Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-25
GENERAL WAR SITUATION.
Continued from page ~

possible assistance and advice mainl,
in the way of information to the ad
mrals in command.
The office of the war board, the see
rotary pointed out, was not to tigh
battles; that was exclusively the prov
inc. of the squadron commanders. The
and at no time had assumed executive
functions.
The Spaniards appear to be making
ready for something more than de-
fensive campaign at home, or at least
they are trying TO create that impress
sion by other means than news bulle-
tins that issue almost daily from
Madrid.
The navy department now has.
through its own reliable sources, re
ports of thu greatest activity in the
Spanish navy yards and of the prepar-
alton for sea and for a long voyage ~
two Of the torpedo boat destroyers. 1t
is given out that they are to JON
Cervera Immediately when his squad
ron enters Cadiz harbor.
Possibly this statement is made with
a deliberate purpose of misleading
| American sailors into the belief that
| Cervera has taken his way homeWard.
inquiries as to the whereabouts of the
Oregon brought a reply, this afternoon,
| 10 the effect that the battleship was
safe II could not be learned of her
location. Ii is probable that the tele-
grams said to nave emanated from the
vessel really were not filed at Key
| West. but were brought to that port
| by some dispatch boat from the
| oregon, which is operating with our
| fleets
The cutting of the cables at Santa
| go and at san Juan lie Porto Rico as
reported. today, was a military move
of the first character. Blanco has yet
one link left of communicating With
the outer world, but the Spanish com
mander at san Juan now finds himself
totally in the dark as to the conditions
in Spain or in Cuba, while the value
of that port as place of refuge for
the Spanish flying squadron is ma
| terially diminished.
It is safe to say that the remaining
| cable to Santiago will soon be cut like
the others. so that if CerVera is mis-
guided enough to have entered Santa
90 harbOr he will be completely out Of
touch With his home government on
the one hand and equally unable to
communicate with Blanco at the other
end of the island.
The Philippines expedition is now off
! in dead earnest. The sending of these
ships viii vitality affect the Hawaiian
question: Like the Charleston. the
transports must stop al Hawaii % re
! plenish their coal bunkcrs from the
great heaps of coal that Consul Gen
cral Hayward has been piling up for
months past.
If the Hawaians let us take this coal
without the pretext that we are using
| it to make our way to the nearest homo
port, as is required by international
| law in such cases. they Will stand con-
victed OF great breach Of neutrality
that in the eyes y the law of nations
allies them with the United states in
hostility with Spain.
The taking Of coal by the American
/ ships at Hawaii to make an extensive
| campaign against the Spanish posses
sions it is believed here. will result in
compelling the United States either TO
assume a protectorate over the islands
or to annex them.
Both Senator Platt ana Representative
Grout presented names for lieutenancic<
in the army TO the President. today.
General Circuit is particularly gratilied
at the showing Vermont has made 50 far
in the war. his friends pointing with pride
10 Tue idtt tDdl 5plIl AttIlill III dewey ana
Captain Clark. the commander of the
oregon came not only from Gen. Grout :
district but from the same town. Mont
pelier.
Senator Burrows of Michigan. was Will,
the President for some time, but on leav-
ing disclaimol any knowledge of any in
formation throwing light on the situation
Senator Burrows however, made nc
Concealment of his personal conviction
that there should be 100000 mon promptly
sent to Manila to hold the Philippines.
Secretary Wilson was the first of tn,
cabinet to appear at the White House
Secretary Gage and Postmaster Genera
Smith followed on the stroke of II.
Secretary Long. who has just returne,
from his home in massachusetts. entcrct
= the cabinet room a little late. with Secre
n tary of State Day.
l. Secretary Long, before joining the Pres
y ident and the cabinet. said that the pres:
IdiSpatch from London about the reporto,
ii destruction of Admiral CerVeru's flee
y was all the news he had on the subject
Il and that there hal been nothing otlicia