The Portland daily press., 1898-05-11

There can no longer be much doubt
| that Admiral Sanpson's mission was to
find the Spanish feet which sailed from
| st. Vincent week ago last Friday and
| destroy it, There was some expectation
OF sighting it in the neighborhood of
Porto Rico, but Sampson was in that To-
callty on Sunday, and if he had found the
, fleet there we should have heard of
battle before this. An attack on Porto
klco was probably not contemplated in
mas instructions. at least not before he
mad found and defeated the Spanish fleet,
though it has been rumored that if he
olo not meet the Spaniards near that is
land ne would lombard the defences of
san Juan. But such proceeding while
the Spanish fleet was afloat would in
Volye considerable risk without adequate
results. He could probably take San
Juan, but his ships might be seriously
damaged and untitled to tackle the Cape
verde heet if it should make its appear
acne, and having no troops he could not
permanently OCCUPY the place. In all
probability therefore he has sailed by
Porto Rico and is now hunting for the
spanish ships. 1t is not known whether
Admiral Sampson had any proof that the
Cape Verde feet was in the vicinity of
| the West Indies other than the fact that
when they left Cape Verde they sailed in
q southwesterly direction, but it is not
improbable that he thought he
had other and stronger evi.
dence. At any rate signs indicate
that the Admiral is going to cruise be-
yond Porto Rico, and perhaps as far as
Cape st. Rogue, where the Spanish feet
may have gone to intercept the Oregon.
There can be little doubt of the result
of conflict between Admiral Sampson s
fleet and the Cape Verde squadron. The
former is composed of two powerful bat
tleships, the Iowa and Indiana, two
monitors, the Puritan and Amphitrite,
one red crusier, the New York, and
three cruisers the Montgomery, Detroit
and Marblehead. The Cape Verde fleet is
made mp of four armored cruisers of mod
ern type, the Infanta Maria Theresa,
Almirante Oquando, Vizcaya and Chris
tobal Colon, and several torpedo boats
| The Spanish fleet is outnumbered and
outclassed in ships, far exceeded in mum
ber and size of guns, while, if we can
judge from the fight at Manila. in disci-
pline and efficiency of the men it is far
inferior to the American squadron. TIE
| torpedo boats have caused some apprehon-
sion, but the ease with which Dewey dis
posed of two of them at Manila seems to
show that there is little reason for it.
With this fleet destroyed Spain will have
no fighting ships of any considerable
power, except the feet at Cadiz, and that
would hardly venture across the ocean af-
ter the Cape Verde feet was disposed of,
to court, as it would, certain destruction.
If, therefore, Admiral Sampson succeeds
in finding and destroying the Cape Verde
deet we shall have nothing to fear here
after from the Spanish navy, and all our
forces, naval and military, can be con !.
centrated for an attack upon Havana. In
deed, we are inclined to think that if
Sampson succeeded in destroying the
Cape Verde fleet the hopelessness of re-
tanning Cuba would be so apparent to the
OPohiatos ehau Gney NOulu surrender
without much fighting.
Itis to be feared, however, that Samp-
son will not find the Cape Verde fleet
either in the vicinity of the West Indies
or in South American waters. The atest
information, though as it comes from a.
| Spanish port it must perhaps be taken
with some allowance, indicates that it
has returned 70 Cadiz.