Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-05-31
WANT TO MAKE SURE
Officials Will Not Act Until They
Learn of Cervera.
DON'T KNOW EXACT WHEREABOUTS.
Until He Is Definitely Located No
Movement VIII be Made by
Troops Against Cuba OF
Puerto Rico.

on TuertO hlcO OF SuDa unlll Iull ana
definite information is received as to
the location of the Spanish squadron
and its possibilities as factor in the
aggressive movements of Spain. That
being the positive determination, there
Is no present purpose to hurry forward
the troops now at the several points of
concentration, but the interval prior
to an aggressive forward movement will
be employed in seasoning the men.
Still Looking for Cervern.
Steps have been taken to secure early
information as to whether Admiral Ger
yera's squadron is inside Santiago har-
Dor and whether the American squad
ron has such advantage of position out
side the harbor as to make the escape
Of the Spaniards practically impossible.
For the last few days army circles have
shared public belief that the Spanish
ships were trapped in Santiago harbor,
and that has given impetus to arrange
ments by which large bodies of troops
at Chickamauga and elsewhere might
be moved forward rapidly to Tampa for
embarkation.
The presence of 80 or more transports
in Florida waters added to the convic-
ton that a movement on large scale
was about to occur. All this has been
going on with the understanding that
Admiral Cervera's career as possible
menace in the rear of our troops had
been cut off by his being securely held
within Santiago harbor, but in the alb
sence of positive information on this
point, together with the certainty that
he can be held inside the harbor, there
is no purpose whatever on the part of
the war department to make an ag-
gressive forward movement on Cuba or
Puerto Rico. This was stated Friday
In the most positive manner and from
an authoritative source. Unless the
navy department succeeds in securing
some direct and official information re-
Bpecting the Spanish and the American
fleets within the next "a hours through
the aid of the West Indian cables it will
resort to the use of dispatch boats.
Has No Official Knowledge,
1t can be again affirmed on the highest
authority, and notwithstanding all ru.
mors to the contrary, that at the close
, of the day the department had nothing
more than a belief, founded on unoffi.
cial advices, that the Spanish squadron
was lying in Santiago harbor, and no
news as to Commodore Schleys where
abouts. However, the great majority
of the officials of the navy department
entertain no doubt that Cervera is with
in Santiago harbor, and they have sue
ceeded In impressing this belief upon
the president and the members of the
cabinet.
The New Military Force.
An important phase to the military
programme is decision not to take up
the details OF organizing the new force
OF $4,000 volunteers for at least a week
or ten days. AT the cabinet meeting
Friday inquiry was made of Secretary
Alger as to what steps he proposed TAX
Ing on the organization of this large ad-
ditional force of volunteers. His reply
was that he had not even considered the
details of this question and that his
plan was not to take up the matter for a
week or ten days. In the meantime M
conclusion has been reached as to
whether portion of the $4,000 volun-
teers will be used to recruit the regi.
$ments, still remaining untitled, under
the first call for $4,000 volunteers, If
the regiments under the first call are to
be brought up to their maximum
strength 1t will take about 10000 men
from the second call to complete the 1928
regiments under the first call. This
will leave $4,000 men to be oreanizedrip
distinctly new regiments. It would
have the advantage of filling every regi-
ment In the service, instead of leaving
most OF them with depleted organiza-
ton. On the other hand 1t would de-
stroy the integrity of this force of 76,-
600 volunteers as second reserve. One
OF the main purposes Of issuing the
second call was to establish a second
reserve, made up Of men who could be
drilled and equipped at leisure and
called upon some months hence IL cir
oumstances required. But If 40 900 of
them are put at once into the regiments
OF the first call they will go to the front
with these early regiments and the sec
ond reserve will be reduced to about
$4,000 men or little more than one army
corps.
Asks Governors for Information.
The war department is anxious to OBJ
tain the views of the governors of the
states and territories in regard to the
filling to their maximum strength the
regiments already furnished by them
unher the first call of the president for
125,000 men and with this object In
view, Adjt. Gen. Corbin, at the direction
OF Secretary Alger. has sent kilograms
asking the several governors to make
recommendations to the department on
this subject.
More Brigndiers Named.
Washington, May 2s.-The president
Friday nominated long list of new
brigadier generals, among them Charles
Fitz-Simons, of Illinois; Henry NJ. Duff
field, of Michigan; Charles King, of Wis
consin; Lucius L. Hubbard, Of Mime.
sofa; William j. Mckee, of Indiana; Jo-
seph r. Lincoln, of Iowa.
Adjt Gen. Corbin has announced that
three of the brigadier generals appoint
ed by the president Friday would be
officially designated, as soon as the SEN
ate had confirmed their nominations. to
command troops in the Philippines.
The generals selected for the Philip
pines expedition are George A. Garrett
son, OF Cleveland, o.; Francis v. Greene,
OF New York, and Charles King, of Wis.
oonsin. Late Friday evening Gen. Mer-
rift, who is to be military governor Of