The record-union., 1898-05-27
CERVERA'S FLEET.
Naval Authorities Still Hang to the
Belief That 1t Is Bottled Up.

WASHINGTON, May 26.-The naval
authorities have advanced another
stage in their calculations on the status
OF Admiral Cervera's fleet at Santiago
de Cuba. They not only have good rea-
son to believe that he is bottled up
| but, as an officer expressed it to-day,
the cork is in the bottle, and it is prac-
tically impossible for the fleet to make
an exit from the .harbor day or night.
It is felt that this condition of the
| Spanish fleet is not only important
! from the present strategic standpoint,
but Of momentous concern to the en-
tire future of the war. as the crippling
of this most effective naval force that
Spain possesses will leave her such
scant naval resources as to make
prolongation of the war impossible.
That Admiral Cervera went to Santi-
ago and is still there continues to be
the view taken by the Navy Depart
ment. At the same time, it can now
be stated that not a word has been
received from either Admiral Sampson
or Commodore Schley in official con-
firmation of the existence of this trap.
1t rests now, as it did two days ago. on
a semi official report coming to the Ma
Wy Department from a source believed
to be reliable. 1t was not a naval
source, nor one connected with the
State Department; neither did it come
from press advices. 1t was from parties
having relations with the Navy Depart
ment, and in a position to be accurate
/ ly advised
The naval authorities We're extremely
anxious to secure an official confirma-
/ ton from one of the American com
manders, and had this been received 1t
would have been made public at once.
/ But the department gave public all it
| felt warranted in view of the facts,
namely, an expression of belief that
the Spanish fleet was in Santiago har-
/ Dor. This has been reinforced by the
negative fact that the fleet has been
seen at no other point Still the word
from Sampson and SchIey is being most
anxiously awaited.
| Naval officers are now turning their
attention to inquiries that it is possi-
| bic for Admiral Cervara to get ont of
Santiago harbor. They hold that this
maneuver is impossible and being so.
the career of the Spanish Admiral is
at an end, so far as it constitutes a
menace against our ships. The Brit
/ ish comment that Admiral Hornby in
1880 escaped with his entire fleet from
a harbor under similar conditions. and
that Admiral Cervera should be able
TO make his escape when he gets ready
! to do So is not accepted. The naval
view here is just the contrary It is
pointed out that Admiral Hornby es-
! capped from an open bay, while Ad-
miral CerVera must come through a
channel about 300 yards wide, on
which the American searchlights will
play constantly. 1t is explained that
/ this is not mere opinion, but from
naval maneuvers when carried on at
Key West and Tortugas a few months
ago, which furnish a positive demon
stration that Admiral Cervara cannot
make an exit without being discov-
cred.
An officer who was on board one of
! the American ships during the Tortugas
move says sham night attack of tor
| pedo boats was made upon the big
! battleships and cruisers. The latter
were given no notice Of the projected
attack, and there We're no extra guards
such as the American ships now main
! tam, but every torpedo boat engaged
/ in the attack was discovered long be-
fore it was within striking distance
/ of the cruisers and battleships. One
of the attacking boats was so bewil-
/ ldered by the searchlights that it near
ly ran into a cruiser
! The lesson drawn from this attack
was that a sneak by an enemy was
/ impossible, owing to the modern meth
] DDS Of discovering an approach. 1t had
! shown
could not get within range. although
they had come within range of the
guns of the ships attacked. 1t is said
that these maneuvers at Tortugas
and Key West practically represent the
situation before Santiago If Cervera
sent out his torpedo boats as scouts
they would be detected before they had
done any damage and destroyed by the
small gunboats. The American ships
would have the advantage of concen-
trating the entire fire upon one small
passage.
A night battle is quite unusual in
naval annals, but it has : 9c3urre1. The
! Constellation fought the Revenge at
night, the engagement continuing for
six hours in the darkness, during which
the mainmast of the Constellation was
q.
is believed that if Admiral Cervera at
tempts to escape he viii choose the
night for this movement
On the other hand naval officials are
discussing the means the American
| commander may adopt to make exit
/ impossible. In the blockade of Charles
ton, barges full of stones We're sunk at
the channel entrance, cutting off in
gress and egress. A few old hullls
| would serve the same purpose in the
present case. There is difficulty in get
ting such old craft. and the sinking of
derelicts at proper points in the channel
would be attended with great danger.
They must be towed to position. sub
jecting those in charge - the dangers
of mines and tOrpedoes There are a,so
the guns of MORO Castle to be guarded
against. 1t is understood, however,
that Morro Castle has no searchlights.
so that a night operation os this char
! acter could be executed without the
! Spaniards being made aware of it.
Taking. everything into account, the
naval officers feel that Admiral Ger
vera committed fatal blunder in being