The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-17
NEWS ABOUT IHE NAVY.
Secretary Long Orders More
Secrecy.
PLANS MADE TOO PUBLIC.
Spain Has PrOfited by Them at Our
Spain Has PrOfIted by Them at Our
Expense.
BREAK IN THE BLOCKADE.
Neutral Vessels to Be Given More
Latitude.

Washington, May 16.-An order. posted
this morning and signed by Secretary
Long, relative to the publication of news
emanating from the navy department, had
the effect to-day of considerably curtailing
the supply of information that heretofore
has been rather freely given out
The secretarys order was directed to
Capt. Crowninshield, chief of the navlga-
ton bureau, and he, in turn. gave it effect
by making an order in his own name that
persons connected with his bureau in any
capacity should have no conversation
whatever upon subjects in any way per-
tanning to the navy with representatives
of the press
AS an offset, it was ordered that bulle-
tins of such facts as have actually occur
red and are proper for publication, and are
not connected with existing or projected
movements, shall be prepared and posted
on the bulletin board.
The sum total of the information pub
lished by the bulletin board to-day under
these rules was a notice of the intention
to start the Philippine relief expedition,
and the permission given to some foreign
neutral vessels to pass the blockade at
Havana.
In explanation of the issue of the order
of the naval authorities, 1t is stated that
some of the leading American newspapers
have been so far lacking in patriotism as
to print plans of campaign and projected
movements of the naval ships, with the
result that the war board has been obliged
to completely revise lis plans in the
knowledge that the Spanards had prompt
ly taken notice of the publications and
were prepared to profit by them. Com
plant was made to Secretary Long that
the newspapers were working injury 10
the government in such cases. It is not
the purpose of the secretary to prevent
the press having any information that is
not calculated to cause a miscarriage of
the plans of the department.
The opening of the blockade at Havana
to certain vessels is rather CURIOUS pro-
ceeding that may lead to a very consid-
cradle widening of the blockade itself,
SO that in the end the neutral vessels rot
loaded with contraband or supplies, the
carrying of which into Havana would in
terfere with the naval and military oper-
ations of our government, may pass the
blockade under suitable regulations laid
down by the United States. The state
ment that the navy department still hopes
to make an exchange of prisoners at an
early day shows that the mission of the
Uncas yesterday was by no means a COM
plete failure as has been stated.
The troops going to Manila are to be
prepared for six months stay according
to the number of rations furnished, 2,160-
CO., and preparations for their departure
are being pressed with the greatest energy
The Charleston should have sailed to-day
from San Francisco.
The marines who have been lying In
Key West harbor on board the Panther
sWeltering under a semI-tropical sun are
TO be transferred to a more comfortable
vessel the Resolute, which win easily ac-
commodate them.
Intimations have been received here that
Captain General Blanco at Havana is very
short OF ammunition, in which case the
powerful batteries at the entrance Of Ha-
vana harbor, of course, would be deprived
of a large part Of their defensive strength.
This state of affairs may lead to some des-
perate attempts at blockade running on
the part of the Span:ards i'm the hope Of
getting more ammunition into Havana. 1t
is believed that the supplies so frequently
referred to as being on the Spanish flying
squadron were of this character,
rather than food supplies, which
makes il all the more important that
Rear Admiral Sampson and Commodore
Schley should succeed in keeping Admiral
Cervera from reaching Havana, or Glen
fuegos. or any port In Cuba connected
with Havana by rail-. Commodore Sehley
probably is well down on the Florida coast
row and should be able 10 guard the Flor
ida straits by tomorrow or next day His
appearance on that side OF Cuba would
enable Admiral Sampson 10 bring his
ironclads with perfect safety to Cionfuegos
on the south side, and with this disposition
OF our naval forces and the free use Of
a considerable number Of our scouting
vessels, Il is hard TO see how the Spanish
fleet can escape from the Gulf of Mexico
or the Caribbean sea.
The navy department is getting q better
quality of armor as the contracts expire
4 13-inch plate, tested at Indian Head
Saturday with a 10-inch gun, showed II
to be superior to any piece Of armor that
has ever been made, for with the highest
velocity al 1876 feet per second, the shot
penetrated only twelve inches, without
cracking the plate. 1t was the very last
piece to be delivered under the existing