The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-12
TWO FLEETS LOST
Spanish Commander Seems to
Have Fled From Sampson.
Although This is Not Fully
Confirmed.
THOUGHT TO BE TRUE.
No Word From Sampson Since
He Left San Domingo.
'HOUGHT TO BE TRUE.
Fleet Would Be Recalled to
Reduce MORO Castle.

New York, May 12.-A1though no adj
ditiona1 confirmation has been received
of the news from London that the
Spanish squadron which left the Cape
Verde islands two weeks ago had re-
turned to Cadiz, the belief has greatly
strengthened in official circles that a
cruise to Porto Rican or Cuban waters
was never very seriously contemplated
by Admiral Villamil, says the WASH
ington correspondent of the Tribune. No
word has reached the navy department
from acting Admiral Sampson since the
fleet under his command was sighted
off the north coast of San Domingo, but
the failure of any of the swift scouting
cruisers sent in advance to discover
any traces Of the Spanish squadron
and the non-appearance of the Spanish
men-of-war at any of the usual coal
ing and supply stations, of the Wind
ward group have almost convinced the
naval authorities here that the Span
ish commander has thought discretion
to be the better part of valor and has
actually sought the refuge of a home
port.
AS the capture of Porto Rico at this
time has been held by the president
and his advisors to be of little or of no
strategic Importance, complicating in
stead of simplifying the task of reduc-
ing Havana and expelling the Spanish
land forces from Cuba, it has been vir-
tually decided that as soon as the alb
sence of the Cape Verde squadron from
West Indian waters is definitely estab-
Hshed, to recall to Cuba the greater
part of Acting Admiral SIMPSONS fleet.
Gable dispatches inStructing the Amer
lean commander to make no attack at
present on San Juan, but to await
further orders off Porto Rico have
been sent to the various cable Stationsin
the Windward group, and will doubt
less be delivered within the next day or
two.
There is of course, no immediate de-
mand for the services of the whole
Key West fleet before Havana The
smaller men-of-war left behind by Act
ing Admiral Sampson are competent to
protect the passage of the landing ex-
petition from Tampa and to cover the
Judgement of the invading army on the
Cuban coast. But should an effort to
reduce the Notifications of Havana
from the water side be thought neces-
sary, the heavier fighting ships now off
Porto Rico would have to be called on
to undertake the commandment, while
if the Vizcaya, the Alnlirante Oquendo,
the Maria Teresa and the Cristobal
Colon should after all have passed I'M
noticed into the Caribbean sea and
should appear unexpectedly off the
west end of Cuba, the presence of the
full Key West fleet there will be
found indispensable to beat off the
assailants and maintain communication
with the American 1OTCGS dlT0dQy
ed
Though Monday is the date now set
for the departure of the first division
of regulars from Tampa, it would Gre
ate no great surprise if the troops were
detained on Florida soil a few days
longer. To take advantage of the COM
parative dryness of May, a prompt
start and a sharply directed campaign
against Havana are considered advis-
able, but it seems certain that the vol
unteers who are to follow the regulars
to Cuba can not be assembled on the
gulf coast in fit condition for field work
within the next two weeks, so that act
ual operations in Cuba will scarcely be
possible before May 25. By that time,
too, all doubts about the disposition of
the Spanish naval forces will have been
solved, and Acting Admiral SIMPSONS
reunited fleet can be employed to CO.
operate with the American land forces
in pushing the siege of the Cuban CAPT.
tai.
No serious weight is attached here to
the suggestion that Spain will send a
fleet through the Suez canal to attack
Dewey's forces in the Philip
pines 1t is not considered likely that
the Spanish government would strip