The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-05-07

should make. This was the first time
Secretary Long has been present at the
meeting Of the board. He listened at
tentively to the discussion of naval ex-
perts and entered into it with a deci-
sion and judgment that was we'll ap-
preciated by the officers with whom
he conferred. AS soon as war is form
ally declared by Congress, it is con-
fidently expected that orders will be
sent to the flying squadron to proceed
to sea for the purpose of giving battle
to SPANS squadron now at st. Vim
cent.
Before the battle takes place, how
ever Commodore SchIey's fleet will be
reinforced. The efforts of the vessels
of the North Atlantic squadron, now
in Cuban waters, will be confined to
preventing any supplies reaching
SPANS force in the city Of Havana.
An official with whom 1 talked pointed
out that Havana is the terminus Of
a network Of railways, which connect
with Cardenas and MatanZas' on the
east, and Bahia Honda, Port Cabanas
and Mariel on the west. CienfuegOs is
also a railroad terminus, and if the
BLOCKADE runners could get supplies IN
that port. they could be sent to Ha-
yana. 1t will be the duty Of American
vessels to warn neutral vessels away
from these ports, and should they then
attempt to violate the blockade, they
will be seized and condemned as
| blockade runners and will be taken
before a prize court, which will be held
| at Key West, and will undoubtedly
| be condemned by that judicial body.
81 can Appreciate why no attempt is
being made by the department to
| blockade the entire coast Of Cuba,
said a well-known naval officer to me
| today. "Rear-Admiral Sampson has
not sufficient vessels to make such
| blockade effective, and it would do no
good to blockade a great many ports
which are held by small Spanish gar
risons and which cannot communicate
with Havana except by road. Samp-
sons plan is to prevent supplies from
reaching the Spanish force in Havana,
so as to starve it into submission, or
| at least into such a state that 1t Will
not be able to give any great resls-
! lance to the military expedition when
will he organized next week. The IN
s17rgents are expected to prevent any
suDnIies reaching Havana by interior
| communication. [ have no doubt that
| the insurgents are actively engaged at
| This moment in destroying every
means of communication between the
interior and Havana that it is posi-
! Bile to do"
Secretary Gage telegraphed all col
1nctors of customs on the Atlantic
| Cu1f and Pacific seabOards, as soon as
| the President signed his proclamation,
! that all ports on the north coast OF
! cuba from Cardenas to Bahia HONDA
! and also Cienfuegos on the south coast
have been bIockaded by the Unlted
Ctates. Collectors were instructed 10
onounicate this notification IN writ
mo to all foreign Consuls in their re-
-noctive districts, and to masters OIL
oil vessels applying for clearance 70
bIockaded ports or ports IN their 'lcI-
ni+v The instructions will prevent d
| loss to the Spanish and Spanish owl
orc and at the same time simpIIy the
1,-orlz of the blockading squaoIO49-
| Collectors were also instructed TO Iele-
o,-anb the names OF all Spanish Yessels
- their districts, but it IS beHeNeu
il,,+ few remain in American ports.