The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-05-26

Washington. May 80. - All Of the
news THAT was given ont yesterday ut
the navy departI ert was comprised III
the one short bulletin posted NJ the
close Of the day stating That the &C.
partmcnt had information believed TO
he authentic. that Admiral Cervera,
with his flying squadron. was 81 Sant-
ago de cuba. This wect 10 confirm
the newspaper reports ana also the
Madrid cahlegram published in the
morning. the latter q rather unusual
circumstance. for the Spanish bulle-
tins have been notably deceptive ever
since The flying sqUaCron. left CadiZ.
Accepting this statement as correct IL
Indicates that there is little probabili-
~ of Il hostile meeting between Samp-
son or Schlcy ana Cervcra Immediate
~. Looking over the charts Of Santi-
ago harbOr the experts soon discovered
that the place would lie q yeTlIalhe rat
trap for the SpauiarGs with lis narrow
entrance. in which single American
monitor could hottie up The whole
Spanish fleet. The naval strategy
board, rrchriStcucG q late the war
board. il Ia lose one Of Is most active
ami valuable members il II" person or
Capt. Barker. lie leaves Washington
for Hampton Roads 20 take command
Of the fine protected cruise: Newark,
which has just been
ENtcusiN-I, Hepaircd
Mt the Norfolk navy yard. II is said
81. la. t..f Sa m -
squadron in the West lEGies as soon
Is she can get there. Il Las not been
determined who wUUid succeed Capt.
Barker AZ II member q the war board,
q place requiring the very highest pro-
fcssiunal QUaliiiCatiULs ant! involving
knowledge Of strategy - taught scien-
tifically. which IL lot he possession OF
all naval officers. II may he that the
vacancy will not be filed al present,
though there has been favorable men,
ton of the name Of Admiral Ramsey,
retired. in that connection. Irepara-
lions 90 oh steadily fer the Philip
pines military expedition. Gen. Mer-
rift. who will COMMAND. stopped in
Washington on his way westward
from New York. and spent most of the
day in consultation with the officials
OF the department arranging the de-
tails of,tiT expedition. Another trans.
port was secured ana the department
is showing a disposition 10 treat Gen.
Merritt with The utmost lterail,y IN
the equipment Of his forces. Il is said
that the advance guard OF the vessel
under the command cf Gen Otis will
sail out of The GOLDEN Gate to-day,
Hound for the Philippines.
The complaints Of the shOeleSs
among the volunteers just brought
into the army will soon be Silenced as
the department just placed orders for
100000 pairs of soldiers shoes. A be-
ginning was made toward the organ
izatiOn of the independent volunteer
forces under authority conferred upon
the president by special resolution.
The national guard Will have no part
in these organizations. which viii Be
made UP of engineers. inmunes and
electricians. The staff assignments
are coming out rapidly in the general
orders issued daily 10y the department.
the appointments being made L. neral
~ upon the request Of the major gen
| erals and the brigadier generals vet
TO be provided for IN this matter. The
state department ANNOUNCED that the
Polaria. the Hamburg American line
steamer al Key West. which was au
thorized To- land certain passengers i'm
Havana. had declined 10 avail itself OF
the privilege. so the department is re-
iieVeu oil what promised 10 he an en-
barrassing incident. and os the neces-
Sity OF establishing what miCIt nroro