The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-01

OF the Spanish squadron and annoy
them greatly while rushing ahead one
OF his flyers, the Columbia or Mime
apol1s, to warn Admiral Sampson and
secure reinforcenents in the shape of
a battleship which would insure victory
in action.
No word has yet come from the
Philippines, and, as already explain
ed, even II there had been an action
between Commodore Dewey and the
Spanish naval force there, the navy
department is scarcely in a way to
near OF it for several days. Even if
the commodore should manage to land
at Manila, he probably would be I'M
able to operate the cable owing to lack
of skilled operators, and perhaps the
apparatus itself may be disabled before
it falls into his hands
There is good reason to believe that
the commodore will not directly attack
Manila in the beginning. The report
that he took aboard before leaving
Hong Kong, one of the most popular
of the leaders of the Philippine insur-
gents, is regarded as an evidence that
the commodore relies largely upon in
surgent support to maintain his footing
on the islands. If this be So he would
very likely avoid Manila, the capital,
and seize first another port, where the
insurgents are in greater strength, and
where there are no Notifications to
overcome.
While there is no doubt that one of
the objects of Commodore Dewey is
to crush the Spanish squadron in the
East Indies, as the most effective
method of protecting the important
trade in that quarter. it is beyond
doubt part of his purpose to seize and
hold port suitable for use as a coal
ing station.
No Change I'm Plan.
Notwithstanding the rumors that
have come from Europe Of interference
to prevent the seizure of the Philip
pines or any part Of them by Ameri-
cans, 1t is not to be supposed for an
instant that our government will
abandon in any degree this purpose
The coaling station is not only desir-
able, but is absolutely necessary from
a naval point of view. unless the Unit
ed States is prepared to surrender all
commerce in American bottoms with
Asia and, fully realizing this, the
naval officers will proceed with their
campaign undeterred by European
threats.
Whether the station will be retained
after the war by the United States,
will not now be determined. 1t is pos
itlvely asserted that, up to this mo-
thSut, liltSe IulOPedu iiicHdCeS nave
taken no official form, and so far no
protests have been lodged with the
state department. If any such should
be made, based on diplomatic reasons,
it would not be hard for our govern
ment by pointing to the wholesale
seizures Of almost the major part of
the Chinese coast by the European
powers to justify ourselves in seeking
to obtain at least so much of a foot
hold in that section Of the globe as
would suffice to give our warships q
safe home port in time Of stress, and
afford moderate degree OF protec-
ton to our commerce, which in COM
parison with that of some Of the Euro
pean powers who have been most for
ward in their threats. is by no means
insignificant,
The state department officials are
more amused than concerned by the
report from Madrid. originating with
Capt. Gen. Blanco. that the Austrian
and French conslls at Matanzas have
lodged q protest against the lombard
meIt of that place by Admiral Samp-
son. They say In the first place. there
has been no bombardment at that place
and owing to the dfstance that Matan-