Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-06-09

| Washington, June A brief bull
| letin telling Of Commodore SchIey's
reconnaissance at Santiago on Tuesday
last was all Of the information that
the navy department had to contribute
to the press Friday. The bulletin
went to confirm the press dispatches
which told OF the firing on the forth
| fcations at Santiago, which had been
so steadfastly discredited ever since
the first report. The great natural
| strength of the Spanish position and
the formidable character of their bat
teries as indicated by Commodore
| Schley have confirmed the naval Of
fcials in the belief that they have
been wise not to direct any such reck-
less assault upon the place in the abb
sence Of proper forces as has been adj
yocated in some quarters. The prob
lem would be simplif1ed were it known
that there are no mines in the channel.
AS it is the problem presented has
enlisted the active interest of the
army engineers as well as the naval
officers here. It is the duty of the
army engineers in this country to lay
just such mines as are supposed to be
in place in Santiago harbor and they
are curious to see how their brothers
in the navy propose to go about the
work of destroying them. 1t
remains to be seen whether Sampson
is going to solve this problem by the
use of the Vesuyius with dynamite
projectiles, by the aid of divers, or by
recourse to the old method Of drag
ging for mines with small boats as In
cable cutting operations.
Notwithstanding the rather positive
statement coming from Jamaica to the
effect that the second Spanish fleet
| from Cadiz has crossed the Atlantic
and is about to join Cervera at San
tiago, the officers Of the navy depart
ment refuse to be frightened at what
they declare to be a bugaboo.
1t appears that the basis Of their
confidence is the Geographic report Of
Thursday, declaring that the Cadiz
fleet was still at Cadtz.
Captain Sfgsbee, of the auxiliary
cruiser St. Paul, reported at the navy
department Friday and had confer
ence with Acting Secretary Allen.
Messrs. Thrall and Jones, the two
newspaper correspondents imprisoned
at Havana and recently exchanged
for Spanish officers, were also at the
navy department during the day.
According to Secretary Allen he
has appointed a court Of inquiry TO
examine into the collision on May 20
between the United States cruiser CO.
lumbia and the British steamer Eos
Gala, off Fire Island.
Brigadier General Arthur McAr-
thur, recently stationed at St Paul.
has been ordered to proceed to San
Francisco and report to Gen. Merritt
for assignment to duty with the expe-
dition to the Philippines.
The navy department bulletlned the
following report from Schley: "Secre-
+arv of the Navy, Washington
made a reconnaissance this afternoon,
Nav 31st. with the MASSACHUSETTS,
Iowa and New Orleans to develop the
Notifications with their character.
Orr fire was returned without delay
by heavy batteries to the east and TO
the west. Of large calibre and long
range. Their range is 1000 yards.
Our reconnaissance developed salts
factorily the presence Of the Spanish
squadron lying behind an island near
the upper fort, as they fred over the
hill at random. I am quite satished
that the Spanish feet is here"