Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-05
SPANS GREAT THREAT.
U. S. Will Give an Opportunity 10 Try the
Little Game.
SAMPSON WILL OFFER NAVAL BATTLE.


New York, May 5.-A special TO the
Herald from Washington says: SPANS
Atlantic fleet is not to be allowed TO
reach Porto Rico or to approach the
coast of the United States.
Rear Admiral Sampson has perfect
ed 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 this battle may de-
pend in large measure upon the Span
ish admiral being kept In profound ig-
norance of the intention of the Amerl-
can commander and being given the
least possible time in which to escape
or to 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 Thi;
makes 1t impossible to obtain direct
from Key West news of the movement
of the armored ships under the imme-
diate command OF Admiral Sampson
All that is definitely known here IL
that four of the most powerful ships
In Admiral SIMPSONS command-the
New York. the Indiana. the Iowa, the
Puritan-were ready for a PROLONGED
sea voyage yesterday. Their coal bum
kers were filled to their capacity and
additional supplies of coal were carried
In bags on deck. Two golfers carry
Ing 5000 tons Of coal were ready to ac-
company them to sea. Reports that
these vessels have sailed eastward to
met the Spanish shipe have not been
confirmed.
At the same time CommodoreSchley's
squadron at Hampton Roads,
chusetts and the Texas with two col
liers carrying 5000 tons of coal,i ready
to sail at a moments hotice. Swirt
auxiliary cruisers are cruising the
ocean in search of the Spanish 1eet
These facts all point To the theory
that there is to pe union Of the az
mored ships under Admiral Sampson
with those under Commodore Schicy
at 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 of the scouting vessels.
AS soon as Rear Admiral SAMPSON
learns the whereabouts of the SPANS h
feet and the direction In which II Is
sailing he canget under way to inter-
cept 1t, throwing his scouts out in
front so as to cover a wide expanse
of sea, and following with his arsnored
vessels In line OF battle and ready to
give fight as soon as they come in
contact with the enemy.
Opinions differ somewhat In naval
circles as to the destination OF the
Spanish fleet. Many naval officers can
scarcely conceive 1t 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 Admiral Sampson could bring
against him.
They believe that II he has held n
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 American force. When
he left st. Vincent the American force
was divided. Rear Admiral Sampson
apparently was fully occupied with the
blockade of Cuban ports. and the only
vessels available to be sent against
him were those under Commodore
Schley.
SPEED OF THE SPANISH SQUAD
RON.
New York May ga dispatch from
London says: The New York World
has obtained from II. w. Wilson au-
thor OF "Ironclads In action" the most
noted living British naval expert, a
precise statement of Just how coal
considerations affect the operative
powers of the Spanish squadron. He
writes:
'In view of the various very discre-
pancy statements made respecting the
Spanish cruisers coal capacity It is UNI
certain what quality of coal is on
board. and whether II is the best
Welst steam or the rubbishySpanish or
German coal. or the latter, three tons
will only do the work of two tons of
the former.
Spain had no large stocks OF coal,
SO II IL probable that there is much
poor stun in the bunkers,
Besides the coal carried in the
bunkers some can be slowed In bags
for long voyage. The quality thus
carried is naturally uncertain, but
about the extreme limit for the size OF
the ship Is allowed.
''All the Spanish armored cruisers
have economical triple expansion en-
gines but their stokers are believed to
be inferior.
THE speed used would be economical.
about ten knots until the American
feet or cruisers are sighted"