The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-05-24
WAR SITUATION.
The NAVY Department Has Received InfOr.
nation of the Arrival of the Spanish
Fleet at Santiago De Cuba.

news given out Friday at the navy de-
partment was comprised in the one
short bulletin posted at the close OF
the day, stating that the department
had information, believed to be anthem
tic, that Adm. Cervera, with his Span
ish flying squadron. was at Santiago
De Cuba. This went to confirm the
newspaper reports and also the Mad
rid cablegram pu blished Friday morn
ing, the latter rather unusual cir
cumstance, for the Spanish bulletins
have been notably deceptive ever since
the flying squadron left Cadiz.
Accepting this statement as correct
it indicates there is little probability
of a hostile meeting between Sampson
or Schley and Cervera Immediately.
Looking over the charts of Santiago
harbor, the experts soon discovered
that the place would be a veritable rat
trap for the Spaniards. with its mar.
row entrance in which single Amer
lean monitor could bottle up the whole
Spanish fleet
The naval strategy board re-
christened of late the war board is to
lose one of its most active and valu-
able mem bers in the person of Capt.
Barker. He leaves Washington Sat-
urday for Hampton Roads to take
command of the fine protected cruiser
Newark, which has just been extensive
ly repaired at the Norfolk navy yard. 1t
is expected that the Newark will join
Simpsons squadron in the West In
dies as soon as she can get there. 1t
4,
ceed Capt. Barker as a member of
the war board, Il place requiring the
very highest professional qualifica.
tiOns and involving a knowledge of
strategy as taught Scicn tifcally, which
is not the possession of all naval Off
GERS. 1t may be that the vacancy will
not be filled at present, though there
has been favorable mention of the
name of Adm. Ramsay, retired. in that
connection.
Another loss to the department
occurred Saturday, when Lieut. Gibbon
left to serve as one of Captain Bankers
officers on the Newark. This young Of
icer has displayed the greatest energy
IN securing for the services of the
navy the various naval militia organ
izatiOns of the states and as an Incl
dent to that work he was
obliged to put forth his best
efforts to secure the formation
of new organizations where none ex-
listed and additional battalionS in the
states that already possessed n naval
militia. The great value of this work
is shown by the fact that many of the
IL Of 1
of the old monitors that have been
commissioned for coast defense pur-
poses are manned almost altogether by
the naval militiamen.
Preparations go on steadily for the
Philippines military expedition.
Gen. Merritt, who will command,
stopped in Washington Friday morn
ing on his way westward from New
York and spent most of the day in
consultation with the officials of the
department arranging the details of
the expedition. Another transport was
secured Friday, and the department is
showing a disposition to treat Gen
Merritt with the utmost Iiberality in
the equipment of his force. 1t is ex-
pected that the advance guard on one
vessel, under the command of Gen.
Otis, will sail out of the Golden Gate
Saturday bound for the Philippines.
The complaints Of the shoeless among
the volunteers just brought into the
army will soon be silenced, as the de-
partment just placed orders for 200, 900
pairs of soldiers shoes.
beginning was made Friday to-
ri no e ~,
pendent volunteer forces under author
ity conferred upon the president by
special resolution. The national guard
will have no part in these organiza-
tiOns, which will be made mp of en-
gineers, immunes and electricians.
The staff assignments are coming
out rapidly in the general orders is
sued daily by the department, the APP
pointments being made generally up
on the request of the major generals
and the brigadier generals yet to be
provided for in this matter
The navy department is about to call
for bids for a steel floating dock, capa-
bic Of floating a ship of 1000 tons. to
cost $500, 900 and to be located at New
Orleans. This dock, when completed,
will be one Of the finest structures in
the country. Provision for it was
made in the naval appropriation bill,
is a result of recommendations of the
naval board, headed by Adm Bunce.
Although located at New Orleans, the
dock will be OF that floating type, SINH
lar to the floating dock at Havana,
which can be towed 10 any point de-
sired
Another project for docks is con-
tanned in the deficiency appropriation
bill now before congress. This pro-
Vides for the immediate purchase of
two floating docks. AS soon as the
bill becomes a law the department
knows where it can purchase these
docks, ready for service. They are at
New York. and although of wood,
and comparatively small, they will be
of inestimable service on being towed
to Key West, where they will accom-
modate all but the largest battle ships
and cruisers. The department hopes
TO own these docks within a foU