The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-06-02
THE BOTTLE CORKED.
Commodore Sch'ey Has Corvera's
Fleet Cooped in Santiago De Cuba.
Word to That Eject Received ny the Navy
Department From schiey-His Es.
cape Thought TO b. Impossi.
ble-Cervera Must Fight.

KEY WEST Fla, May 27.--The move
ments OF the American war vessels uh-
der the three squadron commanders,
beyond the generally accepted fact that
Commodore Schley's squadron is now
in the vicinity of Santiago de Cuba, at
the eastern end of the island, while
modore Watson is thought to be on
duty along the western and northern
coast of the island are now shroud-
ed with only slight uncertainty. The
composition of the three squadrons has
been changed, but the exact compile
ment and names of the ships under
each commander is not. permitted, for
strategic reasons, to be telegraphed.
Concerning the statement that Adm.
Cervera's ships are bottled up at San
tiago de Cuba, it has been accepted
that Commodore Schley could main
tain the blockade of the harbor there
and annihilate the Spanish feet If
it is found outside. The fact that
Commodore Schley is now thought
to be outside of Santiago De
Cuba has given free rein to RI.
Adm. Sampson, who is known to be
in the Bahama channel His known
purpose was trying to intercept
the Spanish feet if it attempted to
reach Havana. With Commodre Schley
at Santiago De Cuba, Rr.-Adm. Samp-
son would be in the position
to proceed eastward and effect a
junction of the two powerful squad
rons or return to Havana to resume
operations in that vicinity. 1t is now
accepted as fact that Commodore
Schley is to be permitted to work out
the problem off Santiago De Cuba.
The naval authorities have advanced
another stage in their calculations on
the status of Adm. Cervera's fleet at
Santa de Cuba. They not only have
tied up, but, as an officer expressed
it Thursday, "The cork is in the bot
tle," and it is practically impossible
for the feet to make an exit from
the harbor, day or night.
New YORK, May GA Washington
dispatch to the Herald SAYS:
Adm. Cervera, with the men-of-war
under his command, is surely cooped
up in the harbor of Santiago De Cuba
Information corroborative of this was
cabled to the navy department Thurs
day by Commodore Schley, the com
mander-in.chief of the American
squadron, lying at the mouth of the
harbor So certain of the presence ot
the feet did Commodore Schley appar
emily feel that in his dispatch he only
incidentally mentioned that he had re
ceived confirmatory information O.
this fact from one of the scouts attach
ed to his command.
Commodore Schley has under hi.
command three armorclads: Armoret
cruiser Brooklyn, flag ship; frst-clas.
battle ship Iowa, first-class battle shit
Massachusetts,, and second-class battle
ship Texas. Besides these ships hi
has attached to his squadron the aux
iliary cruiser St. Paul, the torpedo
boat destroyer Scorpion and some
other cruisers and auxiliary ships
bringing his total force up to about II
or IL effective vessels.
This feet is anchored or cruising di
rectly in front of the mouth of the har
Dor, and it's search lights are directed
by night upon the narrow entrance
lighting it up SO that the attempt q
any ship to leave would be Instant.
detected. Sharp watch is being main
tained, especially because of the pres
ence of two torpedo boat destroyer
with Adm. Cervera's command.