The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-28

| vera meet is sun IOcheu up III tHe uaiboi
of Santiago de Cuba"
This statement was made to me late TO
night by a prominent onicer after he had
read many dispatches during the evening.
including those from Port Limon reporting
the presence in Costa Rlcan waters OF
eight war vessels and one, 1t is under
stood, from Commodore Schley. the con-
tents Of which are not known,
Rear Admiral Montgomery Sicard, chair
man of the war board, also expressed this
evening his confident belief mat Admiral
Ceryera with the Spanish fleet, is stll
safely bottled up in the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba
Secretary Long is likewise OF the opinion
that Admiral Ceryeras position is I'M
changed.
Among the subordinate officials Of tho
department, however, doubt Is beginning
TO creep In as to the authenticity OF the
departments information concerning the
cnemy's men-of war. 1t is admitted by the
department and by the officers with whom
the department has been in Geographic
communication as The Post and Herald
rested upon the Spanish men of war, the
information received being given to scouts
by insurgents operating in the vicinity of
Santiago dc Cuba.
From the information obtainabe today.
there is reason to believe that Commodore
Schley, with the squadron under his COM
mand has not been before the harbor OF
| a. la nt m
the department has believed. Instead OF
proceeding directly from Ctcnfuegos. where
hc first put In for the purpose of landing
arms and ammunition for the Insurgents
he apparently remained at that point TAX
Ing on board coal from his GOLFERS. aud
! the dispatch sent to the department sew
erai days ago referring TO the coaling was
1 filed at Jamaica and caused the authorl-
ties 10 believe that Commodore Schley was
lying of Santiago dc Cuba
3 II was learned today that Commodore
Sehloy was at CenfueGos at that time.
Instead OF the Flying squadron reaching
Santiago de Cuba last sunday 1t did rot
reach It's destination until II day or tive
: later,
that the department Information yesterday
It as stated in The Post and Head this
s morning announced that tho Spanish flee
was sttll at Santiago de Cuba. hence In,
=. removed confidence of the naval war boar,
and OF Secretary Long. as expressed yester
day and today thai the Spanish fleet Il
e safely bottled ut that point,
Copyright 1898, by Associated press)
= or Cienfuegos, via United States Gun
It boat Hawk, Monday, May "a DELAYED /,
transmission Filled at jacksonville Fla.
n May u. y. m,-The arrival of the gun
boat Hawk. converted Yacht. put III,
Flying Squadron this morning int a stat
II of Torment and anticipation. She brourh
news that the Spanish squadron. under Al
mirai Ccrverc for which Commodore ScIle,
Is looking, was at Santiago do Cuba. com
G modore Schloy rlade immediate preparation
TO 20 In pursuit Of the enemy. but ne ba,
q" TO wait while the hatIleship Iowa look r,
. 400 tonc OF coal and the others $50 tons ,ae,
T" from the collier Merrin,ac, The squadron Il
4" TO leave this afternoon in ei.ase infer IN.
= STANDARDS, hoping to find then, bottled ~,
l. In the harhor OF Santiago
70 The flying squadron is now one of tbo
strongest aGgregations of fighting ships
ever gathered together. II consists of the
" ilrst-class armored cruiser Brooklyn, Com
IS modore sehley's flagship; the battloships
y Massachusetts, Iowa, Texas and the cruiser
= Marbiehtad, gunboat Castlue and the tor
d pedo boat Dupont, II has a plentiful sun
ply OF coal and can stay for a long time q,
y sea- The men are not only anxious bu,
- eager 10 fight and they expressed the
greatest satisfaction at hearing of the
Whereabouts OF the enemy.
A close examination was made OF the
- harbor OF Cienfuogos last night. but moth
ing was seen that would warrant an at
rs tack
o. Some concern is felt for the Scorpion,
Is which left here last night to take dis
ar patches to the Minneapolis at Santiago. The
er dispatches of Commodore Sehey are In
ie cipher and can not be read IL captured
About noon the British ship Adua from
no Kingston, jamaica. with orders from
United States Consul Denc to bring oil
e refugees from Cienfuagos was hailed and
s, Captain Walker said he thought he ha
u eecu 'he Spahish meet at Santiago, but I'M
TT derstood Il was bound for cienfuegos.
The Adula proceeded and Commodore
al Schtsy was inclined to believe that the
al Spanish squadron had got behind the hills
In in the end of the harbor so that she would
Is be invisible.
re The flying squadron was reinforced TIL,
at morning by the addition of the cruiser
Marblehead and the gunboat Eagle. 1t wa.
still lying of cienfuegos when the dispatch
boat left.
m The information given by the refugees
ID Is TO the effect that there are twenty -onl
IN mines laid in the channel all contact
' mines. When they were originally laid The
~ intention was to set them of by electricity
Is but there was some failure and they wer,
1t changed to explode by contact There are
- sixteen gunboats Of the enemy in the har-
II Dor and many thousands of Spanish troops
l. on shore.
clear view Of the harbor is not Oh.