The San Francisco call., 1898-05-17

appeared in the offing at o'clock this afternoon and an officer came ashore with dispatches. He said the Yale had been cruising off San Juan. The cruis- CTS are expected to make daily calls at this port.
 Rear-Admiral Sampson's fleet Is off the north ocast of Hayti awaiting re- Inducements. The Harvard, at Mar unique, is keeping a sharp lookout for Spanish vessels. There are numerous incendiary fires in Porto Rico.
 The Yale, which has been taking on coal here, stopped suddenly on receiv- ing orders and left hurriedly at Il o'clock. The cruiser was headed to the west when she passed out of sight.
 ST. PIERRE, Martinique. May 16.- No Spanish warships were sighted at this place to-day. The Spanish tor pedo-boat destroyer Terror is still un- dergoing repairs at Fort de France. The hospital ship Alicante, which is also at this port, is being painted white.
 one signal was flashed last night and another protest was entered by the American Consul. It IS reported that there is a Spanish warship on the eastern coast of this island.
 The French man-of-war Amiral Re gault de GenouiIly arrived here to-day. She was slightly damaged in the Dom- bardment of Porto Rico. The rumors of war which reach here have produced great excitement among the natives.
 CADIZ, May l6.-The dock yard au- thorities here have announced that reserve fleet, which would consist of the Pelayo, Carlos V, Alfonso XIII and the newly equipped cruisers Rapido and oa destroyers Audaz and Proserpina, Will be ready for sea in the middle Of the present week There has been consld- erable difficulty in the matter of op- taining skilled engineers, the spanish engineers being unable to obtain the proper speed out or the torpeoo ca'cii- 4ers.
 The Gialda will probably accompany the fleet as a dispatch boat. It is popu- larly surmised that the fleet goes to the Philippines, but everything depends upon what may happen in Havana Were the first Spanish fleet to make a good position and should any nis- fortunes occur to the United states warships, the men-ofwar now in Cadiz would be directed westward and not eastward The Pelayo will be the flag ship and several armed transports will accompany the fleet.
 GIBRALTAR, May 16.-No Spanish war vessels have been reported passing the straits so far this morning. only torpedo-boats are stationed at Alge- ciraS.
 MADRID, May r, a. m.-A dispatch from Cadiz to El Eeraldo de Madrid says the port authorities at Cadiz an- nounce that the reserve fleet, composed of the first class batleship Pelayo, the armored cruisers Emperador, Carlos and the Alfonso XIII, the newly eouipDed cruisers Rapido and Patria, Aud4Z and Proserpina will be ready for sea
 CITRACOA. May 16-The Spanish squadron under Cervera, which left last evening after the cruisers Vfzcaya and Infanta Maria Teresa had taken on about 800 tons of coal and a great quantity of provisions, has not been sighted to-day. When the squadron disappeared it was going westward
 PHILADELPHIA, May 16.-The United States cruiser Columbia passed Delaware Capes at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon and then came to anchor. Her arrival was unexpected. boat came ashore with mail and official re- ports Soon after orders were received for the Columbia through the signal service station and after stay of sev- eral hours the Columbia steamed away.
 LONDON, May 1.-The Daily Mail says this morning: According to the most trustworthy information the Snanish cruisers Cardinal Cfsneros. Princess de Asturia and Catalina are not yet ready for sea and therefore cannot have arrived at Martinique.
 WASHINGTON, May 16-It is said at the Navy Department that Admiral Sampson reported to the Navy De- partnent to-day by cable from Cape Haytien It is understood tEat the ad- miral by reason of information re- ceived by him changed his plans of operations, and instead Of going to Key West has directed his vessels to- wark Cienfuegos, where he is expected to arrive withing the next day or two.
 WASHINGTON, May 16.-TEe Navy Department takes with great allowance the report that the Spanish strategists have succeeded in sending second squadron under Admiral Villamil to the West Indies and that it is off Mar unique. Even if the alleged informa- tlon did not bear the suspicious ear mark of Madrid date, the Department would not be surprised to hear that Admiral VillamiI. as well as Admiral Cervera, was with the Spanish force in the Caribbean Sea
 The fact that the report came from Madrid satisfies the officials here that this is another Spanish ruse to center our attention on Martinique, while their ships have passed westward The report has 1t that Admiral Villamil has "iLH HliIl the cruisers C1SneroS, Cata- luna and Princessa de Asturias It is known, however. that Villamil is not the admiral of these ships and that at least one of them, the Cisneros is on the other side of the water. It is add ed that Admiral Villamil is subordi- nate to Admiral Cervera, whose partic ular duties are to command the torpedo destroyers attached to the first span ish squadron. He occupies the same attitude that Commodore Watson does to Admiral Sampson.
 The fact that the alleged report of the second squadron passed a Madrid cen sor indicates the desire of the Spanish authorities to spread abroad this mis- leading information. Its purpose, it Is believed, is to induce Admiral Samp- son to remain with his fleet at or near Martinique in quest of the shadowy second squadron, so as to take him l. A <l