The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-05-21
THE WAR SITUATION.
DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TOO LIBERAL
WITH INFORMATION
The News Given to the Press Will Here.
after BE Curtailed-.-Hayana Blockade
Moiified---Blanco Almost Ammunition.
less...Manila Troops to Stay Six Months.
TO CURTAIL THE NEWS.

and signed by Secretary Long, relatlTe
to the publication Of news emanating
from the navy department, had the ef-
feet to-day Of considerably curtailing
the supply of information that hereto
fore has been rather freely given out.
The secretary's order was directed to
Captain Crowninshield, chief Of the
navigation bureau, and he, in turn
gave it effect by making an order in bis
own name that no person connected
with bis bureau in any capacity should
have any conversation whatever on
subjects in any way pertaining to the
navy with representatives Of the psess.
As an offset it was ordered that bulle-
tins of such facts as have actually occur
red and are proper for publication and
not connected with existing or projected
movements shall be prepared and
posted on the bulletin board. The
sum total Of the information pub
lished by the bulletin board under this
rule was a notice of the intention to
start the Philippine relief expedition,
and Of the permission given to some
foreign neutral vessels to pass the
blockade at Havana. In explanation
of the issue of this order, the naval
authorities say that some Of the lend
ing American newspapers have been 30
far lacking i'll patriotism as to print
columns OF campaign and projected
movements Of naval ships, with the
result that the war board has been
obliged to completely revise its plans
in the knowledge that tile Spaniards
had promptly taken notice Of the pub
LEGATIONS and were prepared to profit
by them. Complaint WIS made to
Secretary Long that the newspapers
were working injury to the govern
ment in such cases. 1t is not the pur-
pose of the secretary to prevent the
press having any information that is
calculated to cause a miscarriage OF
the plans Of the department, but it re-
mains to be seen whether the naval
officers to whom the order has been
directed, will not by their iron clad in
depreciation Of it bring about modi'
tication in the liberalit5.
HAVANA BLOCKADE MODIFIED.
The opening of the blockade at Ha'
vana to certain vessels is rather Gu
rious proceeding, that may lead to
very considerable widening of the
blockade ITSELF so that in the end the
neutral vessels not loaded with contra
band or supplies, carrying into Havana
would Interfere with the naval and mill
itary operations laid down by the
United States.
TROOPS TO MANILA.
The troops going to Manila are to be
prepared for a six months stay. Ac'
cording to the number of rations fur
nished, 100000, and preparations for
their departure are being pressed with
the greatest energy. The Charleston
should have sailed Monday from San
Francisco.
BLANCO SHORT OF AMMUNITION.
Intimations have been received at
Washington that Captain General
Blanco, at Havana, is very short OF
ammunition, in which case the power
erful batteries at the entrance of Ha-
vana harbor, of course, would be de-
prived of large part Of their defensive
strength. This state Of affairs may
lead to some desperate attempts
at blockade running on the part
of the spanards, in hope Of getting
more ammunition into Havana. It is
believed that the supplies so frequently
referred to as being on the Spanish
flying squadron were Of this character
rather than food supplies, which should
make it all the more important that
Sampson and Schley should succeed in
keeping Admiral Cervera from reach
ing Havana Or Cienfuegos, or any port
in Cuba connected with Havana by
rail.
His appearance on the north side
of Cuba would enable Sampson to
bring his iron clads with perfect safety
into Cienfuegos, on the south side,
and with this disposition Of our naval
forces and the free use of consider
able number of our scouting vessels,
it is hard to see how the Spanish fleet
can escape from the gulf Of Mexico,
or the Carabian sea.
BETTER ARMOR PLATE.
The navy department is getting
better and better quality of armor as
the contracts expire. A l3-inch plate
tested at Indian Head Saturday with
1O-inch gun, showed itself to be
equal Or superior to any piece Of arlnor
that has ever been made, for, with
the highest velocity Of 1916 feet per
second, the shot penetrated only
twelve inches without cracking the
plate. 1t was the very last piece to
be delivered under the existing con-
tract, and is intended for the Kentucky.
APPOINTMENT OF COMMANDERS.
The war department rushed ahead
its organizations for the mobilization