The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-05-05
Spanish Squadron Defeated.
The Naval Battle Long Expected at Manila Took Place
Sunday Morning.
he Spaniards We're Totally Routed
Their Fleet Completely Wiped Out.
r11I NI1uS on rI1E 1uEEL1
THE NEWS OF THE WEEK.

works and exploded, doing great des-
truction.
Not shell had struck one of the
vessels, but there had been three mar
row misses of the New York. The
Spanish fired shrapnel once which had
burst above the ship, a shell had
struck just fore of her and another
struck just aft. The fact that the
Spaniards failed to strike such large
target as the New York was taken as
evidence that they are not good
marksmen.
Our fleet threw probably hun
dred shell during the engagement,
while the batteries did not shoot pro-
badly more than twenty-five times.
If the action is to be taken as
measure of the accuracy of the Span
ish gunnery, the American fleet will
not have a difficult task in reducing
Havana and other Notifications on
the Cuban coast. The New York
and Cincinnati, both large ships, lay
broadside on the batteries at Matan-
zas for twenty minutes, offering a tar
get that any expert gunner could
hardly have missed, but no she'll came
nearer than one hundred yards, and
some fell nearly a mile off.
The American sailors are full of
enthusiasm over the fight.
The department at Washington
received no word to-day from Admiral
Dewey's squadron which is on its way
to the Philippines to do battle with
the Spanish fleet.
United States troops will leave
Tampa for an invasion of Cuba with
in the next few days. Orders were
issued to-day by the War Department
to the troops modified at Southern
points to be ready to start at a mo-
ment's notice.
General Lee has returned to Wash
ington, and had long conferences with
Adjutant-General Corbin, Secretary
Alger and General Shafter, in regard
to the general plan of campaign.
General Lee expressed himself as not
in the least surprised at the ease with
which Admiral Simpsons fleet had
demolished the forts at Matanzas.
He did not seem to think that the
capture of the Cuban capital would
be very difficult task.
Preparations for enlisting the 10, 900
immunes are rapidly progressing
and all indications show that the en-
tire quota will be made inside of a
few weeks.
1t is the opinion to-day in army
circles that Matauzas will be s. Led
in few days and the destruction of
the battery intended 10 guard that
harbor by Admiral SIMPSONS fleet is
taken as an assurance of this fact.
1t is no longer a secret that the
Cuban and American forces are work
I ing in harmony to whip the Spaniards.
Colonel Emilio Nunez, head of all the
important Cuban filibustering expedi-
tions, arrived at Tampa this morning
from Washington and was met by a
member of General Wade's headquar-
tiers, where lengthy conference was
held. Information from authentic
sources substantiates the fact that this
government is cooperating with the
Cuban leaders and that the first inva-
sion made on the Spaniards' forces
will be under the direction of Colonel
Nunez, and backed by men and artill-
cry from this government. Already
there is large number of Cuban vol
unteers here who are we'll supplied
with Winchester rifles and other war
implements who have been awaiting
the arrival of the Cuban leader before
they join Gomez's forces.
SATURDAY.
Officials of the Navy Department
believe that the first great naval hattie
of the war will be fought to-day at OF
near Manila between the squadron OF
Commodore Dewey and the Spanish
fleet in the PHILIPPINES, possibly sup
ported BY the land batteries at Manila.
There was some little shooting to-
day. In answer to volley fired from
Spanish on Shore at Cabanas, thirty
eight miles west of Havana last night,
the New York sent eleven shells in
the direction Of the Spaniards. The
enemies fire was silenced after the
first shot from the New York.
Whether any Spaniards were killed OF
wounded was not ascertained.