Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-05-17
SIGHED or VENEZUELA.
Latest News of Spanish Fleet
Causes Surprise at the Navy
Department.
SHIPS WERE GOING At FULL SPEED.
Believed the Plan lis to Avoid an En-
Eagement and Make Dash for
Cienfuegos or Havana = Where
abouts of Sampson Unknown
schley's Squadron ON Way South.

EaEement ana Make II Dash Tor
Cienfuegos Havana Where
abouts of Sampson Unknown
Schley's Squadron ON Way South.
Washington, May 16. = The Spanish
fleet has been sighted again, this time
about 100 miles off the coast of Vene-
zuela going west. This movement is a
surprise to navy department officials
here, who can only surmise that the
Spanish admiral desired to avoid an en-
gagement, and is waiting an opportun-
ity to make dash for Cienfuegos or
Havana. The fleet, when sighted, was
going at full speed, and had steamed
about $50 miles since last heard from
off the west coast of Martinique two
days ago.
The Invisible Fleet.
st. Pierre, Island of Martinique, May
1e.-The Spanish torpedo gunboat Ter
ror, of the Cape Verde fleet, is still at
Fort de France, capital of the island,
but nothing can be seen of the other
vessels from here.
The United States auxiliary cruiser
Harvard, formerly the American line
steamer New York, is at this port.
Our Fast Cruisers.
st. Thomas, Danish West Indies, May
16.-The United States auxiliary cruis-
err St. Louis sailed from here Saturday
morning going in a westerly direction.
The United States cruiser Montgomery
arrived here at seven o'clock in order
to take coal on board.
| Where Is Snmpsons
Washington, May 16.-Admiral Samp-
son has not contributed any further de-
tails to the navy department touching
his engagement with the batteries of
San Juan, and it is doubtful whether
the department knows the exact where
abouts of Admiral Sampson at this mo-
ment. He did not communicate with
the department over night, and 1t is
Just possible that he finds considerable
difficulty in sending his ships to cable
stations of neutral powers in the West
Indies without exhausting his privilege
in the number of calls he can make. It
Is unlikely, in view of the newspaper
accounts of the fight at San Juan, that
at the time Sampson drew off his squad
ron he had been informed of the pres
ence of the Spanish squadron off Mar
Unique, and it is possible that he is
still lurking on the north coast of Puer-
to Rico preparing for another onslaught
upon San Juan. Of course this purpose
will be changed as soon as he can be
reached by one of the dispatch boats
with the navy departments instruc-
lions.
France Not Favoring Spain.
The officials of the navy department
strongly deprecate as mischievous and
preston that France is not acting up
to the rule in the observance of strict
neutrality between the United States
and Spain. They say that even were
there some slight foundation for the
statements the time is very inoppor-
tune for newspaper attacks that might
even involve France in the present hos
ulIrlss. AS matter of fact, they say,
there is no evidence of any disposition
on the part Of the French colonial off
oials in the West Indies to discriminate
against the United States and favor
Spain. If there has been any delay in
the transmission of cablegrams from
Martinique to the United States or In
the reverse direction our governments is
not in possession of any evidence tend
ing in the slightest degree to show that
obstacles were purposely interposed.
As far as the matter of coaling is con-
cerned there is also an entire absence,
as yet at least, Of any evidence that the
Spanish feet was accorded any undue
advantage in this respect. If they took
coal at Martinique, and even this is not
certainly known, much would depend
upon the quantity allowed. The prac-
ttce is to give ships in such circum-
stances just enough to carry them to
the nearest home port, which might be
Puerto Rico or Cuba. If the Spanish re-
plenished their coal bunkers from col
iers lying in the port, another interest
Ing question could be raised.
French Artillerymen.
The state department satisfied itself |
as far as was possible to do SO before
making the statement Thursday that
no French artillerymen had been land
ed by the La Fayette at Havana. They
are now inclined to think after looking
at the matter carefully that the whole
basis for this absurd story grew out
of remark by some naval officers that
the superior gun fire of the Spanish at
Cardenas made it very evident, in view
OF their wretched shooting before that,
that some Frenchmen must have come
over to help them out.
San Juan Not Taken.
Washington, May 10. - No official re-
port has been received confirming the
published statement that the city and
Notifications of San Juan had surren-
dered to Admiral Sampson, nor is any
expected for the reason that the state
ment is not given credence in official
circles. The result of the engagement
Mt San Juan SO far as is indicated by
official reports, was not altogether sat
isfactory, inasmuch as one of the prin-
ripal objects of the expedition was the
burning Of a large quantity of coal
stored there for use of the Spanish feet.
sCHLEY's SQUADRON.
Powerful Fighting Force to Seek Out |
the Spanish Fleet.
Fort Monroe, Va, May 10 ION Board
the Flagship Brooklyn at Sea, via Pilot
Boat, May 13).-Commodore Winfield
Scott schley and the fighters of his fly
ano cuuodrop sion n, al o,f &c u,,,,+o,,