Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-05-19
WAR;,

WAY
The news of the war this week has
been uncertain and indefinite. Our
fleets have bombarde1 San Juan,
which is the principal port of Porto
Rico, but the extent of the damage Is
not known. It has been reported that
the city capitulated, but the better
opinion is that the bombardment was
more to try the extent of the defenses
and to give the gunners practice and
see the resisting power Of our vessels,
than to demolish the forts. If practice
in gunnery was to be INDUCED In, the
shots could be fred at an enemy and
thereby save wasting them on an ordi-
nary target. Our first deaths In tho
war were one Ensign and six seamen
on board the torpedo boat the Wins
low in Matanzas harbor on last Thurs
day. They got too near the Spanish
forts and the range was found and the
Winslow damaged and seven of her
crew killed. The young Ensign was
from Raleigh, N. O., and had only
| graduated from the Naval Academy
last year. His name was Worth Bag
ley, and he was splendid young fell
low. Our army has not yet invaded
| Cuba. The doubt about the where
abouts Of the Spanish fleet made it
too hazardous to send an army into
| Cuba until the feet had beed destroyed
or battle had been fought. The fleet
was located at Martinique on last
Friday, and Commodore Schley who
commands the Flying Squadron was
Immediately ordered to sea from
Hampton Roads.
In the mean time the volunteers
have been assembling from all parts Of
the country. At Richmond there are
now nearly 5000. The Rockingham
and Charlottesville compan les both
| went last week. Gen. Joe Wheeler is
already at Tampa, where he reported
last Friday to Gen. Wade. Gen.
| Wheeler will command the cavalry.
There is feeling of disappointment
that there has not been prompt action
in Cuba and in the Atlantic. 1t is said
by many that war ought not to have
been declared SO soon or we ought to
have been ready to move as soon as
declared, and instead of allowing the
Spanish three weeks to strengthen
their Notifications at Havana and
Porto Rico, these should have been
attacked within forty-eight hours of
l. a y, mo
seems to be no excuse for our deleY
since war began. Dewey has 80 far
excelled the movements on this side
that the country Is growing ashamed
of our stratigists. We should have
delayed the declaration until we were
ready, and when we were ready should
have declared war. There has been
great distress in Havana it is said.
Wagon loads of dead bodies of the re-
concentrates are hauled daily out of
| the city, and before our forces land all
| will surely be dead,
| The Spanish fleet has evidently been
lodging. They do not intend to risk
aII on one battle, hence have been
giving us much trouble and the naval
strategists some uneasiness. They
were found by the New York Herald s
boat to be at Martinique on last Fri
day. This was the first reliable infor-
nation as to their whereabouts. As
soon as found Commodore Sampson
went in pursuit, but that changed the
plan of invasion and again it was post
poned.
| There are reports of engagements
with Spaniards along the Cuban coast,
but these seem to have been trivial,
and as yet no force of ours has been
landed. 1t is certain, however, that
arms and ammunition have been
placed in the hands Of the insurgents,
and il Spanish treachery" will not
prevail over them, and get them turn
ed upon us, they may assist our troops
when they are landed. But it is pitia-
BILE to see how these forces have
them before the war was declared.
They were reported as being about
1000, but this ought to have been
divided by nearly five, certainly by
four. The Cuban armies are divided
into three distinct commands, and
there are not 5000 effective men In
| aither. The Spaniards ought there
fore to have swept this force off the
island nearly a year ago had they been
at all aggressive, or had their officers
| wished the war ended. But they were
making too much money out Of it to
stop it.
The following is the condensed news
of Monday:
A special cablegram from Wilhelm
stadt, Curacao, states that the Span
ish Cape Verde squadron, which arriv-
ed there Saturday, left yesterday
owing to the Curacao government en-
forcing the neutrality decree.
Curacao is an island OF the Dutch
| West Indies. and is rs miles from the
coast of Venezuela. 1t is said that the
Spanish feet went there to recoal
from transport vessels stationed in the
| ocean nearby.
Admiral SIMPSONS fleet, which was
| at Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo, Sat
urday. was said yesterday to be head
| ing toward the western end of Hayti.
Windward Passage, at the eastern end
of Cuba, to intercept the Spanish
squadron if it comes north. From
Curacao to Puerto Plata in straight
line is about 500 miles, though going
through the Mona Passage and cir
cling around tbs central part of the
North Dominican coast to Puerto
Plata it would probably be about 600
miles.
The auxiliary cruiser Harvard, for
merly the New York. Of the America
Line, remains at st. Pierre, Martin
ique, where. it is stated, she will have
repairs made to her machinery. The
fast Spanish torpedo vessel Terror is
at Fort de France, on the same island,
where she, too, ia said to be disabled,
and to require time to complete re
pairs. 1t is suspected that the torpedo
vessel is either waiting to pounce upon
the Harvard, OR to attack the battle
ship Oregon when the latter appears.
The auxiliary cruiser Yale. formerly
the Paris, Of the American Line, left
sU. Thomas, Danish West Indies, yes
terday bound west. 1t is reported in
Madrid that Spanish cruiser has cap
tured her, but this is discredited.
Commodore Schly, with the greater
M rT of the f1yiro canadian rriuad off