The record-union., 1898-05-26
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assault, but as already stated the off,
cials do not believe that the present
conditions involve such an expensive
undertaking.
The effort, therefore, probably will be
made to keep Cervera inside of Santiago
de Cuba harbor until starvation causes
the surrender of the Spanish squadron
and the forts of Santiago. That this
can be done, is not doubted by naval
experts, as the narrow channel con-
Meeting the inner harbor with the sea,
requiring any Spanish ships to emerge
singly, would expose them to almost
certain destruction at the hands of a
fleet of armored vessels or monitors
commanding the entrance. OF course
there is always danger of these watch
dogs being themselves attacked and de-
stroyed by some of the torpedo gun
boat destroyers attached to Cervera's
squadron, provided their commanders
are desperate enough to face the pri-
mary and secondary batteries of the
American Warships. There is also risk
of an attack on the blockading vessels
from without.
The news has reached the Navy De-
partment to-day that the Spanish tor
pedO gunboat Terror had cleared out
of the harbor of Fort de France, after
having taken coal from the Alicante.
4 give the Spanish squadron a three
months lease of life if they are in
Santiago harbor," said a prominent ma
val officer this morning. He explained
length of time that the supplies of the
fleet would hold out. Long before that
time the town of Santiago, which prob
ably will be cut off entirely by the in
surgents and perhaps United States
troops, will be practically starved, but
following the Spanish practice else
where-Havana and Manila, for in
stance-the military and naval forces
appropriating all the food supplies,
would hold out longer.
The long wait involved in this calcu-
lation, the naval officer, explained.
would have a very substantial compen-
sation in the acquisition by the United
States of the splendid vessels that go
to make up the Spanish squadron
through their surrender. They repre-
sent in money value alone about $15,
UOU,OOO,
to the United States at this juncture
that cannot be expressed in figures.
Rather reluctantly the Navy Depart
ment confirmed the report of the pres
ence of the Oregon at Jupiter Inlet,
Florida, where she arrived last night.
The reluctance is shown because the
department has decided it as good pol
icy to keep the enemy in ignorance of
x,fx 10
declining to give any details of the trip
at this time, the officials admit that the
ship swung clear to the eastward of
Porto Lesser and the Greater Antilles
after leaving Barbados, until she ar
rived at a point opposite the Bahamas,
when she turned sharply in and made
fore the Florida coast.
Just what she is doing at Jupiter
cannot be learned Perhaps she Is
lying there to guard the great channel
between the Bahamas and Florida, and
as this would be the course followed
by the Spanish squadron or by the tor
pedo boat destroyer Terror, in the
event the Spanish had determined on
an attack on some Of the cities of the
North Atlantic Coast. In that case
nothing would be likely to pass the
Oregon without rendering fair ac-
count. On the other hand, she may
possibly be at Jupiter awaiting the in
structions Of the department as to
which way to proceed for cleaning and
coal. in which case it would not be sur
prising if she appeared at Port Royal
tomorrow and tested the new dock
there for the first time for battleship
since her sister ship the Indiana, was
carried in a couple Of years ago.
The Oregon left Mare Island, Cali
fornia, 1900 miles away from Jupiter
on March 10Th, so she has averaged 300
miles a day for 90 days. AS matter
Of fact, the vessel had a better speed,
for a good many days were lost in TAX
ing coal at the South American ports.
The Pacific Coast contingent in
Washington cannot restrain their en-
thusiasm over the remarkable perform
ance of this creation of the slope work
shops Representative HilbOrn called
at the Navy Department to verify the
news of the ships arrival, and he found
the officials were fully disposed to
agree with him in all that he had to
say as to the OregOn's great record. He
says that by this performance the ship
has silenced forever the Congressional
critics of battleships when they de-
clared that no battleship had or ever
would cross the Atlantic, for the Ore
CONS run was fraught with peril and
involved straight away stretches OF
greater length than the Atlantic pas
sages in any season.
The location of the Oregon came
about in peculiar way, by means OF
the beach watchers who are on the
alert for the approach OF hostile ships.
These beach lookouts continue night
and day, and last night the patrol was
rewarded by sighting the big American
battleship. Signaling was begun by the
use of torches, and in this way mes
sages to and from the battleship were
exchanged through the night In turn
these messages were sent to the Navy
Department, which is connected by
wire with the signal station near Jupl-
ter Inlet. The Oregon has not yet sent
the usual notice of her arrival.