The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-18

Washington, May 1.-THE official bull
letin boards today failed to yield any
news of the movements of the three
heets-Sampson's Schley's or the Span
/ ish squadron-and there is reason TO be
lieve that the department itself has re
ceived no information on that point.
The department officials are beginning
to show a little sensitiveness to criti-
cism in the matter of delay in bring
ing the Spanish fleet into action, con-
scious as they are that they have made
all dispatch compatible with due regard
for the safety of our own ports as we'll
as the lives of the crews of our war
ships. Every day there is talk of a
change in the naval plans, brought
about by some movement OF the span
ish squadron, but what the latest
phase of the campaign is nobody out
side of the members Of the war board
is competent to say. The general I'M
preston today is that no particular
effort is to be made just now to pursue
the Spaniards, so long as they keep
within the confines of the Gulf of Mex
leo and the Caribbean sea, but that
Sampson and Schley in combination
will encircle the island of Cuba, main
tain the blockade and convoy troops
across the Florida straits, if necessary,
meanwhile simply keeping watch on
the Spanish flying squadron to see that
il does not do mischief, either TO the
American fleet or, by escaping into the
Atlantic, to the seaboard cities BY
this plan the military and naval Off
GERS might hope to silence the rather
severe criticisms that are being ex-
pressed because of the delays in open
ing the military campaign in Cuba
itself.
THE SPANISH FLEET.
Curacao. Dutch West Indies. May II.
-(Copyright, 1898, by the Associated
Press. THE Spanish fleet is now sup
posed to be off the coast of Venezuela
or off the coast of Colombia Only a
portion of the fleet is allowed to enter
this harbor to obtain provisions, cattle
and coal. which were purchased here.
Confirmation was obtained of the re-
port that the Spaniards left one OF their
torpedo gunboats at Fort de france,
island of Martinique.
CERVERAS' SCHEME.
New York, May IA dispatch to
the World from Madrid says: Admiral
Cerveras' fleet will dodge about in the
Caribbean sea and Gulf of Mexico, it is
expected, by naval men here. Cervera
will avoid fight IN case he mas MINI
self overmatched. His chief aim is to
draw the American squadronss away
from the Cuban coasts, so that he may
make a dash into Havana.
The principal object Of such a dash,
it is asserted, would be to allow the
cruiser Vizcaya to go into dry dock
to clean her bottom, and thus improve
her speed. for in her present condition
she cripples the movements of the re-
mainder of the feet.
Great expectations are founded on
night raids by the Spanish torpedo boat
destroyers upon the American blockad-
ing squadron.
Later, when the rainy season sets in,
fast blockade runners, both Spanish
and foreign, will undertake to carry
ammunition and provisions to Cuba
and Porto Rico.
A special to the Herald from Wash
ington says: SPANS fleet in the Car
ibbean sea is to be met by a squadron
consisting of the armorclads of the
United States in North Atlantic waters.
This seems to be the intention of the
naval war board and preparations are
being made to effect the junction of
Rear Admiral Simpsons and the flying
squadron under the command of Com
modore Schley with all possible dis
patch.