The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-06-02
In SANTIAGO BAY.
Commodore SchIey Sends information
Of Cervera's Whereabouts.
The Admiral Is Cooped Up and schley Has
Seen and Recognized n e spanish yes-
sels-American Ships Guard the
Mouth Of the Harbor.

o'clock this (Monday) morning a dis
patch from Commodore Schley Stain.
that the Spanish fleet is in tn,
bay OF Santiago De Cuba, and that h
has seen and recognized the vessels.
While the naval officials have beer
morally certain for several days tha
Cervera's squadron was in tn,
harbor OF Santiago, the off.cia
announcement from Commodor,
Schley was received by the
officers on duty at the department n
with intense satisfaction. Assurance
is now doubly sure that the Spanish
fleet is bottled up aud that the cork i.
in the bottle.
1t is not believed that Adm. Cervera
will attempt TO escape from the pre-.
dicament in which he now finds him.
self as such a course would surely re-
suit in the destruction Of his vessels
and the loss of many lives precious to
Spain. The suggestion is made
however, that the Spaniards may blow
up his ships rather than have them fall
into the hands of Schley, as they cer-
tainly will if they remain in the har-
Dor.
KINGSTON, Jamaica. May 80 The
United States auxiliary cruiser. for
merly the American line steamer New
York, arri 7ed here Saturday morning
after having left the American fleet at
noon Friday.
Twelve American war ships are ow
outside the harbor of Santiago De Cuba
and Adm. Cervera and the Spanish
fleet are almost certainly inside. But
nothing certain is known as to the
communication which Commodore
Schley has had with the shore, or as to
the number OF Spanish fighting ves-
sells which are bottled up in the har-
Dor Of Santiago De Cuba.
1t is to be presumed that the Harvard
has important dispatches for the naval
authorities at Washington
KEY WEST, Fla, May %. 1t is now
almost certain that Commodore Schlev
has the Spanish fleet bottled up in the
harbor Of Santiago De Cuba. There is
SO little doubt about this that the naval
campaign is proceeding upon the as
sumption that Adm. Cervera is incapa-
bic Of doing any harm. Within few
days the exact condition, at
Santiago De Cuba will be known
without shadow of doubt.
In spite of assertions to the contrary,
Commodore Schley was not absolutely
sure of his game when he last co.nmu-
nicated with Rr. Adm Sampson. and
the commodore will not take active
steps to block up the entrance of SAM
tiago harbor until he is perfectly ccr-
tain that Adm. Ccrvera's 5 ships are in
side.
However, he may have done this al
ready, as Commodore Schley's last com
forwarded on Thursday,
only reached Rear Adm. Sampson Fri
day. The commodore stayed three
days at Cienfuegos. He signaled to
his ships: II believe the Spanish feet
is in the harbor." On this belief "A
message was sent 10 the American !
The details of how Com
modore Schley found out that he |
was mistaken are not yet known. At
any rate, acting on the admrals in.
the commodore then moved |
east, arriving outside Santiago De |
Cuba Wednesday morning, May %.
The topography of Cienfuegos and |
Santiago De Cuba is almost identical. |
Both harbors are about six miles long, |
with narrow entrances about 800 yards |
wide and protected by high land.
A whole fleet could lie in the harbor
If either place and be invisible from
he outside. After his experience at
cienfuegos, it is probable that Com
nodore Schley was very conservative
n deciding whether or not he had
.aught Adm. Cervera. From the tone
If his dispatches it is evident that the
soon gained much second
land and external evidence which
,ointed to Adm Cervera's presence in
he inner harbor. The evidence
vas apparently strong enough TO
make the commodore feel certain the
bject OF his trip had been accom-
'lished, hut in view of his previous eX-
'erience, he would not risk decisive
until after ascertaining the
act for himself Before this dispatch
5 published it is likely that Com,no-
ore Schley has sent some vessel into
he entrance OF the harbor of Santiago
De Cuba. or has obtained from reli-
BILE source ashore information as TO
he exact number and the names OF
he Spanish war ships sheltered by the
ills about that place. Contrary to the
enerally expressed opinion, the har-
or Of Santiago De Cuba is poorly
rotected
The Cruiser Columbia in a Collision.
NEW YORK, May 30.-The United |