The times., 1898-05-19
A NEW WAR PLAN OUTLINED
Aggressive Movements by Land
and Sea Projected.
CHANGES IN THE FLEETS
Our squadrons to Be ReorGantzed
fn Accordance With New Plans
md COndftfons-The Invasion OF
Cuba 10 Be Rushed without He-
gard TO the Spanish Fleet.

The Government at last has reached the
decision that the spaniards did not come
to this side Of the ocean TO engage IN a
fight with a far superior force.
From the hour that this understanding
was reached may be dated new Amei1-
can plan. The Spaniards may not be
fo1,nd for DAYS, or even weeks. and Will
not be a very formidable foe when they
are discovered. The Cubans are starving.
Therefore. an aggressive campaign by
land and sea has been projected.
Cuba. will be invaded by an immense
army as fast as il can be transported TINS
without reference 10 the Spaniards IN any
way. except that a convoy will be fur-
nisbed the transport ships. A flying squad
ron. a match for the Spaniards in speed,
Will scout for them while this invasion is
in prorress and before il is begun Two
great fighting fleets. composed of almost
tbs. entire remainder of the Atlantic
SQUADRON. viii hold themselves in readi-
ness to strike "a blow. either i'm eo-opera-
tiOu or separately. as soon as the Span
iards are found Their positions viii be
probably in the neighborhood OF the
Windward Passage. at the eastern end OF
Cuba, and near Cienfuegos and the west
ern end of the island.
This plan is believed by the experts Of
both the War and Navy Departments 10
be far more reasonable and promising Of
definite and quick success than any that
heretofore has been tried. IT viii be seen
that there is no element of uncertainty
that can defeat it. The plans tried, or,
rather projected, heretofore, because no
plan has mp to this time gotten beyond the
paper on which it was written. have all
depended on something that the naval war
board thought the Spaniards would do. II
the Spaniards had something different in
mind the plan failed, and it always hap
pened that they did With the entire
navy looking after the Spanish ships and
heading them of IN any direction that
they may Try to get out of the Caribbean
Sea, the army of invasion may proceed
with the business of occupying and con-
Cuering Cuba as fast as il can put the
troops on the island.
SpHiB-s Advantage.
II may be said OF this plan. outlined
thus in a general way. that there can be
no question as TO its authenticity. The
exact formation Of the squadrons. the ex-
act positions that they viii occupy in
the general scheme and other matters Of
detail, are not TO be learned on account
OF the strict secrecy OF the War Board 5
opera tions.
As has been pointed out in The Times
heretofore. the Spanish squadron is
singularly fortunate in its speediness
This with the immense area Of sea room
south OF Cuba not in reach Of cable con
necuons. made the old plan of running
the Spauiards down Immediately utterly
futile
The Spanish squadron can move 4G
miles a day and has not been reported
since Sunday This presents large pos
sibilities. The 900 miles the Spaniard.
could have sailed up TO yesterda,
would have brought them into any har
Dor in Puerto Rico. San Domingo. tht
Leeward or the Windward Islands ol
Venezuela. They could also have mad,
Kingston. Jamaica. OF gone clear through
the Windward or the Mona passage pro
Vaoed there were no American warship
20 intercept them.
The American squadron that viii en-
oeavor first to spoil this plan is 10 be
flying squadron actually and not in nam
only, as was Commodore Schleys squad
ron that fingered so long in Hampton
Roads without accomplishing anything
The first two Of these ships are IN,
equals OF the SpaniarGs if q very little al
lowance is made for the superior gun
merry OF the Americans. They are swift
and strong.
This squadron VIII scout probably ir
the waters south OF Puerto Rico. Tn,
plan VIII be 10 get early news of tn,
Spaniards 10 the fighting fleet Ii. how.
ever the Spanish feet should attenpt Il
get out Of the Caribbean Sea by the east.
ern end and thus be afterward a constant
menace 10 the American coast the FLYER.
would attack it Any other way the
flyers could secure the aid of the stronger
squadron in time.
The monitors Puritan. Terror. Amnhi.
trite and Mianton0moh. very strong d
not speedy. wiH be u, iiized as the conyovs
Of the transports and In the blockade Of
Havana, with perhaps two or three Of tfle
smaller arm0red cruisers
All the hrst-class American battleships-
the Iowa. Indiana, Massachusetts and
Texas, and very soon the Oregon-wiT b,
n the fighting squadr0ns. In addition ID
these there VIII be the secOnd-cIass hat
tleships and other ships now in the south.
ern waters It is believed that any of tht
two ffrst-class batuleships could outfighr
the Spanfards.
The Naval War Board does not expect 2
battle for several days. The only uroba
bility Of a quick engagement is that tn,
Spaniards may now make a dash out O.
the Caribbean TO the northeast by the wa,
OF Puerto Rico perhaps. There have beer
Tumors thar Spain has instructed the fee
20 attack the American coast
The Army of Invasion.
The army is nearly ready for the fnra.
sion Of Cuba. The wait Of a week since
the invasion was talked of before has beer
very serviceable in getting a very un.
ready and unorganized army into shane
Since that tine the contracts for clothIne
and equipment have been rushed. the vOJ.
unteeFs have been mustered in and tn,
march 10 the gulf has begun in earnest
II Is believed that there viii be a sufficien
force IN shape 10 embark for Cuba within
ten days.
The day OF sailing has not been set def
nitely and VIII not be given out when 1
Is decided on for precautionary reasons
The reports Of the Army officers who wen
10 Cuba 10 investigate the condition O.
the island and the Spanish army nav,
convinced the Administration that n,
small force viii be safe or effective in an,
quick campaign such as Is desired. Tber.
was discussion yesterday over the ad
Visibility Of sending a force Of the Regu
lar Army 10 the island first. and IL ma,
be that there viii be 200 men landed !,
few days ahead Of the main body.
il is believed that the second call TO
troops is directly connected with tai
change Of policy. The large Cuban arm
and the large Philippine army will max
more troops absolutely necessary. A
now contemplated they may take $50.
men together. The reserve army wouk
not be any too large in this case if 1000
extra men were called out
ELEVATOR DROP KILLS SIX