The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-04-28

The Campaign in Cuba, 1t Is Believed,
Will Not Begin Before Next Fall Only
Germany and Austria Have Refrained
From Declaring Neutrality.
Washington, April 2S.-The war sit
uation is substantially this: The block
aiding squadron remains passive before
Havana, with no present purpose Of
bombarding, or of drawing the fire of
the shore batteries. The strategic pur-
pose of effective blockade of the Cuban
capital is being accomplished to the en-
tire satisfaction of the authorities here.
There is no indication that part of the
fleet will be withdrawn for the purpose
of affording additional protection to
north Atlantic ports. AS to the re-
ports of the imminenCe of a naval bat
tie off the Philippine islands, the naval
authorities here seriously doubt
whether the Spanish fleet will make
stand against the American ships.
Their reason for this belief is that
the Spanish fleet is very inferior in
number and quality to the American
force under Commodore Dewey. The
department, therefore, is satisfied that
the Spanish feet will not go to do bat
tie on the high seas with Admiral
Dewey, but will remain in port to Sc
cure the protection of the batteries of
Manila, and are not expecting an en-
gagement for about two days.
No Certainty of an Engagement.
There is no certainty that there will
be an engagement at all in the imme-
diate future, the main purpose of the
expedition being to seize and hold some
suitable Spanish territory in the Phil
ippines as a base of operations in
Asiatic waters. 1t is possible that this
can be done without attacking the other
at ALL by seizing a suitable port on
some adjacent island, without fortifi-
cations, the sympathy of whose inhab-
itants are towards the insurgents.
No word has come to the department
of the arrival of the Spanish troopship
Montserret at Cienfuegos. The Of
fcials are inclined to believe that If
she has gotten in that port she did so
before the blockade of Cienfuegos had
begun. The press dispatch stated that
she carried 1000 soldiers, 100000 in
specie and is big guns
The very fact that the Madrid Of
ficials have rather ostentatiously de-
clared that the Spanish fleet has sailed
to lombard the cities on the north At
- - q ON i'iu'- ~
".io' go l'.i'tr'.y ~ VI 'ie
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-, ~.
- ,','.l r,,,,,,,l,'e ,,,,,,Ii. ''''''
some vevation is felt ar the navy do
nartrrart at tho ipi,,r,, e,stoined ~, ~
! tornedo boat cushing If is saId +bot
! This is the first serious hraal,do,vn sho
| has suffered in the nine wears of her
! service Iucl,iIv the department will
he able TO repIace her veIy shortly for
President Malster. of the Columbian
iron works. announces that the tor
| nedo boat Mckee. a 20 knotter is readv
! for trial TODAY. She will be sent at
| once to Norfolk to have the FINISHING
touches added. and then will ioin the
squadron.
The Gushing is on her way north
from the blockading SQUADRON of Ad
miral SAMPSON. off Havana in order
that repairs NAV be made TO her star
board engine. which is wrecked as the
result. il is said. of an ATTEMPT to show
off her fine qualities bv Naval Cadet
Boyd. who was temporarily in charge
of her. The repairs, it is expected
will take about a month. and probably
| will be done at the Norfolk navy ward
1t is said that the vessel has had no
| encounter of any sort with the Snanish
| and that there is nothing in reDorts
! current that the Spanish gunboat Ii
! geria had fired at and hit her
| Cunon Cnmnntgn MAJ, Na noIovo,
In tho war daoortmant tbera is q
ero,,ino baIiof nat tba oa,,raie,r, A.,
| Cuba will not be in full swing before
next fall when the rainy season has
| ended. That belief, however, has not
prevented the officers whose duty It is
10 get the troops together from pushing
their work with the greatest energy.
The enormous amount of waTk involv-
ed i'm increasing the army, regular and
volunteer, has caused General Miles to
abandon his southern trip for the pres
ent.
The state department posted a notice
yesterday stating it had been officially
advised of the ISSUANCE of neutrality
orders by Italy, the Netherlands,
! Switzerland, Norway and Sweden. Rus
! sia and Colombia. TO these should be