The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-31
Il the Smashing Of the Spaniards or
Letting Them Spoil in tho
Bottle
Associated Press Special Wire

harbor. Commodore Schley moved down
this morning and at 6 o'clock, going close
to the harbor, he saw the Cristobal Colon,
the Maria Teresa and two torpedo boats.
He believes the entire fleet is there.
Commodore Schley has acted upon his
own information and Judgment for the past
six days and believes the whole Spanish
fleet is there.
He sat on the after triangle of the Brook
lyn this morning until after the discovery
Of the fleet and he then went to breakfast
saying:
II have got them and they will never
get home"
The U. s. auxiliary cruiser St. Paul ar
rived here this morning and was sent to
Mole St Nicolas with dispatches. She
captured a coal ship, which was sent to
Key West by Captain Sigsbee in charge OF
a prize crew. The coal was undoubtedly
intended for the Spanish fleet. It is be-
Aeved there Is not much coal at Santiago
de Cuba, The officers and men of the fly
ing squadron are jubilant over the fact
that the location of the Spanish feet has
finally been definitely established.
The temperature. here is, liz degrees in
the shade and in the steel turrets the heat
is actually beyond the power of imagina-
ton.
The American ships here are the Brook
Ign, Texas, Massachusetts,, Iowa. Marble
head and Vixen. an auxiliary torpedo gum
boat.
sigsbee Saw Them
NEW YORK, May sO.-A dispatch to the
World from Mole st. Nicholas, Hayti May
%, says:
It may be stated positively that Commo-
dore Schley has part, If not all. the Span
fish feet bottled up in Santiago harbor.
This was suspected several days ago,
but was not definitely known until this
morning. when Captain Sigsbee of the at.
Paul. who has been cruising off the harbor
for the past week, steamed close enough
to distinctly see two cruisers of the vizcaya
class and two torpedo boats lying inside
the mouth of the harbor. 1t Is believed
that the remainder of Cerveras squadron
is also there. -
The St. Paul has been watching Santiago
eight days.
Captain Sigsbee thinks that two Spanish
torpedo boats ventured out of the harbor
Saturday night to attack the st. Paul, but
anticipating such a move, he changed his
position every night and they could not
locate him. The opposing fleets are about
Cervera will remain inside and postpone
an engagement indefinitely, but the block
ade will be effectually maintained.
Schley's Problem
KEY WEST. May 3O.-Any doubt re-
manning as to the exact location of Admiral
Cervsra's fleet was removed by reports
brought in by naval scout ships, and for
warded in the Associated Press dispatches
OF Saturday night.
The Spanish squadron Is anchored In
the harbor Of Santiago and the problem
remains for the commanders of the Am
erican fleet to dispose of the enemy. by
corking the bottle, or by forcing the long
narrow passage and smashing the strong
Spanish squadron at the anchorage it's
commander has chosen. 1t has been the
opinion of Rear-Admiral Sampson, that
Admiral Cervera would seek either San
tiago or Cienfuegos as a naval refuge and |
base. and the movement Of the two Ameri- |
can squadrons has proceeded upon this |
basis.
Strong and effective as are the Spanish
ships, representing as they do the flower
Of the Spanish navy. every argument in
naval strategy compelled Admiral Cervers
either to seek the shelter Of the close har-
Dor Of Santiago or return to Spain, and he
chose to make his stand at Santiago, That
he would court fight in the open sea is
an idea which has never been entertained
In American naval circles. although his
ships, without exception, have high uuoli-a
ties, owing to their great speed, for uch
a contest. On the other hand, It was be-
lieved the Spanish Admiral would ATTEMPT
to run in San Juan de Porto Rico but the
fact Of their recent bombardment of the
forts of that harbor. coupled with the
great possibility that Rear-Admiral Samp-
sons feet would be met, If he ATTEMPTED
to enter that harbor. left the Spanish AID
miral only one alternative, and he adopted
It by going to Santiago, where, 1t Is pre-
stunned, he has been able to coal, clean and
repair, and Is in a position to accept either
the conditions imposed by blockade or the
issue of a fight in the inner harbor, after
the American fleet has forced the passage,
1t has been thought that the campaign
against Admiral Cervera might now be
ended by demolishing the forts at the en-
trance of the harbor of Santiago, blockad- !
ing the channel and isolating the Spanish
fleet until the other problems of the war
are worked out. This, however. is not in
the line with American policy and simply
accepting the view of the situation taken
by the naval experts here. Admiral Ger
vera will have to accept battle at once.
It Is confidently expected that hard blow
will be struck within three Sr four days,
and that the result will be known to the
world at the expiration of that time. It
has not been disclosed whether Commo-
dore Schley Is to be reinforced. but It would
not be surprising If some additional ships
were sent to him.
The fleet, Captain Hodgeson said, came
into port at Curacao early on Saturday
morning. May 14th. The vixcaya and the
Infanta Maria Teresa anchored on either
side Of the Laughton. Outside the harbor
were-the torpedo boat destroysrs Turor and