The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-01
THE CRITICAL POINT
interest Centered on The
PHILIPPINES.
SIMPSONS STRATEGY
KEY WEST IS TO BE MADE \
BASE OF SUPPLIES.
EtEC CTRICIANS ARE WANTED
ELECTRICIANS ARE
WANTED
Official Notes Given 10 POrtugal's Neutrality
China Alone Has not Declared
- Neutrality.

Washington, April 30.-All interest to-
dov was concentrated on the Phillip
pines. though it seemed almost hopeless
to expect any news directly from there
which is for the present at least the
critical point OF naval operations. IN
deed one high official, well versed in the
plans of the Strategy Board declared
upon the result OF the engagement which
Commodore Dewey is expected 10 nave
had with the Spanish fleet to-day, or
within day or two at least, might de-
pend TO an extent the outcome of the
war. When Secretary Long left the
Navy Department he had received no
word from Commodore Dewey. nor from
any point in the east.
Secretary Long received dispatch
from Captain Sampson relative to the
sheling Of MatanZas batteries. but had
no information whatever as to the report
cd attack upon Cabenas yesterday. The
impression prevails at the department
among those who are not taken into the
secrets of the Naval War Board that
these moves of Captain Sampson are Of
Il strategic character and not accidental
happenings as might be supposed from
their apparently spontaneous character.
Key West evidently is to he made a
base Of the first order of Importance
so FAR as the fleet is concerned. Other
wise Secretary Long never would have
called uDOn am officer Of such high rank
as Commodore Remey to command the
station. The Commodore has been re-
lieved at the Portsmouth Navy Yard
New Hampshire. hy Il retired officer Of
equal rank. Two more retiEed
officers of high order of
ability are to he called into service Mon
day in the persons of Naval Constructors
Il. w. Steele and w L. MintOnye. The
Board of Bureau Chiefs is now engaged
il preparing the advertisements calling
for the construction of torpedo boats and
destroyerS BY special provision OF
the Naval bill these advertisements will
run only three weeks instead of three
months. as usual. The department will
describe only the general characteristics
of the torpedo boat leaving to the bid
ders the submission of plans for their
construction. Chief Constructor Hich-
bern said to-day that when the depart
ment has placed the contracts for the
vessels authorized by the pending Naval
Appropriation BILL the government will
have under construction at one time Il
greater number of vessels than If ever
has had building since the war and a
greater tonnage in the aggregate than
at any time during the civil conflict,
together thus placed under construction
three battle ships sixteen torpedo boat
destroyers, twelve torpedo boats. four
coast defense monitors and one gun
boat on the lakes.
The honor of being fleet engineer of
the numerous mosquito fleet, which is
expected to he one of the main stays in
the defense of the Atlantic coast cities,
has fallen to IL retired officer, Chief En-
gineer Alexander Henderson, who is now
Il prosperous business man in New York
but who has consented to sacrifice his
personal interests to fight in the Navy.
More electricians are wanted in the navy
and the Secretary to-day directed that
a special recruiting station he opened at
the Washington Navy Yard at / O'clock
Monday to recruit these electricians.
The Chinese Minister. Mr. WI Ting
Fang. called at the State Department
to-day and had talk with officials con-
cerning the war situation. He did not
bring notice of China's neutrality nor
has he received word thus far from his
government that China will declare her
neutrality. The authorities here would
not be displeased if China withheld her
decree altogether. ms such course
might he of distinct advantage to the
United States in ease Commodore Dew
ev's feet fails to effect landing on the
PHILIPPINES and is obliged to seek some
open mort. With an American fleet i'll
Asiastic waters the situation becomes
hazardous unless a beligerent port is
captured, or neutral port remains open.
Up to to-day all countries occunvng
western Asiatic territory had declared
except China alone. The no.
tice of Korea was given two days ago,
thus closing the port of Chemulpo, .Ia-
nan gave notice to-day. thus closing all
Japan's ports including Yokohama which
is the most advantageous harbor in
Asiatic waters and nearer the Philip
pines than any other port, The British
and French decrces closed Hong Kong
and ports Of British lndin and of French .
Tonquin.
The authorities here feel that the ,
tnlted States would have prolited much
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