Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-22
KEY WEST ANXIOUS.
1T FEELS ON THE VERGE OF A MIG
NAVAL BATTLE.
The ARRIVAL OF SAMPSON.
Speculation ms TO the Whereabouts
and Probable Plans of the Spanish
Fieet--A Rehabilitation of the
American ships.


vexatious day Key West has known since
the war began. Everything indicates the
proximity Of big naval battle. but with
an unseen foe. who may appear at any
one of several points. and possibly strike
blow and get away before force can be
massed to crush him. At this hour the
whereabouts OF Schley's and Simpsons
squadrons are fixed quantities in the
equation the Spaniards are represented
by X.
squadron. that sailed from Hampton
Roads on Friday, anchored Off Sand Key
light, six miles below Key West. They
have Joined Captain Sigsbee's big grey
hound. the st. Paul. which, leaving the
Roads a day later than they, had beat
them here almost day and half. The
appearance of the flying squadron was
supplemented about $50 o'clock by two
of the dispatch-boats that had been
with Admiral SIMPSONS feet, racing in
neck and neck. the Associated Press
boat Dauntless in the lead.
The necessity of cutting the cable at
Santiago de Cuba has already been evil
denced in Key West by several Madrid
cablegrams via London, sent after the
bloody fight at Cienfuegos last week.
when the Marbehead's boat-crew cut the
cable at that point.
SAMPSON ARRIVES.
Admiral SIMPSONS fleet arrived here at
5 =. NJ. This confirmed the forecast
made in these dispatches Sunday as to
the whereabouts and intentions Of these
two fleets. Both had been slower in
arriving than wel-posted naval officers
here supposed at that time.
All this was interesting enough, but
not a word of it was allowed past the
censor, and a score Of correspondents,
who had been besieging that official all
morning, wilted down into the hotel We
randa chairs, out of the broling sun,
helpless to get a word of the real news
of the situation to their papers. Naval
officers for the most part were as ig-
norant as the correspondents as to how
matters stood in the world outside Of
Key West, and whether or not the mat
tiers being censured had not already leak
ed out through the less-constricted chan
nels at Washington.
The naval men, however had the less
time for speculation, for the feet was
busily engaged In preparing for some
move, the details of which were known
only to Commodore Watson and those
close to him. Every officer ashore was
on the alert for orders TO hurry aboard
his ship. Such last night was the fate
Of the men from the Bancroft. the Cas-
tine, the Helena, and the Wilmington.
Hurry orders" reached them about $50.
The Bancroft's quartermaster was ashore
looking after stores when word was sent
to him to cancel a provision contract
and come aboard. The small fleet was
already under way when he reached her.
and the Bancroft's gig was snatched up
to her davits while she was steaming out
of the harbor.
WHITTIER GOETH IT?
Where the small fleet went is still
a mystery, all it's members being too
slow to act as scouts in the hunt for the
Spanish fleet. and not strong enough TO
do more than help at Habana, where
there are already more boats than are
actually needed.
The most plausible theory advanced to |
account for the quick departure was,
that they were to form a second line Of
scouts to the southwest, where the Gin |
cinnati and the Vesuvius are supposed !
to be watching the narrow of the Yucca |
tan channel These two vessels moved |
quietly out Thursday morning, and dis |
at a leisurely pace to the south |
"a
that all discussion of the Spanish fleet |
from here is speculative. Key West is |
Iamentably isolated from the current |
news, save such as is furnished by daily |
The understanding of the in
tention here however, is, that Sampson |
counted confidently on finding the Span
sh squadron bottled up in San Juan, as
lid Dewey the Spaniards at Manila. 1t
vas not till daylight on the morning of |
he bombardment that he learned the
larbor was empty.
THE SPANISH PLAN.
Meantime. according TO the best in
formation here, the fleet of seven Spanish
hips, probably including the Vizcaya,
)quendo, Cristobal Colon, Maria Teresa.
md three destroyers, had been moving
vest along the southern shore of the
Caribbean Sea. Later reports from Mole
II. Nicholas, Cape Haitien and other
POINTS make it seem probable that
econd section of the squadron, probably
including the Cardinal Cisneros, the Pc
ago, and the Christina Regente, are fol-
owing in the wake of the first. BY keep
ng TO the south shore of the Caribbean,
he Spaniards avoided any chance en-
ounter with Sampson off Porto Rico, and
they were furnished news at cable
oints of the weakened state of the Cuban
1
bowed a tempting chance to make a
ash across at the South Cuban coast,
nd wipe out the light vessels there. This
one they could coal and proceed around
he west end of the island, about 500
niles, TO Habana, If that, as is generally
opposed here. is their ultimate destina-
ion. From the fact that no such attack
as yet been reported, 1t Is inferred that
be fleet is still holding its course west.
Old pilots here say that big squadron
warshps might be easily worked west
nd north Just outside the fringe of keys
n the Mosquito coast, without danger
{ discovery before they emerged from the
orth end of the Yucatan channel From
MS point they would be almost equi
istant from Key West and Habana, not
% miles either way. If their object was
, break the Habana blockade they could
o II easily II they arrived before Schley
r Sampson. The feeling here tonight
that the naval battle OF the war may be
ought in forty-eight hours, and probably
etween Key West and the North Cuban
)ast. Everything is at high tension
nd both officers and correspondents are
oking for dispatch-boat tearing up me
lannel at any hour with the news that
,e hostile feet has been sighted within
riking distance OF Key West or Habana-
NEW FLYING SQUADRON.
II Is impossible to forecast the move
ents Of either Sampson or Schley, but
le supposition among naval men Is that
.ders from Washington will direct re-
stribution of the vessels. to form new
wing squadron, 10 make quick round
, of the West Cuban coast, perhaps as
r around as Cienfuegos on the south, ,
aying a sufficient guard OF heavy yes
is at Key West. where after all the I