Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-26
CERVERA'S BLUNOER
Naval Experts Comments on His Re-
treat to Santiago.
HIS ESCAPE DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE
Guarding Against a Night Sally by
the Enemy.
OBSTRUCTING THE CHANNEL

other stage in their calculations on the
| status Of Admiral Cervera's fleet at San
+, uaso de Cuba They not only have good
| reason to believe that he is bottled I'D
put as an office expressed it today, 1.-The
cork Is In the bottle" and it is practically
! impossible for the feet to leave the har-
Dor day or night. 1t is felt that this condi-
tfon Of the Spanish fleet is not only i'm
portant from the present strategic stand
| point, but of momentous concern to the
| entire future of the war as the crippling
| OF this naval force-the most effective that
spain possesses-will leave her with such
| scant naval resources as to make a uro-
| iongatlon OF the war improbable.
Still in the Harbor.
| That Admiral Cervera went to Santiago
| and is still there continues to be the view
taken by the Navy Department. At the
| same ume 1t can be stated that not a word
mas been received from either Admiral
| sampson or Commodore Schley in official
| confirmation of this reported trap. 1t rests
now, as II did two days ago, on a semi
| ofllciai report coming to the Navy Depart
| Heht from a source believed to be reliable
IL was not naval source, nor one con-
| nected with the State Department: neither
| oio IL come from press advices 1t was
| from persons having relations with tho
| navy department and in position to he
| accurately advised. The naval authorities
| were extremely anxious to secure an Off
cidi Connrmatlon from one of the American
| commanders, and had this been received it
| "ouiu nave been made public at once But
| iaehihs lnls the department gave to the
| puplic all 1t felt warranted in giving from
| the facts at hand namely, the expression
| OF belief that the Spanish fleet was in
| Santiago harbor. This belief has been re-
| lnforced by the negative fact that the fleet
| mas been seen at no other point and also
ny cumulative evidence from London and
eise"here. Still word from Sampson and
ecniey is neing most anxiously awaited, as
| giving official assurance OF a condition felt
to be of the most vital importance.
| Cervern Cannot Escnpe.
| AS naval officers accept as true the state
| ment that Admiral Cervera is at SANTIAGO
| they are now turning their attention to in,
qu1ring whether it is possible for hin, to
get out of the harbor. They hold that tbis
| maneuver Is impossible and that being in
| sioe' the career of the Spanish fleet is at
| an END, as far as it constitutes a menace
against our ships. This view is brought
ou' os lne BRUSH comment that Admiral
Hornoy, In 1885, escaped with his entire
cOnli-
uoIs, ana that Admiral Cervera will have
| no difficulty in making his escana wben ba
gets ready to do so. The naval view hare
IS just the contrary 1t is pointed out that
| Auiniral Hornby escaped from an open bav
Willie Adlniral Cervera must come through
harro" channel, about 300 yards wide on
winch the American searchIights will inlay
constantly. 1t is said that this is NOT moro
! opinion, but that naval maueuyers were
earned on at Key West and Tortugas
which furnish positive demonstration that
ADMIRAL Cervera cannot come out without
being discovered An officer who was on
podro one OF the American ships during the
Iortugas movement says a sham night at
| tack of torpedo boats was made upon the
big battle ships and cruisers The latter
were given no notice of the projected At
tack, and there was no extra guard. such
| as the American ships now maintain But
every torpedo boat engaged in the attack
was discovered long before it was within
striking distance of the cruisers and battle
shlps. one OF the attacking torpedo boats
was SO bewidered by the searchlights that
| 1t nearly ran into cruiser
Night Sally Impossible.
The lesson drawn from that attack was
| that night sally by an enemy was i'm
possible, owing to the modern methods of
discovering an approach. 1t had shown
also, that the attacking fleet could not get
WITHIN range, although they had come with
IN the range of the guns ON the ships at
| tacked. 1t Is said that these maneuvers at
Tortugas and Key West practically repre-
sent the situation before Santiago. If Ger
vera sent out his torpedo boats as scouts
they would be detected before they could
90 damage and be destroyed by the small
n E11Rt
The American ships would have the advau-
| tage of concentrating their entire fire upon
| one small passage about 800 feet wide.
A night battle is quite unusual in naval
annals, but it mas occurred The Constel-
| fatlcn fought the Revenge at night, the en-
gagement continuing for six hours in the
darkness, during which time the mainmast
OF the Constellation was carried away and
| the ship crippled. 1t is believed that if Ad-
mlrai Cervera attempts to escape he will
| choose the night for the movement.
Obstructing the Channel.
On the other hand, naval officials are dis
GUSHING the means which the American
commander may adopt to make exit i'm
possible. In the blockade of Charleston
| barges full of stones were sunk at the
channel entrance, cutting off ingress and
egress. A few old hulks would serve the
same purpose in the present case. But
there Is difficulty in getting such old craft.
and even if they were available the sinking
OF a derelict at the proper point in the
| channel would be attended with great dam
ger. 1t would have to be towed to position.
sutjecting those in charge to the danger of
mines and torpedoes. There is also the fire
from MORO Castle to be guarded against.
1t is understood, however. that Moro
Castle has no searchlights. so that a night
operation of the character Indicated could
be executed without the Spaniards being
made aware of it. Taking everything into
account. naval officers feel that Admiral
Cervera committed fatal blunder in go
ing to Santiago and permitting himself to
be shut in by United States naval forces.