The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-28

Copyright, iS9s by the Associated Press)i
* OFF THE NORTHERN COAST OF
CUBA. May q, 2 a. m, tvla KEY
WEST, Fla.,- May 2I.-At 10 o'clock.
last night the Dolphin ran alongside the
flagship New York. Her lights showed
that she bore dispatches for Rear Ad-
mlral Sampson. The commander Of the
Dolphin shouted through the mega.
phone: "I have dispatches from Com
,modore schlcy to the commanders lin
sehlef
decks Of the New York. u
Commodore schley,s dispatches were
dated of Clenfuegos. Absolutely
nothing definite can be said" wns the
reply which Captain Chadwick, or the
New York, made to a question as to
what had transpired. 5ts y. II
Since he heard ofsAdmiral Cervera's
arrival at Curacao, Rear Admiral
Sampson has repeatedly said he be-
ilteved the Spaniards would go 10 Cien-
Sfuegos or, Santiago de Cuba. Y
There Is good reason to believe, from
5a strategic point, of view, that more can
be gained by the Spaniards being bot
ftled up In Santiago de Cuba. than In an
engagement which, though 1t would re-
suit in victory for the Americans,
might have resulted In some damage to
our ships. In the harbor Of Santiago
de Cuba tho Spanish fleet would be
I5helpless. The channel leading into the
Sharbor Is narrow and the enemy can
either be kept a prisoner, by sinking q
few hulks in the channel, or he! can DO
destroyed by superior force.
Nothing TO Prevent Active Operations.
y II Commodore schley has successfully
accomplished hisobject there now seems
to be nothing to prevent active opera
|stions upon the part OF the army. That
is the Idea OF the best naval authorlt-
Hes. The climate in Cuba Is not what
1tlwas a month ago, but It Is much bet
Ter than it will be 4 month hence, and
before another Spanish fleet can reach
these waters the. naval authorities hope
TO see our troops In possession of q
base of operations in Cuba. The navy
would be able, to cover the landings OF
the troops and enable theS military
forces to get ashore without hindrance.
Intense enthusiasm reIgns tonight
among the officers and men over the
news, even though It is not absolutely
certain OF the success Of the work of the
last month. The days have passed
slowly and wearily, and no persons
have chaffed more over the delay and
inactivity than those who have been
cruising in Cuban waters since the
war began. But II Commodore Schley
has really got the Spanish fleet at San
tlagoi de Cuba it is almost as complete
~ victory as could have been expected
from naval engagement The Spar
iards' policy was to avoid an encountor
and II tiwould have been difficult for any
division OF Rear Admiral Simpsons
fleet to have overhauleds or captured
them.
Future Seems Bright. ~
But now. II they are bottled up in
Santiago de Cuba, and baiIled ut their
own game, the future seems bright and
all that IS now waited for Is the order
TO prepare, to protect the landing Of our
military forces in Cuba.
Since Rear. Admiral Sampson's squad
ron left Key West, an intencely3 close
watch has been kept for the Spanish
fleet, In spite Of the belief that. It was at
the south Of Cuba. Several false alarms
have been given, the men on the look
out in the tops being so anxious to
catch sight OF the Spaniards that they
would see five columns OF smoke where
only one was really discernible and the
smoke of one Of Rear Admiral Samp-
sons own boats. The tension was nat
urally great. This was not caused by
any feeling OF doubt as to the result Of
,aSnaval engagement, for Rear Admiral
Sampson's fleet has been so active since
1T left Key West that the Spaniards
would have been completely annihila-
tied If they had courted a fight. The
fleet ns at present constituted without
Commodore Schley's command, and
without the ships actually engaged In
the blockade, forms the most powerful
squadron ever gotten together by the
united States navy. Then again. Com
tmodore SchleY's ships are fully able to
defeat the Spanish force under Admiral
sCervera, even under conditions favor
cable to the enemy, a state OF things,
(which is thought to exist at Santiago de
Cuba It would be mere pastime for the
Massachusetts, Texas and Iowa to
sslnk the .Viscaya. Almirante Oquendo.
Cristobal Colon and Maria Teresa II
they attempted to fight out OF the har-
Sbor.
VERY WEAK PROTECTION
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