Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-04-30
WHAT WILL SPAIN Do?
Speculation As to the Probable Conduct
of the Campaign.

Speculation AS to the Probable Conduct
of the Campaign.
The navy department is not trou-
bled by rumors of the movements of
the Spanish fleets, says Washington
special to the New York Times. The
long talked of policy of the Spaniards,
to harry our coasts, seems to have
been indefinitely postponed, and the
navy officials do not know what to
make of the programme. They can
not understand the move behind the
steady withdrawal of Spanish ships
from western waters and the apparent
efforts to concentrate the fleets on the
western coast of Spain. The only ac-
tivity that is visible in the Spanish
fleets seem to be the same sort of ac-
tivity that was displayed by Weyler
in Cuba-the activity of the bulletin
and dispatch.
AS far as the navy department is
aware, the Spaniards are still at an
chor in the protected harbor of Porto
Grande, in Portuguese territory. They
will soon be forced out of this shelter
through demand of this country up
on the Portuguese government.
If Portugal will not order the Span
iards out of their territorial jurisdic-
ton, this country will not consent to
that country allowing Spain to use her
harbors as basis for their naval opera
tions against the United States, or for
purposes of espial upon the movements
of our fleets. While it is admitted
that Portugal can take whatever course
she pleases-proclaim neutrality or
make common cause with Spain-she
must do one or the other pretty soon.
The navy department has dispatched
several fast cruisers to watch the Span
ish ships and fleets, so as to keep the
department advised as to their move
ments. This is done to anticipate the
cutting off of cable connections, and
the shutting off of all news sources
from the Spanish possessions. Cuba
itself will soon be cut off from COM
munication with Europe, and perhaps
has been so cut off by this time, as the
Mangrove, it is said, has been sent to
drag for and sever the European line
from the island. Very soon there will
be no tidings of the movements OF
Spanish fleets save from the sight OF
the fleets themselves.
1t is the plan of the department to
send feet to European waters just
as soon as the blockading operations
in Cuba are completed and the regu-
lar army is landed on the island. The
fleet formed for this purpose will prob
ably be composed of the Flying Squad
ron reinforced by several fast and
powerful vessels, to make it match
for the Spanish feet now rendezvous.
ing at the Cape Verde islands. twill
probably seek the Spaniards at their
present station or at the Canaries, or
on their own coasts.
1t is the determined policy of the
navy to force the fighting, so as to end
the war. The present course in Cuba
seems to make for long delay, but the
movements are credited as merely pre-
liminary, and the real fighting will
commence just as soon as the troops
are landed in Cuba, and the blockade
of the island effected.
In the work of preparing vessels for
fighting, the navy department is NOV
ing with great energy. The Atlanta
is nearing completion, and her repairs
will be finished inside of a month.
The Chicago, also at the Brooklyn navy
yard, will be ready within six weeks.
Both vessels have been completely
overhauled and rearmed with rapid
fire guns. They will add considerable
strength and efficiency to the navy.
The work of reftting ocean liners
bought recently will all be completed
this week, and half dozen more
cruisers will be added to our fleets.