The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-17
Admiral sampson Reported TO BE
Headed for Cienfucgos, and schIey
still Moving Towards Cuba.
THE ARMADA MAY BE TRAPPED
If 1T ATTEMPTS TO LAND AMMUNI-
TION FOR GENERAL BLANCO.
Secretary Long Determined Not to
Plans by Giving Out Information.
speclal to the IndIanapolls journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, May 16.--No new light
has been shed on the campaign of the Span
ish admiral in command of the West India
squadron. The Washington strategists are
Spaniards. and can only speculate on their
movements. Admiral Simpsons feet is sup
posed to be on the way to Cienfuegos.
Within a day or two Sampson. echley and
of each other. They will be in a safer posi-
ton than they were with Sampson at Porto
Rico and Schley at Hampton Roads, but
they will not be any nearer a decisive bat
tie with the Spanish fleet, so far as one
can see. With the advantage of superior
speed and moving as they do in the dark
ness OF mystery, the Spaniards are in po-
stion to make the American feet very un-
comfortable and to keep the people of the
seaport towns from Galveston, Tex, to
Portland, Me-. in a state of disquiet. 1t Is
all right to talk about the American fleet
forcing the Spaniards into fight. but it is
not clear how it is to be done. 1t looks
as though the enemy would have to be al
lowed the privilege of selecting his own
time and place for the encounter unless
time end circumstances should force him
into a corner with no chance of escape. This
is what the Americans are hoping for.
An Associated Press dispatch says: 1t was
said at the Navy Department that Samp-
son had reported ,o-day by cable from Cape
Haiten. 1t is understood that the admiral.
by reason of information just received by
him, has changed his plans OF operations
and instead of going to Key West has di-
rected his vessels towards Cienfuegos,
where he is expected to arrive within the
next day or two.
Intimations have been received here that
Captain General Blanco, at Havana, is very
short of ammunition, in which case the bat
teries at the entrance OF Havana harbor
OF course would be deprived of a large part
OF their defensive strength. This state of
at blockade running on the part Of the
Spaniards in the hopes of getting more am
munition into Havana. 1t is believed that
the supplies so frequently referred to as be-
ing on the Spanish flying squadron were of
this character, rather than food supplies,
which makes it all the more important
that Sampson and Schley should succeed in
keeping Admiral Ceveras from reaching Ha-
vana or Cienfuegos or any port in Cuba
connected with Havana by rail. Commodore
Schley probably is well down on the Florida
coast now and should be able to guard the
Florida straits by tomorrow or next day.
His appearance on that side of Cupa would
enable Sampson to bring his ironclads with
perfect safety into Cienfuegos. on the south
side and with this disposition of our naval
force and the free use of a considerable
number of our scouting vessels it is hard
to see how the Spanish feet can escape
from the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean
sea. When last heard from the Spariards
were sailing westward from Curacao.
From the fact that there was an abso-
lutte lack of official information concerning
the fleets to-day it was assumed from this
that no engagement had occurred, as the
Navy Department has been frank to give
out full reports of actual conflicts, even
while guarding with the most rigid secrecy
the preliminary movements of ships. Now
that the opposing naval forces are so near
together naval officials feel the need more
than ever of preventing advance publication
as these would jeopardize the entire plan of
naval campaign. For this reason the Navy
Department is practically closed against all
inquiry, so far as future movements are
concerned. On the present war basis the in
formation given by the department is the
routine assignment of officers to ships, ac-
tual engagements with the foe, and such
matters of news will not assist the
enemy. The routine announcement of vessel
movements. composition of fleets. etc. are
entirely suspended. Not only is the depart
ment guarding against allowing this infor-
nation to so from the department. but it
is seeking to prevent disclosures, from the
many coast towns where the ships put in
II it succeeds in heading off this disclosure
OF our plans it will have the Spanish ad-
miral al a. dangerous disadvantage and an
expression of wish is made that the news
papers will assist in this
Secretary Long had busy morning with
his bureau chiefs and with a number of
congressional callers, including Senators
Lodge. Pettigrew, Platt, of New York and
Proctor Public men are experiencing the
same difficulty as the press in securing In
formation of strategic movements. A re-
cent visit of the German and Austrian