The age-herald., 1898-05-27
CERVERA IS
 BOTTLED UP Washington Authorities Cling to the Be- lief That He is Entrapped. BUT OFFICIAL C0NFIRMAT TON Is Yet Lacking, and the Willy Admiral
 Hay Have Escaped. UNCERTAIN STATE OF AFFAIRS Was the Cause of the Presidents Calling a Consultation of the Department Chiefs
 at White House Yesterday
 Rush of Preparations.
UNCERTAIN STATE OF AFFAIRS

Washington, May 26.-Secretary Long said at the close of office hours today that no word had come from any of the scouting vessels, so numerous in West Indian wa ters concerning the Spanish flying squad- ron. wherefore he concluded that Cervera was still in Santiago harbor Supposedly Commodore Schley is lying outside watch ing the entrance to prevent the egress of the Spanish vessels, but while there is evil dence of a certain kind that fact, there has been no offica confirma ion of it. This is a little remarkable in view of the fact that it is only days run for one of Schley's swift torpedo beats from Santiago to a cable port in Hayti. There Is curi- ous lack of information from the newspa- per dispatch beats on this point. It was supposed that the clns rs might have erased from the dispatches of the news paper men any reference to the fleets, but this would apply, according to the state ment of the navy department officials, only to that part of the dispatches that mlgn relate to the movements and whereapouts of the United States forces and the censoIs rule were not to exclude reference to the q, spanish squadron. Notwithstanding off1- cials profess unshakable confidence in their original belief that the Spanish squadron IS securely bottled up in Santiago harpor, there is no concealment by them or an ln- tense desire to secure some absolutely trustworthy information on that point. It is to be doubted that with the quesuon still open that the beginning or military operations is retarded, for as long as there exists a possibility of the spanish naval force being at large there is an lnoispos-- ton to start the troops ships for Cuna.
 Uncertain State of Affairs
 Probably 1t was this uncertain state or
 .l 4 t1,a tl annsrItation at the white house today between Secretaries Alger and Long, Geil, eral Miles and the members or the haVai war board Admiral Sicard, Captain crown, inshield and Captain Mahan. It was sta.eu hv one of the members of the conference that the purpose was to go over the VII situation from the Philippines to Cupa anu Porto Rico and decide just now Tar the plans already laid should be modlned .o meet existing conditions. This lnVoiVeu A discussion of such important points as the propriety of the immediate advance or inc military forces upon Cuba, the cred ibility of the advices so far had touchins the location of the Spanish squadron, the policy of preceding the Cuban expeoltioh, or accompanying it, with one dlfectea against Porto Rico and finally the extent or inc military assistance to be sent to AL milar Dewey at Manila As already indi- cated the proceedings were rather Tn the nature of a consultation than or war d
 at once. so it is not probable all of these imnortant questions were disposed Of at the council. None of the members oI the conference felt authorized to tell what had taken place, but there are thought to he patent indications of a decision to em- bark military expeditions in the course or the next few weeks whether for Cuba or Porto Rico can only be conjectured
 No News From Dewey
 There was lack of news today from Ad- miral Dewey and this convinced the naVai authorities that there could be little cred ence placed in the Madrid report or an ac- cident to the Baltimore.
 In the rush of military preparations the war department officials have not been able to give much attention to the resuia- lions for the procurement of the 75000 addl- tional volunteers called for yesterday. ], is still uncertain just how far the natonai authorities will go towards recruiting these forces themselves nor Is It positiVety known that independent organizations, companies battalions and regiments raised by individuals will be accepted en DOC as bv so doing the department is required to accent the officers with the men. It is ques- tioned whether under the law the depart ment would accept services under such conditions, as the governors or the states onnear to be the only persons authorized to issue commissions below the regimental grade. There are many other vexatious questions to be settled before the reguia- tions can be promulgated, but, fortunateiy in the judgment of the department officials due notice having been given to the peo- ple of a desire for more troops by the gov erument there is no occasion for haste In deciding upon the details in view of the fact that the full draft of men called for un,er the first proclamation has not been s>.u,ed The officials were engaged to- aay largely with the execution of new law providing for the organization of cer- tain independent forces with the result that it was able to announce regulations governing the examination of applicants for commissions in the engineer regiments and organizations of the immune regiments.