The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-27
1HEWAR FLEETSPUZZLB
Washington Has No Information to
i Give Out.
MILITARY OPERATIONS DELAYED

By the Uncertainty Regarding Ger
vera's Fleet-A Movement of Troops
May Be Looked For, However, With
in a Few Days-No News From Dewey
Washington May 2.-Secretary Long
said at the close of office hours yester-
day that no word had come from any
of the scouting vessels so numerous
In West Indian waters concerning the
Spanish flying squadron, wherefore he
concluded that Ceryera was still in
Santiago harbor. Supposedly Schley
is lying outside, watching the entrance
to prevent the egress of the. Spanish
vessels, but. while there is evidence of
been no official confirmation Of it. This
is little remarkable, in view of the
fact that it is only a days run for one
of Schley's swift torpedo boats from
Santiago to cable port in Hayti.
There Is also curious lack of infor-
nation from the newspaper dispatch
boats on this point. 1t was supposed
that the censors might have excised
from the dispatches Of the newspaper
men any reference to the fleets, but
this would apply, according to the
statement of the navy department Of
flclals here, only to that part of the
dispatches that might relate to the
movements and whereabouts of the
United States forces, and the censors'
rules would not exclude reference to
the Spanish squadron.
Notwithstanding the officials profess
in hlt
belief that the Spanish squadron is
securely bottled up in Santiago harbor.
there is no conCealment by them OF an
intense desire to secure some abso-
lutely trustworthy information on that
point. 1t is not to be doubted that,
with the question still open, the begin
ming of the military operations Is re-
tarded, for as long as there exists
possibility of the Spanish naval force
being at large there is an indisposition
to start the troop transports for CUBA.
Probably it was this uncertain state
of affairs that induced the president to
call q consultation at the White House
yesterday between Secretaries Alger
and Long, General Miles and the menu
bers Of the naval war board. Admiral
tain Mahan. None of the members Of
the conference felt authorized to tell
what had taken place. but there are
thought to be patent indications of a
decision to embark military expedi-
tions, whether for Cuba or Porto Rico
can only be conjectured in the course
of the next few days.
There was a lack of news from Adj
miral Dewey, and this convinced the
naval authorities that there could be
little credence placed in the Madrid re-
port of an accident to the Baltimore.
In the rush of military preparations
the war department officials have not
been able to give much attention to
preparation of the regulations for the
procurement of the $4,000 additional vol
unteeis called for Wednesday by the
president. 1t is still uncertain just how
far the national authorities will go to-
wards recruiting these forces them
selves. nor is it positively known that
independent organizations, companies,
battalons and regiments raised by in
dviduals will be accepted, if by so do
ing the department is required to ac-
cept the officers with the men. Indeed,
it Is now questioned whether under the
law the department could, If it would.
accept the services of officers under
such conditions, as the governors of the
states appear to be the only persons
authorized to issue commissions below
a regimental grade.