Admiral Cervera had
neither sufficient skill nor coal to escape
the conflict which Sampson and Schley
are seeking.
A gentleman who IL not connected
with the navy. but who is very much
interested in seeing it do Its work well.
says tina II Is a mistake to suppose that
the naval strategic board has tram
meled Sampson or Schqey. or both. with
conflicting or embarrassing orders
Practically" said this gentleman,
admiral Sampson has had his own way
in all that he has don II he returned
to Key West when Cervera was at Cura-
Gao, knowing that he must return to find
him, he did so for a reason that seemed