Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-20

AGAINST the Appearance OF the
SDanjsh Fleet, and Should It Go
~ Porto Rico 1t Will Be Followed
TN and and Attacked.
New York, May ia dispatch to
tho Times from Washington says: Adj
-,iral Sampson is now, it is said, in a
,,,sition 10 be regularly and frequently
informed of the appearance of the enc
NV and the Spanish admiral is now or
will he cut off and unable to turn in
any direction with safety.
We are bound to come up with him, !"
said prominent naval officer to-day,
..uuless he desires to run for our coast.
Bor that will only deter the inevitable
meeting for a few days. The longer he
rms and lodges the shorter becomes
his supply of coal Once that is ex-
bsusted, he has no place to which he
can resort for supplies, except San Juan
or Havana He may select either por;
hp DfSIELS. IL IL pC VI w iNASOy odAhP-
son would return and resume his bonn
bsrdment. | do not, however, believe
Admiral Ceryera will permit his fleet to
he bottled up in a harbor and shelled
where it cannot manoeuvre. That
would condemn him for both unsea-
manlike conduct and for criminal
waste Of the powder of his feet
Few officers consider the suggestion
Of a dash for the coast of the United
States as one of the probabilities. If
that were to be undertaken it would be
by vessels not in the squadron now in
The Caribbean. The danger from that
source is regarded as very slight. If
the squadron is proceeding by north
ern route. it cannot avoid being seen
BIZ vessels bound east along the usual
routes. If it is travelling southern
route out of the usual lane, the scouts
of the United States navy are almost
certain TO sight it, Galveston, Chesa
peake Bay, Philadelphia, New York,
Boston and Portland are considered by
Navy Department officials and by ordn-
ance officers of the War Department
quite safe against any Spanish exploit.
The Navy Department people have
ceased to pay any attention to inquiries
concerning the many Spanish fleets
daily reported as having been at widely
will no longer venture to extend COM
forting assurances to those who cannot
avoid concern at every fresh report of a
Spanish fleet But little amusement
and some Indignation is expressed
about the altogether uncalled for nerv-
business manifested by citizens of Bos-
ton and other eastern cities, who called
for protection from the navy and who
succeeded in detaching on useless
scouting service the Columbia and the
Minneapolis. The officers of these YES
sells have been heard from here, and
they consider that they were unneces-
sarily deprived of useful scouting SER
vice southwark and exposed to the
jeers of their comrades merely to quiet
the anxieties of persons quite needlessly
alarmed.
The plans for the invasion of Cuba
by the United States forces remain un-
changed. The elusive performances of
the Spanish squadron have postponed
the execution of a part at least of the
programme, but it has been altered in
no important particular, The deter
mnatlon to dispatch to the island as
soon as practicable an army of not less
than $4,000 men competent to meet and
cope with the forces of Blanco still
stand. But the time has not yet come
When 1t is practicable to do this, for
the simple reason that the army is not
ready to be sent to Cuba. The $4,000
regulars massed at Tampa are prepared
% 90 anywhere lat any time. The ma
lority Of the 9vblunteers gathering at
Tampa, New Orleans, Mobile and Chick
amauga are not prepared to go any
where and will not be until they are
uniformed, armed, equipped and have
some training in the art of war All
thls VIII take time. The best Judgment
VI military experts is that it will re-
q0lfe not less than a month unde~ the
most favorable circumstances to put
'o'OVo volunteers in condition to rein
loIce the regulars for the army of Gu
Jan INVASION. 1t is thought by many
"ained officers that more time than that
ought and is likely to be taken
1t Is recalled that Gen. Scot spent
SIX months training and drilling his
army before he invaded Mexico, and It
~ not contended that the invasion of
Cuoa Is the conquest of Mexico The
"siorlous experience of Bull Run IS 4
iaForlte illustration of the unwisdom Of
putting recruits to the serious business
Of war too soon.
iHere Is one portion of the Cuban
programme, however, which may not
oe delayed much longer. That is the
0'NPdlcAlng OF an expedition, made up
o'inoS' II not entirely, of regulars from
'le tampa camp to make landing on
G.,i