The Red Cloud chief., 1898-05-20
NOW FOR HOT ACTION.
Admiral sampson to Have Full sway-Ns
Longer Uampered.

minutes, the shortest of the year. The
news, which is regarded rs authentic,
that the Spanish fleet has been sighted
Oft Martinique island about 500 miles
southeast Of Porto Rico, clears the at.
mosphere, and from this time on the
governments line OF action will not
be clouded by any uncertainty as TO
the location of this formidable enemy.
Among members of the cabinet the
news concerning the fleet was re-
ccivcd with great satisfaction. None
OF them doubts the ability or purpose
OF Admiral Sampson to destroy 1t. His
fleet is superior at nearly all points.
and the result Of this test OF naval
strength will be awaited with perfect
confidence.
The admiral's instructions leav,
him n wide range OF discretion, the
government relying implicitly upon
his good Judgment and discretion.
lie has been kept constantly advised,
so far as practicable. us to events gen
orally since he sailed but he has not
been hampered in his movements to
any degree. 1t is nov believed to be
the purpose of the government to or.
der Commodore Schley's squadron to
close up on Havana and the troops
meanwhile will bc kept in readiness
for a forward movement as soon us the
time shall be thought opportune.
WAsuiNGToS. May IL. 49, The nav,
department was all excitement this
morning OF. the recent of the cws
that Admiral SIMPSONS squadron had
begun the bombardment of San Juan
de- Porto Rico Fuel was adj led TO the
flames when the news came later that
the Spanish flying squadron had beer
sighted of Martinique, giving prom.
Use of heavy fighting TO come.
The fact hat the admiral gave no
tice of his intention to lombard San
Juan, as has been reported from st
Thomas, is IN indication that the
movement upon san Juan was not a
suddenly conceived project, but Il
part OF a well maturcd plan. Whether
or not the orders to the admiral in
cluded II bombardmeut is not disclosed
at the navy department. Indeed,
there is nothing in SIMPSONS report
TO indicate teat he really did bonn.
bard the place. lie merely attacked
the forts at the entrance of the har-
Dor, and II any shells struck within
the town itself, thSy were stray shots.
1t is s,,rmised 'srt Admiral Samp.
sons object in ma<ing the attacS in
this fashion, without "a landing force
Of troops in reserve OCCUPY the town
IL Z ,,nr. .n ri "A SEA. ,tnS o., ,l,ptr,,, Ia.
Notifications and make the harbor
useless to the Spanish dying squad.
ron AS a place Of refuge.
Sampson already knows of its move.
mcnts, for the United States scout.
Harvard, which put into Martinique
yesterday, j. said to have found there
one of the torpedo dcstroycrs cons
posing the Spanish fleet and certainly
would report the fact To sampson via
81 Thomas II possible to do 50
There is IL suspicion, however, that
the United States has not been treated
with perfect fairness in the matter of
the use of the cable from Martinique
and that messages Of the utmost i'm.
portance, such, for instance, rs those
reporting the movements OF the Span.
ish ships, have been delayed an uncon.
%scionable length of time TO the great
embarrassment OF our forces. The
subject Is one that will be invcsti.
gated in the future, as we'll rs other
facts connected with the treatment of
the Spanish ships in West Indian
potts. which are nominally operating
strictly under the neutrality laws.
1t is said that the Spanish squadron
has been lying in wait for the Oregon,
which, with the Marietta and Nicthe.
roy, sailed Wednesday from Bahia to
join Sampson, and the reported activ-
ity OF the Spanish torpedo boat de.
stroycrs in running in and out OF
Martinique seems to show that they
are used as scents to give the rest OF
the squadron notice OF the approach
of tho American battle ship.
IL so, the mission will be fruitless,
for having discovered the where.
abouts Of the Spanish force, Admiral
Sampson will carry out his orders TO
destroy their ships IL he can reach
them The fact that the Spaniards
were headed yesterday towards the
westward or the surface would indi-
cate that they were bound for the
south coast of uba, but warships, ia
these circumstances, try to mislea I'D
observers ashore.
The information that the Spanish
squadron had been sighted off Mar
Unique caused q decided sensation
throughout naval circles, as this
brings close to Admiral Simpsons
squadron the formidable collection OF
SPANS strongest and most modern
vessels. IL is this fleet which was re
ported 10 be lying at Cadix Evidently
the latter report was inspired by
Spanish strategy,