The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-17
TO PASS UNDER CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS
Sampson and Schley are Preparing 4 Net
in Whose Meshes II IS Hoped the Span
ISL leet will Soon be Hope
IarrI. lr,.l.AA
IeSsl, involved.

IeSsly involved.
Washington, l.. c., MAY l6-An order
posted this morning and signed by Secr.-
tary Long relative 10 the publication Of
news cnianatins from the Navy Depart
mcnf had the effect to-day OF considcra-
bly, cnrtailing the supply Of information
that heretofore has been rather freely
given ont. The Secrctary's order was
directed To Captain Crowuinshieid. chief
of the Navigation Bureau. and hc in
turn gave it effect by making an order in
his name that persons connected
With his bureau in any capacity should
have no conversation whatever upon sub
JectS IN any way pertaining To the navy
with representatives, of the press. As an
offset IL was ordered that bulletins Of such
facts as have actually occurred and are
proper for publication and are not con-
nectcd with existing or projected move.
mentS. shall be prepared and posted on
the bulletin board. The sum total of
the information published by the bulletin
board to-day under this rule was n no
tice of the intention To start the Philip
pine relief expedition. and OF the permis-
sion given To some foreign neutral yes
sells to pass the blockade at Havana.
In explanation of the issue of the order
the naval authorities say that some of
the leading American newspapers have
been SO far lacking in patriotism as to
print plans of campaigns and
projected movements Of the naval
ships. with the result that the
War Board has been obliged 10 com
pletely revise its plans in the knowledge
that the Spaniards had promptly taken
notice of the publications and were pre-
pared to profit by them. Complaint was
made to Secretary Long that the news
papers were working injury to the gov
IN in such cases. II is not the pur-
pose of the Secretary To prevent the
press having any information that is not
calculated to cause II miscarriage Of the
plans Of the department.
The opening OF the blockade at Ha-
yana to certain vessels is Il rather Gu
Iious proceeding that may lead to "A very
considerable widening Of the blockade
itself, so that in the end neutral vessels
not loaded with contraband Of war sup
plies, the carrying Of which into Havana
| would interfere with the naval and mill
tary operations Of our government, may
pass the blockade under suitable regu-
latiOns laid down by the United States.
The statement that the Navy Depart
ment still hopes to make an exchange of
prisoners at IN early day shows that the
mission Of the tncas yesterday was by
no means rs complete Il failure as has
been stated.
The troops going 10 Manila are To be
prepared for Il six months stay according
to the number of rations furnished
:, 100000, and preparations for their de
parture are being pressed with the great
est energy. Tn Charleston shonld have
sailed to-day from San Francisco.
The marines who have been living in
Key West harbor on board the Pan
ther SWeltering under Il scmi-tropical sun,
are to be transferred 10 II more confoT-
table vessel. the itesolute. which will
easily accommodate the 800 men aboard.
limitations have been received here that
Captain General Rlanco at Havana is
very short of ammunition. in which case
the powerful batteries at the entrance
Of Havana harbor, Of course. would be-
deprived Of Il large part of their de
fensive strength. This state Of affairs
may lead to some desperate attempts at
blockade running Oh the part Of tn.
Spaniards in the hope Of getting more
ammunition into Havana. at is be
''' I'h - -, ~ 49,
ferred to as being on the Spanish Flying
Squadron were Of this character rather
than food supplies. which makes it all
the more important that Sampson ana
Schley should succeed, which makes
it all the more important that Sampson
and Schley should succeed III keeping
Admiral Ccrycra from reaching Iava-
na. or titnfuegoS or any port in Cuba
connected with Havana by rail. Commo
dore Schley probably is well down on the
Florida coast now and should be able
morrow or next day. His appearance Oh
that side of Cuba would enable Sampson
to bring his ~iron-cladS with perfect safe
ty to Cienfuegos on the south side, ana
with this disposition of our naval force
and the free use Of Il considerable mum
Der Of our scouting vessels it is hard
to see how the Spanish feet can escape
from the Gulf Of Mexico or the Carib-
bean sea.
The Navy Department is getting a
better quality Of armor, as the contracts
expire. \ thirteen inch plate tested ut
Indian Head Saturday with a ten inch
gun showed itself to be equal or SUI
perior to any piece Of armor that has
ever been made. for with the highest
velocity at . feet per second. the
shot penetrated only y inches, without
cracking the plate. IT was the very
last piece to be delivered under the
existing contract and is intended for the
Kentucky.