The Red Cloud chief., 1898-05-27
ENTHUSIASM IN MADRID,
Rejoiccd at the Arrival of the Spanish
Fleet at Santiayn

nIght the minister OF marine. Captain
Aunon, received a dispatch from Adj
miral Cevera. in command Of the Cape
Verde squadron of the Spanish fleet.
1t read:
santiago de Cuba, Cuba. May 10
This morning | have without incident
entered this port accompanied by
squadron.-Cevera."
The minister of marine immediately
went to the residence of the premier,
Senior SaRasta, and communicated this
information. He then proceeded to
the palace for the purpose of informing
the queen regent, but Her Majesty had
already retired and the news was con.
vcycd to her by the Infanta Isabel.
Captain Aunon then went to the ad.
miralty and cabled his congratulations
to Admiral Cevera on his arrival "a,
Santiago dc Cub.
In an interview to-day the minister
OF marine is quoted as saying:
Il am greatly rejoiccd at the safe ar
rival of the Spanish fleet at Santiago
de Cuba. 1t is an immense triumph for
the Spanish navy. The sailors who
executed the movement and those who
planned it are worthy OF all praise
Admiral cervera. says a cable dis.
patch from Santiago de Cuba, did not
sight an American ship during the
voyage. lie II that tho crews
OF his ships arc in perfect health and
enthusiastic.
Continuing. the dispatch says: THE
b~lockading vessels quickly left on the
approach of the squadron, whose ar
rival has created the greatest ex-
citcmcnt and enthusiasm at San.
tiago. Immediately crowds of people
throngCd the quays and chccrcd
~ sailors. liavana's relief at the safe
arrival of the fleet is very great. as it
wa feared the American ships which
LETT the blockade there had gone To in
cCpt the Spanish fleet. II is row be-
licvcd the Americans fed in order TO
avoid a reverse"
Santiago de Cuba. the port at which
the Spanish fleet is reported. is about
l2j miles west Of the eastern extremity
of cuba. From the east point. Cape
Mais. to Havana, or to Key West. is
about 600 miles. Should the Spanish
fleet sail from Santiago and the Amer
lean fleet from Key West. a battle
could not possibly occur for at least
thirty hours. If the Spaniards should
he quietly in the harbor awaiting q
battle it would take Admiral Sainp.
sons ships about three days to reach
them. by the Iucatan channel the
distance between Key West and San.
tiago is about 1000 miles. 1t is inn
probable. however. that SIMPSONS
fleet is still at Key West. or that it was
there when the Spanish ilcct arrived at
Santiago de Cuba.
LONDON. May 2l.-The Madrid CORE.
spondcnt of the London Standard saws:
The blockade Of tuts, and Porto Rico
is considered missionary in Madrid, as
Spanish war ships and merchant YES.
sells are frequently moving from port
To port between the islands. For ex-
ample, the mail steamer Alphonso NIL
went out from san Juan de Porto Rico
to meet u vessel detached from Admiral
Ccvcra's squadron and then continued
its voyage to Spain after delivering an
important communication for the com.
mandcr.
The success o. Admiral Ccrvcra ir
avoiding the American fleets and keep.
ing them on the alert excitcs much en-.
thusiasm and causes the press to clamor
for q prompt dispatch of the reserve
fleet to the front.
WASHINGTON, May Eff President
Mckinley received any important in
formation before the meeting OF the
cabinet to-day. il was not of such a
nature as to be made public, and ne
had nothing to divulge to those who
consulted with him before that time.
senator Shoup of Idaho, who spent
some time with the Sresidcnt to-day.
expressed the belief hat the reported
arrival of the Spanish fleet at Santiago
was true and that il might have the ef-
feet of bringing about an earlier close
of the war than had been expected. lie
thought, however, the indications were
the war might last a year.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 2l.-Amer-
lean warships engaged the forts at
Santiago de Cuba Wednesday after
noon. The firing lasted from noon till
l o'clock, when the warships with.
drew.
The engagement began with the APP
pcarance of the Americans, whose mis-
sion apparently was To cut the cables
Mt Santiago in order TO isolate Captain
General Blanco.
The Atlas line steamer Adula reached
Santiago shortly after the battle and
found the city in a semi-panic. The
volunteers had been called out and the
governor OF the province had issued a
proclamation, announcing that Santi-
ago was attacked by the entire Amcri-
can fleet and calling upon loyal Spani-
ards to cooperate with the military
authorities in it's defense. However,
the American warships did not return,
n the excitement gradually abated.
Captain Walker OF the Adula, which
arrived here yesterday with refugees
from Santiago, reports that So far as
IA -