The times., 1898-05-21
SATURDAY, MAY p. 1898.
While the World waits.


We are passing through a period of
lull. How long it may last, and
whether or not it viii be followed by
a storm. no one knows, although there
certainly are indications of coming dis
turbance. All Europe has been waiting
10 see what would happen when the
scuadrons of Sampson and Cervera
should meet As Tar as cur interests
are concerned. We do not fancy that
fay0rable impression viii be created
abroad by the news that the Spanish
admiral has Outwitted our strasegists
and made strongly defensible and
welI-defended port without opposition,
while our vessels. which ought 10 have
been within a few hours OF his object
ire. turn up eight hundred miles away.
The situation gives US more dead wa
ter than ever to overcome, ana we have
less and less tine to accomplish il be-
fore European jealousy and hostility
ccme to head and force Us to face
new complications and dangers Ad-
miral sampson may, perchance, pull Us
ont Of the slough Of blundering inac-
ton into which We have fallen. but his
when it seems that he was in an excel
lent position 10 do so. is not encourage
ing. to say the least. We are afraid,
on The contrary, that We must admit
that the Spaniards make up in diplo-
macy and tactical cunning much If
what they lack in gunnery. L. IS but too
apparent that CeryeTa's finesse has
cost US three weeks Of the most Vaiua-
ble time, and has rendered it plain,
among ether things. that whereas Ha-
Vana could have been easily taken
when war was declared. it may now be
a difficult and bloody enterprise.
Yet il is one which must be under
taken and concluded without further
pDstponement. We cannot afford long
er 10 leave Cuba in the hands Of Spain,
If the decree Of expulsion from the
hemisphere is to be carried cut at all
We cannot afford, either. TO let Cervera
roam the seas at viii and distract our
counsels until the squadron at Cadiz
can be sent against our North Atlantic
Coast If Sampson is Inadequate 10 the
task. let some one else be assigned to il.
II it is not Sampson fault. but the re-
suit Of Office Interference. then let the
Board Of Strategy be dissolved or
locked up, and free hand given TO the
commander in the actual theater of
war.
Something is wrong somewhere. Per-
haps the trouble may be Strengthened
out. but if we should chance TO be out
maneUvered by Cerrera. and he should
be able TO sneak into Cienfuegos and
land his ammunition and supplies for
Blanco, the naval officials would hear
something not at all like the thanks of
Congress.
We do not wish to be pessimistic
We acknowledge the difficulties under
which Mr.. Mckinley is laboring. We
are not surprised, as the people in the
War Department appear to be, at the
ridiculous lack Of equipment for sol
diers in most of our States Much of
the delay in getting an army Of inva-
sion together may be ascribed to that:
but there is no apparent excuse for the
water-haul which our Navy has made
in the waters of the West Indies. Grant
that it could not have captured and
occupied Havana without the support
of a considerable army! AT least it
could have demolished such defenses
as Blanco had in the last week Of April,
forced him to use up his ammunition,
and prevented him from again placing
himself in a position to seriously resist
attack by land and sea. Instead of do
ing anything Of that kind. we have
afforded him ample time to import and
drill artillerists. and TO place his bat
teries on a footing certain to cause us
trouble and heavy loss Of life.
Cervera and Blanco are the two fac
tors in the iIan.ed ate prc5lem whose
elimination Is ceE ar-ed by every con-
sideration OF ials-e=. or satisfy. The
President know .s As ss-=-i as we do.
and we hope ard z-!.cve t1at n IS now
shaping his course a1c9-dingly.
But the c2Gnt.y IS ..-rat-ent fer re-
suits,