The Portland daily press., 1898-05-14

washington, May ia complete
change has taken place in the offensive
plans Of our government The receipt Of
news from Admiral Sampson of the at.
tack on the forts of San Juan and the
news Of the actual presence of the Spanish
flying squadron off Martinique, only 500
miles away from Sampson, and less than
1000 miles from Havana, caused the sdes.
patch OF the flying squadron under Com
modore Sohley and the delay Of the army
invasion of Cuba. It Is to the navy that
the government again looks for battle
that may end the conflict. The news of
the Spanish feet revealed at once the nos
sibiiity Of a quick move on the part of
the Spanish fleet that would cut the line
of communication by water between Cuba
and Key West, exposing to great pc, IL any
American landing forces that might be
caught between a superior Spanish army
in Cuba.an the sea patrolled by Spanish
cruisers. 1t became necessary therefore to
defer the departure of the military ex.
petition from Florida until the Spanish
feet is met and crushed or driven from
West Indian waters. Orders came oufck
and fast from both the war and navy
departments. The first checked the
movement on Florida setting in from all
parts Of the country and diverted the
troops towards the concentration csmp AT
Chickamauga. The navy department.
wired Sampson information of the an
proach of the Spanish feet and directions
what to do. and another order flashed to
Schley who had been eating ont his
heart at Hampton Roads in his eagerness
to get Into the Tray, to start with his ves-
sells at the earliest possible moment. The
commodore took no chance of n cancel.
lation of these highly desirable orders. but
at 8. 45 O'Clock had placed himself beyond
the reach of any telegraphic recall. What
is expected OF him cannot be learned at
the navy department. and naturally it is
purely matter of conjecture. Snmpson's
Heet is strong enough unaided to over
come the Spanish flying squadron if he
can ever catch it out Of the reach of for
ttitoations. His fleet, however, is lacking
in speed as compared with the Spanish
vessels, and cooperation on the Dart of
our nylng squadron would add very much
to the chancs of cornering the Spaniards
anu forclng the fight which is believed to
20 necessary TO the success Of the Cuban
campaign as now planned.
S@S6OoOOO UI6 udfy 0CPui
menu That the Spanish feet when last
nearu from was at point not very much
more distant from the great cities of the
"A tlantlc saaboard than FROM Havana; but
II me Spanish ADMIRAL contemplates n1ov-
ing ID the former direction he probably
VIII run full into Schley. who will have
MS scouts well out in advance when ne
moves southward q
Much regret is expressed mong naval
officers at the delays experienced IN com
municating with Sampson. I5 mas not
been lear ned yet at the navy departmene
whether the admiral has actually received,
up to this moment, the Important advices
as to the movements of the Spanish
fleet, that have been dispatched to him.
Doubt on this score is founded on the ex-
perience the department has had already
with the cables received today from the
West Indies. 1t was stated positively at
the close of Office hours that no word had
come dnring tho day from Admiral Sanp.
son save the one telegram sent out this
morning regarding the attack on the forts
at San Juan. 1t can De stated that there
ia good ground for the belief that the ad.
mir,,l has achieved all that was expected
az him or that was necessary to carry out
fhe plnus Of the strategy board. The pur-
pose was to destroy San Juan as forth
fed base that might form harbor of re-
fuge for the Spanish fleet, ana according