The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-19
nLocixADE WEAKENED
Dy the Withdrawal of So Many OF
the Ships,

the ships.
Especial Dispatch to the New York Herald.
London Times and Tho Houston Post
Copyrighted, 1898, by James Gordon Ben
nett)
Washington, June is. --Apprehension IL
felt In official circles as a result OF the
Weakening of the biockading squadron
ACCESS may attend the operations of the
blockade runners. 1t is known In official
circles that Havana has been receiving
loodstuns and 1t is regarded as quite
probable that these supplies We're brought
by blockade runners, who have used neigh
A~ng West Indies islands Us a base OF
operations, just as Nassau Was used dur
ing the civil war.
1t is not meant by this that tho block
officials assert that the United states, In
accordance with the principles OF interna-
tlonal law. has been ratroliing the dis
trlct declared in the prosidents proclama-
tion as In II state of blockade with foroa
rendering access to the prohibited places
manitestly difficult aud dangerous"
II has developed that eighteen men
f-war had been withdrawn from ths
blockadlug squadron 10 form the con-
voying squadron under the command
OF Captain II. G. Taylor, commanding the
battleship Indiana. Before the withdraw
al of these ships, the blockading squad
ron has been reduced By the departure
OF Rear Admiral Sampson with the New
York, Oregon. Mayaower. Porter aud sew
eral other vessels.
The consequence Is that small force las
been distributed over considerable stretch
Of territory, and while tho vigilance q!
the officers of the ships has been redou-
bled, It Is appreciated In official cireles
that their task Is much E,cre difficult than
II was when the districts TO which they
were assigned for patrol duty were OF less
area.
Jamaica especially Is understood to be a
Iolnt from which blockade runners have
sailed. The story published In the New
York Herald this morning on this point rs
confirmed by the officials who have re-
ceived information OF a similar character
from Consul Dent, who Is stationed al
Kingston.
The Purissima Conception the authorities
say. will never reach Batahana, as Rear Ad-
mrai SAMPSON has been instructed to cap
ture her. and he viii easily do so. It ia be-
lieyed, with the force he has available to
carry out the Instructions.
No protest was made TO Great Britain nor
any other power with respect to fitting out
ships In their colonies with supplies for
Havana, as, in the first place. 1t would es-
tablisIh abad precedent, and in the second
place would be contrary to the principles
heretofore followed by the United States.
But the vessels attempting TO run the
blockade will suffer the penalty OF con-
demnation II they should be captured
understand that II Is the purpose OF the
| department to strengthen tho blockade as
promptly as possible.
Ntw York. June lS.--Tho World has
special cable from Mole ST. Nicholas which
| says: Captain Hukc OF the british steam
ship Ravensdale, which sailed today for
Porto Rico, declared Ia positive terms that
two Of Admiral Csryera's ships are not IN
Santiago harbor. These are his words:
II tell you vi Of Csrvera's feet is not
u Santiago, ~ you Americans think. Two
Of tho larger hhips are now hiding It the