The record-union., 1898-05-25
Reported to Have Been Fought in
the WindWard Passage.
Also Sets at Rest the RumOr That the
MangToVs Had Fallen Into Spanish
Hands, Her Commander Having
Been Heard From.

=.
lapse into sensational war rumors in
Washington to-day after a week of
comparative quietude. The rumOrs
ranged all the way from the capture of
the little Mangrove with a crew of thir
teen men to the reported destruction of
the entire Spanish fleet by SIMPSONS
and Schley's combined forces. They
were circulated with persistence, not
withstanding their denial as soon as
they could be brought to the attention
of any official capable of passing judg
ment on their accuracy AS the day
rolled along the Officials themselves be-
came apprehensive, as was shown by
the frequency with which they called
for the latest newspaper bulletins. At
the close of the day, however it was
again announced in the most positive
manner that the Navy Department had
no information to warrant the report of
any sort of engagement in the Wind
ward Passage. This did not specifically
cover the waters of the West Indies.
ment has also pledged itself to let the
public know of anything in the nature
of a general engagement, possibly the
bulletin announcement is sufficient to
cover the case.
When Secretary Long started for
home after an exceptionally busy day,
he stated to a group Of newspapermen
that the department has received no
information of Importance. In response
to an inquiry as to where the Spanish
fleet was located. Mr.. Long replied that
his belief was that it was still at Santi-
ago de Cuba. Concerning the reported
capture of the Mangrove and the loss
of other ships, the Secretary dismissed
these stories as purely conjectural. and
not supported by facts. Word had come
from the commander Of the Mangrove
since the time of the alleged capture.
showing that the ship could not have
been in the hands of the Spanish
Mr.. Long paid a handsome tribute to
the War Board, and stated that there
was no purpose whatever of changing
the present system whereby this board
co-operates with him in giving every
possible assistance and advice. mainly
in the way of information to the Ad-
mirals in command The office of the
War Board, the Secretary pointed out,
was not to fight battles; that was ex-
clusively the province of the squadron
commanders. The board acted merely
in an advisory way, and at no time had
assumed executive functions
The Spaniards appear to be making
ready for something more than a de-
fensive campaign at home, or at least
they are trying to create that impress
sion by other means than news bulle-
tins that issue almost daily from Ma
drid. The Navy Department now has.
by its own reliable sources, reports of
greatest activity in the Spanish navy
yards, and the preparation for sea and
for long voyage of two of the tor
pedo boat destroyers. 1t is given out
that they are TO join Cervera immedi-
ately his squadron enters Cadiz har-
bor Possibly this statement is made
with a deliperate purpose of mislead-
ing American sailors into the belief
that Cervera has taken his way home
ward.
Inquiries as to the whereabout of the
Oregon brought reply this afternoon
TO the effect that the battleship was
safe. Nothing could be learned of her
location. 1t is probable that the tele-
grams said to have emanated from the
vessel were really filed at Key West
but We're brought to that port on some
dispatch boat from the Oregon, which
is cooperating with our fleets.
The cutting of the cables at Santiago
and at San Juan de Porto Rico, as
reported to-day. was a military move
of first Importance. Blanco has yet
one link left of communication with the
outer world. but the Spanish COM
mander at San Juan now finds himself
totally in the dark as to conditions IN
Spain or in Cuba, while the value OF
o.yau. oxeiso Mo,
that port as a place of refuge for the
Spanish flying squadron is materially
diminished. 1t is safe TO say that the
remaining cable at Santiago will be
cut soon. like the others. so that il
Cervera is misguided enough to have
entered Santiago harbor, he will be