The Grenada sentinel., 1898-05-14
SAMPSON STILL SILENT
Navy Department Relying Upon
Him to Guard Our interests.
TO Rush the Cuban Campaign to eli
maS-That Seems to BE the Purpose
of the Authorities at Washington.

| WASHINGTON, May 11.-Contrary t
expectations, the day again passed a
the navy department without new
from Admiral Sampson.
| Notwithstanding what appear to b
confirmatory newspaper advices rela
tive to the presence of the Spanisl
Cape Verde fleet at Cadiz, the navy de
partment officials are beginning to en-
tertain strong doubt of the accuracy o
the report. 1t was not possible during
the course of the day to obtain any
thing like an official confirmation O.
the official report received yesterday
but this is not to be wondered at, ir
view of the success with which the
Spanish government has so far met
with in keeping secret the movements
of its naval ships.
Until news comes from Admiral
Sampson of his doings in and around
Porto Rico, it cannot be said definitely
what programme shall be decided on as
regards that island.
The revival of doubt as to the where
abouts of the Cape Verde squadron
caused renewal of anxiety as to the
Oregon. The ship was at Bahia it Ia t
accounts, and is believed to have
started day or two ago up the brazilian
coast. to join SIMPSONS squadron in the
West Indies. She will have to make a
voyage of $500 miles. which will oc-
cupy the Oregon about ten days only
as she is in fine fettle, and averaged
thirteen knots an hour on the long run
around from San Francisco. However,
it is believed that Admiral Sampson is
as well posted as any one in Washing
ton as to the conditions existing in the
West Indies. and he doubtless will do
whatever is right in his Judgment to
safeguard the Oregon.
1t has heen Suggested that some of
the troops now being hurried SO rapidly
to the gulf coast may be intended to
cooperate with Admiral Sampson in
the reduction of the fortihcations at
San Juan de Porto Rico. and the sub
sequcnt occupation of the island. 1t is
felt that the admiral will be in q rather
disagrceable plight, supposing even
that he managed to reduce the forts
with his fleet, if he were obliged to re-
main there in occupation of the place
for lack OF troops. when he might other
wise be urgently needed either on the
Cuban coast or somewhere in the At
lantic to meet the Spanish fleet.
An evidence Of the wisdom of having
the troops transports at hand in such
cases is shown by the predicament Ad-
miral Dewey is believed to be in at Ma
Mia. where. for lack of troops. he is
unable to occupy the town and to pre-
vent atrocities which the insurgents
are capable of working upon their help
less Spanish foes.
Comparatively Easy Job.
The strategy board is carefully pre-
pairing its plans for an assault upon
Havana by sea in connection with the
regular army move by land, the work |
being rather of preparatory nature
and not committing the department in |
any way to final adoption of this
plan. 1t has been represented that the
fleet with safety might assemble to the
extreme east of the Spanish fortifca-
tions at the entrance Of the harbor. In |
that position it would be exposed to at |
tack by only one battery at the end of |
the line. The entire fleet could entilade |
this battery and destroy it in short or
der. The attack would be followed
down the line of shore, taking one bat
terry at time, and thus reducing to a
minimum the exposure of the ships.
while bringing a terrible concentration
ot fire upon the batteries in turn. One
naval officer who was consulted upon
The subject guaranteed that the fleet
could knock out all of the Notifications
one after the other within two hours
1T would look like knocking down
'ow of bricks" said he.
Notwithstanding the cable advices to
he effect that the Spanish flying squad-
on has rejoined the Spanish home
squadron at Cadiz, the naval strategy
board is by no means assured on this
ooint, and it is believed that while Ad-
niral Sampson has been placed in
possession OF the cable reports, he has
'een warned not to accept them as alb
'olutely conclusive as yet
1t might seem strange that the navy
department. should be in doubt as to
whether Or not squadron of large
nen-of-war is lying in harbo- where
he ships would be plainly visible to
he eyes Of 100000 people. 1t must be
remembered, however, that the United
states has no representatives in Cadiz,
Tor can it look to the representatives
# foreign governments in Spain to fur
lish any such information touching the
laval movements. Reliance must be
'ad either on severely censored news
'aper dispatches or upon the reports of
pies, and neither of these are of unim.
'eachable accuracy at this juncture.
COR this reason the navy department is
disposed to accept all reports with ex-
rene caution.
CAMPAIGN PLANS pEREECT