The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-28

WAR SITUATION is SUBSTANTIAL.
LY THIS:
THE BLocKAD1NG SQUADRON
REMAINS PASSIVE BEFORE HA-
vANA, WITH NO PRESENT PUR-
POSE OF BoMBARDING OR OF
DRAWING THE FIRE OF THE
SHORE BATTERIES. THE STRAIT
EGIc PURPOSE OF EFFECTIVE
BLOCKADE OF THE CUBAN CAPT.
tai IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED TO
THE ENTIRE SATISFACTION OF
THE AUTHORITIES HERE.
THERE is NO! INDICATION THAT
A PART OF THE FLEET WILL BE
WITHDRAWN FOR THE PURPOSE
OF AFFoRDING ADDITIONAL PRO-
lection TO NORTH ATLANTIC
PORTS.
AS TO THE REPORTS OF THE
1MMINENCE OF A NAVAL BATTLE
OFF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
THE NAVAL AUTHORITIES HERE
SERIOUSLY DOUBT WHETHER
THE SPANISH FLEET WILL MAKE
A AsTAND AGAINST THE AMERICAN
SHIPS. THEIR REASON FOR THIS
BELIEF is THAT THE SPANISH
FLEET IS VERY INFERIOR TO THE
AMERICAN FORCE UNDER ADMIR-
AL DEWEY. THE DEPARTMENT,
THEREFORE, is CONFIDENT THAT
THE SPANISH FLEET WILL NOT
co TO DO BATTLE ON THE HIGH
SEAS WITH ADMIRAL DEWEY.
BUT WILL REMAIN IN PORT TO
SECURE THE; PROTECTION OF THE
BATTERIES or MANILA AND THE
DEPARTMENT Is NOT EXPECTING
AN ENGAGEMENT FOR ABOUT
TWO DAYS.
Without giving any explanation fof
setting this time the department allows
Il to be surmised that%the estimate is.
based upon It's knowledge OF AdmiraT
Dewey's whereabouts. There Is no GER
talnty that there Will be; an engagement
at all In the Immediate future, the
main purpose OF the American eXpedl-
tlon being to seize and hold some suit
able Spanish territory in the Philip
pines as base OF operations,in Aslatlc
waters. It Is possible that this can be
done without attacking the other at all,
BY seizlng suitable port on some ada
cent Island without Qualifications, the
sympathles OF whose inhabitants are
towards the insurgents.
No word had come to the department
up to the close OF Office hours the Mont
zerrat at Cienfuegos. The officials are
Inclined TO believe that II she has got
ten In that port she did so before the
blockade Of Clenfuegos had begun.
Utter lmprobabiiiiyo of 1t
The very fact that the Madrid off,
cals have rather ostentatlously declar-
ed that the Spanish fleet has sailed to
lombard the cities on the North Amer
lean coast Is taken as a certain indica-
ton al the navy department. OF the ut
ter !mprobabllity OF such a movement.
II this were contemplated the Spanish
officials would be the very last to make
the!r purpose public.
80 Ho'y ucp6A kAlClI do yCl Ndo tlldoG
no arrangements for the care OF prison.
ers taken by our warships, but the le-
gal officers OF the department think
they should be sent to the Boston ma
val prison. ~
Some vexat!on was felt at the injury
sustained by the Gushing. 1t Is said
mat this Is the first serious breakdown
sae has suffered in the nine years Of her
service. Luckily the department will
oe able to replace her very shortly for
PRESIDENT Malster. OF the Columbian
ron works, called at the navy depart
meht this afternoon, to announce that
tne torpedo boat Mckee. a twenty knot
er, would be ready for trial tomorrow.
sae VIII be sent at once to Norfolk to
nave the finishing touches added and
'aeh Will Join the squadron.
Not Before Fall!
In the war department there IS q
growing belief that the campaign pro-
per In Cuba will not be in full swing
oe'oFe next fall. when the rainy season
nas ended. That belief, however, has
w. prevented the officers whose duty II
i,s t." set she troops together from push
Ms their work with the greatest ener-
~, n,, ihus within twelve hours after the
W., a' , pl,l became law. the department
,..oie s' aoie TO begin to send out circulars,
i,sfioing /, the methods to be.followed
mi eSEulting the regular armytup to Its
sso Sn war strength OF 6l,000 men. The
,So.Eous ,S" amount Of work involved In
voI. Is increasing the army, regular and
,SS.un!eer. has caused General Miles to
en-, D+.''oh MS southern trip for tho pres
o,.lr me officials OF the department were
n,eet,"neimed to-day With all sorts of
isests I, , ana appeals against their action
n, "'aEing assignments OF troops among
ma, 'U'unteer forces and many changes
"1ay be looked for. @ 2,gss55,"'I' :,
.,'sn az state department posted a notice
VIA sy stating It had been officially ad-
h.. hay. ". " the Issuance OF neutrality orders
naly, the Netherlands, Switzerland,
n,,tfny ttf%"y ana Sweden, Russa and COL
p.Dh. p",.n. 10 these should be. added Great
nsn.; nraii; that country having issued a
ra,, r.'liity proclamation although the
ciar,, department has not yet been ON
no'ay y aaVised OF the fact. Itfis sup
FL Fa,u a'su that the official notice OF
to.moes tCes neutrality will be received by
.ba. ''oFro" as prcss dispatches announce
yss,,n proclamation was agreed upon at
ia1,serday,s ia ~ cabinet council at Paris. Up
f,So. Sh,ght. however, the French ambas-
po,Imn, p, A. cambon. had not received any
ee "t such proclamation.
,, Austria. Driny.
moulding France, four out OF the six
,ss, ..sa' powers OF Europe have declared
p. s" neutrality. namely Great Britain,
lance. Italy and RussIa. Thcre re-