The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-29
CONFIDENT HE HAS CERVERA.
SCHLEY ARRIVED OFF SANTIAGO
WEDNESDAY MORNING.

Naval Campaign Now Proceeding
ON the Assumption That the Span
ish Admiral Is SO Wen Bottled Up
That He Can Do No Harm.
Copyright 1898, by the Associated Press.
Key West. May est is now almost
certain that Commodore Schley has the
! Spanish fleet bottled UP IN the harbor of
! Santiago de Cuba.
There is so little doubt about this that
the naval campaign is proceeding upon the
assumption that Admiral Cervera is in
capable of doing any harm.
Within few days the exact conditions
| at Santiago de Cuba viii be known with
out shadow of a doubt.
In spite Of assertions to the contrary,
Commodore Schley was not absolutely
sure of his game when he last commun-
Gated with Rear Admiral Sampson and
the commodore will not take active steps
to block up the entrance of Santiago har-
bar until he is perfectly certain that Ad-
miral Cervera's ships are inside.
However, he may have done this al
ready, as Commodore Schleys last com
munlcation forwarded on Thursday only
reached Rear Admiral Sampson yesterday.
The commodore stayed three days at
Cienfuegos. He slgnalled to his ships, Il
believe the Spanish fleet is in the har-
bor"
| On this belief message was sent to the
American admiral. The details of how
Commodore schley found out that he was
mistaken are not yet known. At any rate,
acting on the admirars instructions, the
| commodore then moved east and arrived
outside Santiago de Cuba on Wednesday
morning, May 25,
The topography of Cienfuegos and San
! tiago de Cuba is almost identical. Both
harbors are about six miles long, with
narrow entrances, about 800 yards wide,
and protected by highlands. A whole fleet
could lie in the harbor of either place and
be invisible from the outside.
After his experience at Cienfuegos 1t is
probable that Commodore sehley was very
conservative in deciding whether or not
he had caught Admiral Cervera. From the
tone of his dispatches it is evident that
the commodore soon gained much second
hand and external evidence which pointed
to Admiral Cerveras persence in the in
ner harbor. This evidence was apparently
strong enough to make the commodore
! feel certain the object of his trip had
been accomplished but in view of his
previous experience, he would not risk
decisive statement until after ascertaining
the fact for himself
Before this dispatch is published it is
likely that Commodore Schley has sent
some vessel into the entrance of the har-
Dor of Santiago de Cuba, or has obtained
from reliable source ashore information
as to the exact number and the names of
the Spanish warships sheltered by the
hills about that place.
Contrary to the generally expressed.
opion, the harbor Of Santiago de Cuba is
poorly protected. Like Havana and San
Juan de Porto Rico, 1t has its MORO cas-
tie, which is even a better target than
those of Havana and San Juan. The only
danger to be feared is from the mines
which have been laid in the channel of
Santiago since the war was declared. But
countermining would probably render
these mines harmless should it prove de-
sirahe for Commodore Schleys ships to
enter the harbor. Such a step, however is
unlikely.
In this connection 1t may be noted that
since the commencement of the naval OPP
erations, the moral effects of the mines
have been great. This condition promises
to continue and viii probably mark the
naval operations to a great extent than
ever imagined in the past.
The blockade of Northern Cuba continues
uneventful and is apparently successful
The measures of precaution which Rear
Admiral Sampson adopted up to yesterday
TO guard the eastern and western pass
sages did not detract from the efficacy of
the blockade.
Now that the element of uncertainty re-
garding the Spanish ships whereabouts is
almost entirely removed the ships, which
were solely occupied in watching for the
Spanlards have become an additional force
for the blockade, and without any incon-
veuient change Of position.
Commodore Schley has been reinforced,
but his position was clearly so strong that
the reinforcement which he received made
no difference 10 the strong fleet in North
ern Cuban waters.
The rumors Of the sailing of a second
Spanish squadron did not worry Rear Ad-
miral Sampson in the slightest degree. His
feelings on the subject were aptly ex-
pressed recently when he said: ''I am per-
fectly satisfied that we have bagged those
follows" referring to Admiral Cervera'e
fleet.
For the second time since war was de-
clared the admiral has been notified that
the army is ready TO move. This Is good
news to all the naval officers.
BY great good fortune no accident has
occurred of sufficient Importance to rem
der our ships utterly helpless or beyond
the aid of towing during the fleets cruis-
ing Of the past month. Such accidents.
however. are quite within the bounds of
possibility.
During the weeks cruise of the fagshin
New York from Matanzas toward the
eastern end OF Cuba and back there were
few incidents of interest. Everything. CEN
tered In the news from Commodor1
schley, and disappointment was visible In
every face when il became generally
known that the commodore was mistaken
in thinking he had Admiral Cervera bot-
tied up at Cienfuegos, but this feeling soon
gave way to renewed enthusiasm when
news was received from Santiago de Cuba
This really was more acceptable than Inc
reports from Cienfuegos, for had Admiral
Cervera succeeded in effecting a landing
a. Cienfuegos he would most likely have
been able TO transport his alleged cargo
of arms and ammunition to Havana. while
from Santiago de Cuba il will be almost
impossible for him to do so.
The sharDest kind OF a lookout was
r.