The times., 1898-05-18
NO MORE NEWS ALLOWED
Government Establishes a Strict
Censorship Over Dispatches.
WEST INDIA CABLES CLOSED
No Further Information of the
Movements and Location of Our
Fleets VIII BE Allowed to Pass the
Censors-Capt. Merry's Report of
the Fight at Cardenas.

Surmise over the possibilities in the sit
uation in the Gulf and Caribbean Sea has
almost ceased among the people not with
in the immediate circle Of the Naval War
Board. There has been an absolute stop
page of the leaks from the board and
the Navigation Bureau, that have caused
so much trouble heretofore. and without
even the suspicion of foundation in facts
for speculation, it has ceased to be a
profitable or enjoyable exercise.
The department has done more than re-
fuse to give news Itself. Secretary Long
and the Strategy Board yesterday had
conference with Gen. Greely, the chief of
the Signal Service of the War Depart
ment over the matter of cablegrams. 1t
was decided that there should be com
plete cessation of all news from the West
Indies regarding the fleets, that could in
any way effect the plans of the United
States This interview was followed by
agreements with all the cable lines reach
ing the United States, that no news
should be sent by them. This stringent
measure Will completely close all avenues
of information and it seems probable that
two fleets until after the battle is fought,
if there is to be any battle.
However. the Naval Board IS believed
to be in very nearly. if not quite. In the
same destitute conditions as the public as
far as Information is concerned. The
Spanish fleet has escaped from the knowl-
edge of the board and may be anywhere
twenty-four hours sail from the last
point at which it was sighted west of
Curacao The American fighting fleet un-
der Sampson is almost a. much a mys-
terry. The last cable station II is known
to have sent a message from is in Haiti.
The belief at the department is that from
/ there the feet went west along the south
/ ern coast of Cuba.
EvadinG n Fight.
1t is feared by the Navy Department
/ that the Spanish feet will not be caught
/ today or even tomorrow. Despite tbs
! statements of various newspapers, 1t Il
positively known that the Strategy Board
/ while hoping for battle, is afraid tina
the Spaniards VIII escape them for SOM
time to come-perhaps two or three days
In brief, the Spaniards, having a spee'
of 20 knots, TO Il or 10 at most for Samp
son, viii run rather than fight MIN. ant
| apparently may be able successfully L
evade him.
The Naval Board is proceeding on tn
| theory that the Spaniards win attemp
10 reach Cienfuegos and land provisions
| There Is good reason TO believe. how
| ever. that the fleet will coal today fror
colliers off the coast of Venezuela. ]
! this Is done. there will be enough coal o
board for three weeks of lodging an
hunting for weak points
Admiral Sampson is believed to have re
ceived instructions TO go To Cienfuegos
Probably he will not find the Spaniards
However, he will almost surely save tn
smaller ships of the blockading fleet tina
are off Cienfuegos and prevent a landing
The Fighting Forces.
The monitors Terror, Puritan, MIantc
nomoh and AmDhitrite will lie off Ha
vana and can prevent the Cape Verd
fleet from entering that port should the
give Sampson and Schley the slip.
Sampson, who will be senior officer {
the combined fleets when they are JOINED