The herald., 1898-05-18
ALL THREE SQUADRONS
SAIL OUT OF SIGHT AND THEN
STAY THERE
EVEN THE NAVY Department
Il Forced to Admit Its Ignorance Of
Fleet MISUNDERSTANDING
the Cuban Campaign


Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE official bull
letin boards today failed to yield any news
of the movements of either Of the three
feets-sampson's schleys or the Spanish
squadron-and there is reason to believe
that the department itself has received nc
information on that point. The depart
ment ofIicials are beginning to show lit
| tie sensitiveness to criticism in the matter
of delay in bringing the Spanish fleet into
action, conscious as they are that they
have made all dispatch compatible with
due regard for the safety of our own ports
as well as Of the lives of the crews Of our
vessels. Every day there is talk of q
change in the naval plans brought about by
some movement of the Spanish squadron
but what the later phase Of the campaign
Is, nobody outside Of the members Of the
war board Is competent to say. The gen.
eral impression 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 Mexico and the Ca
ribbean sea, but that Sampson and Schley
in combination will encircle the island Of
Cuba maintain the blockade and convoy
troops across the Florida straits II neces-
sary, meanwhile simply keeping watch on
the Spanish flying squadron to see that It
does no mischief either to the American
fleet or. by escaping into the Atlantic. to
the seaboard cities.
BY this plan the military and naval Of
ficials might hope to silence the rather
severe criticisms that are being expressed
because of delays In opening the military
campaign in Cuba itself.
Considerable pressure has come upon the
administration from congressional quar-
tiers to have the campaign FASTENED, and
there are thought to be signs of a resump-
ton of the plans of the military leaders
for the invasion of Cuba at the point where
they were suddenly suspended by the an
nouncement of the arrival of the Spanish
flying squadron at Martinique. One sign
Of this was the inclusion in the regular
army orders Of direction to Capt. Alger
to 60 to Tampa to join Gen. Miles.
Dewey's Position
The department processes to feel no APP
prehension that Admiral Dewey or his men
are in any way endangered by their occu-
patton of Manila harbor on the present
basis, but this cannot be said of the unfor-
tunate inhabitants of Manila If the present
situation is protracted unduly. 1t is no
small matter to organize and transport an
expedition of 1900 or 1900 soldiers 4oOO
miles across the sea at short notice. and
the indications are that within week
some Of the soldiers at least will be on
their way from San Francisco. following
the Charleston. which is expected to leave
at any moment with a few supplies most
urgently needed by Admiral Dewey.
There are indications that the war de-
partment has been brought to see the wis
dom and fairness of the suggestions
thrown out by Major General Merritt, that
his expedition should consist of not less
than 5000 men and that at least a third
of them should be seasoned troops from
the regular army, capable of meeting on
equal terms the veteran Spanish soldiers
who garrison Manila.
To endeavor to overcome the Spanish,
force with less than half their number Of
troops would seem to be a senseless pro-
ceeding, in view of the fact that there is
no necessity for such course General
Merritt took occasion to deny very en-
phatically the accuracy of certain news
paper interviews published this morning
which placed him in the position of re-
fusing to obey an order to proceed to the
Philippines because his force was insufTl-
cient. The officials at the department
upon seeing these publications, did not
hesitate to express their belief at once that
General Merritt was too good soldier to
refuse to obey lawful order, although
they admitted he might have, as he did to-
day, through Inspector General Hughes
member of his stan, suggest the pro-
priety of an increase in the number and
a betterment of the quality of the SOL
diers to be assigned to his command.
The Winslow's Case
Reports received here from Key Yves,
show that the condition of the little tor.
pedo boat winslow is much worse than
was supposed and that 1t will be neces,