The record-union., 1898-06-18
CANARY ISLANDS.
A Squadron May Soon be Sent to
Attack Them.

A Squadron May Soon be Sent to
Attack Them.
WASHINGTON, June 17.-No news
is expected from the feet bound for
Santiago before Sunday. That state
ment was made at the Navy Depart
n1ent to-day, -and was based upon ac-
curate knowledge of the course taken
and the speed the vessels are travelling
at. The naval officials are still conf
dent the vessels have taken the east
erly course by way of Cape Maysi.
They should have rounded that point
by this time.
The fixing upon Sunday as the day
upon which news might be expected is
supposed to have been brought about
from the fact that it will take some
time, probably as much as two days, to
land the troops and their heavy equip
ments. Seeing that several days
would be required to effect the en-
barkation of troops at Tampa, it is not
to be expected that much better time
can be made in getting them ashore on
hostile coast, without any of the ia
cilties afforded at Tampa for the
work
The War Department has been work
ing strenuousy to establish cable COM
munication over the French cable be-
tween Hayti and the point near Santi-
ago, where the marines are now
camped General Greeley, Chief Signal
Officer, is directly in charge of this
work, and is acting through Lieutenant
Colonel Allen of the Signal Corps, who
is aboard the cable steamer Mancel,
che bxyf f1,a N.,y~
Department for the purpose of making
and breaking cable connections to suit
naval and military necessities. The
navy is not concerned in this work, and
all the operations looking to the re-
newal of broken circuits are in charge
of the army.
The Mancel was yesterday at Cape
Haytien, with everything prepared for
the start, when trouble was found
with her clearance papers. AS soon
as the fact was reported here, General
Greeley induced the State Department
to send instructions to United States
Minister Powell at Port au Prince to
use his good offices with the Haytien
Government to facilitate the departure
of the ship. 1t is believed that this
has now been accomplished and the
Mancel is now either in Guantanamo
Bay or very close to that place. As
soon as cable communication is re-
stored II will be operated by the
French Cable Company, the only re-
striction imposed by the United States
being the establishment of censorship
at Camp McCalla Thus the line will
be open to commercial business, al
= 70 will htQ
preference.
For the same reason that they de-
ciined to make public any information
respecting the sending Of the Santiago
expedition until the transports had
started, the War Department officials
decline to say whether they are about
to send reinforcements to General Shat
ter Immediately. But without refer
ence to reinforcements, the department
will establish line by steamer almost
daily with General Shafter to keep his
troops supplied with food, munitions of
war and whatever else may be needed.
1t may be necessary also for the Gov
ernment to undertake by means of this
express service to supply in large part
with food and ammunition the Cuban
insurgents already under Garcia and
Rabi, who are reported TO have come
to the support of Lieutenant Colonel
Huntington's marines at Camp Nc
Gala A little computation will show
that large amount of supplies will
be needed and a number of vessels
must be employed in this service, so
that if the Government should find it
necessary to reinforce General Shafter
by a few thousand additional soldiers
they can be very conveniently and at
short notice transported on some of
these supply ships.
1t is believed by naval experts that
the character of the vessels now at
Norfolk and vicinity being prepared
precludes the idea of their being ar
ranged as a squadron for the capture
of the Canary Islands. The Canaries
are we'll fortified, and they could be
safely and successfully attacked only
! by armored ships There are no such
ships among those at Norfolk and vi
cinity, nor are the vessels fast enough
as a whole to rank as a flying squad
ron. not ship among them being able
to make twenty knots.
The idea of attacking the Canaries,
as near as can be gathered, is based
upon the theory that the war can be
more speedily terminated by carrying
1t very close to Spain, and this in turn
cannot be done without the capture of
a proper base. 1t is evident that if
this idea has obtained the expedition
cannot be dispatched until by the de-
structon or capture of Cervera's fleet
in Santiago harbor and destruction of
the Notifications at the entrance to the
harbor, Sampson is able to make up a
powerful ironclad squadron from
among the best vessels of his fleet In
doing this he must have regard to the
maintenance of the blockade, for which
more ships will be required after the
fall Of Santiago, as then the blockade
will be considerably extended from it's
present limits, possibly even so far as
to include the whole coast of Cuba.
REGULARS AND VOLUNTEERS.