The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-05

rublic the plans Of the Strategy Board
and thus give aid to the enemy There-
fore. these conflicting theories as to the
plans of the fleet can only be judged In
the light of their probability when yieweo
in connection with the usual metnods Oh
warfare. Thus, to lombard Matanzas
without at the same time being apie -
land sufficient force to seize ana hoiu
the place would seem to be very pao
strategy, and the fact that sampson
fleet was accompanied by no troop tran
sports would seem to negative tne loea
that he had gone either to attack Malan-
zas or seize Porto Rico.
To attempt the latter would require q
strong landing force in view of the num-
her of Spanish troops on the island, ano
in addition it may be suggested that Ad-
rn,ral Sampson would be very loath
to run the risk of having one or more
of his best ships completely disabled oy
attacking forts needlessly, and thus leave
his feet inferior to the Spanish force.
A significant movement is the addition
of the warship New Orleans to Commo-
dore Schley's squadron at Hampton
Roads in place of the Columbia rms
seems to Indicate complete cnange III
the character of the squadron, whicn IN
stead of being a flying squadron IN the
ordinary sense has now assumed the char-
acter of a battle feet.
Without being as speedy as at flrst or
ganized. Commodore Schley's squadron is
now probably able TO meet on even terms,
at least. the formidable Spanish armored
cruisers which sailed from Cape Verde
for an unknown destination. In view Oh
this action of the Department and partlc-
,llarly if Schley should be reinforced by
some torpedo vessels, it may be assumed
that he is about to start in quest OF the
Spanish squadron.
Chief Engineer Harry Webster, mem
Der of the Naval Recruiting Board. which
has geen gathering material Tor the per-
sonnel of the navy in the West and the
South, arrived at the Navy Department
this morning. He is just from Norfolk
where he landed one hundred and four
good men, who had been enlisted by the
Board. Commander Hawley and DR.. Per-
sons. the other members of the Board
with Boatswain Larkin, late OF the
Maine an attendant, have arrived at De
troit. where they will tomorrow open re-
cruiting headquarters.
The board has met with success in its
undertaking. Some excellent men were
obtained at New Orleans, where the nrs'
office was opened. Galveston, the nexl
recruiting point, also furnished a con-
tingent and it was noted that the appli-
cants were better qualified than at any
other point, the average number passed
being 80 per cent, as against an average
of 30 per cent. elsewhere
AT Cleveland the Board took in about an
even number of deck hands and macnln-
lists. The one hundred and four men
brought down by DR.. Webster came from
Chicago, and are about evenly divided
between deck hands and machinists. From
Detroit the Board goes to Sheboygan
Wis, where it has been informed lot
men are ready to enlist.
There were many conferences between
the President and Senators and Repre-
sentatives today. The first conner was
Senator Burrows of Michigan, who came
to present some friends to the President
As he left he said
Everything is moving along smoothly
and well. What we want now is Porte
Rico. We ought to have that tomorrow
will it be as soon as that, Senator?"
Yes was the reply, probably in 6
day or two
While refraining from saying what
transpired during his brief interview witt
the President, his statement that the
seizure of Porto Rico is expected to bt
effected in a day or two, it was though'
by his hearers to be significant, having
been made Immediately after the Senator
left the President, though he would mo-
say the President had given him any in
formation