The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-19
THE FLEET MOVEMENTS.
Sampson Is Kept advised as to Ger
yera's Movements
MUST Fight OR RETURN TO SPAIN
,spnnirds Are Evidently Willy ana
VIII Attempt TO Land Much Need
cd Supplies for Blnnco.

New York, May 1S.-A special to the
Times from Washington says Every eXer-
tion has been made by the navy Depart
ment to inform Admiral Sampson Of the
location OF the Spanish squadron and every
possible precauton has been taken TO pre-
vent news Of the movements Of the Amer-
lean fleet. That IL is possible absolutely
TO prevent such information from getting
into the Spanish hands can not be doubted,
but ii viii require the strictest guard OF
all dispatches The restrictions imposed by
the United States, however, make com
municatlon more difficult than 1t would
be otherwise.
Only few naval officers could be found
who dared to talk about the AFFAIRS in
| which everybody Is Interested one OF these
uincels, Il man OF excellent judgment on
| war matters, expressed the opinion that
! the delivery OF the order to put the mon
| itors ON guard before Havana, indicated
| very clearly the determination OF the
secretary OF the navy and the war board
to relieve the beet of Admiral SIMPSONS
slower vessels so as TO enable him to move
with greater rapidity in search OF Admiral
| Ceryera and his ships. For the SAME reaso
| Commodore Schley, 1t Is assumed, Will noC
| be detained on blockading service while
| the Spanish fleet Is less than 600 miles
away from Admiral Sampson and Com
modore Schley is about twice as far away.
! For all that is definitely known here, Nd
| miral Sampson may be much nearer to
| Admiral Corvera than is supposed II Is
still felt possible for the Spanish admiral,
If he be so inclined, to get out OF the
Caribbean sea without fighting. 10 do
that. however, he must get out before
Commodore Schley can meet with Sampson
ana push on to the eastward of the point
where Admiral Ceryera was last seen in
order to be able to occupy him II he
met until Admiral Sampson can be
brought up with his ships to make the
battle that is expected not so unequal as
II would be if the force were only Commo-
dore Schleys feet that he commanded
when he left Hampton Roads This plan,
as suggested by one naval officer, lacks
some clements of security 1T is all
right, he said. ''f the Spaniards are dis
posed to stand and meet our fleet: Il Is
all right If the Spanish fleet is so short
OF coal al to be unable to make a long and
qulck voyage The mere fact that coal was
purchased at Curacao does not surely in
dicate that Admiral Cervera was out IL
coal or that he was short of It. He may
"""ShS W ElNC llS Impression mat
ne is snort, so as to urge Admiral SAMPSON
TO LOOK for him at the most distant point
IRON the United States.
What our war board Is not forgetting
is mat having lured Sampson and Sch]ey
away from Cuba and Key West. leaving
the coast of the United States exposed, he
may suddenly drop his GOLFERS. start his
SHIPS under forced draft, reach some city.
aay new YORK or Boston, in four or I'VE
uaSS ana he able to do considerable DAM
age or collect some large indemnity as the
price of abstention from danaso And IN
nave coal enough left to carry him hack
10 spain. do not say this to create alarm
= ncre nave been lntimations from the
opahish press to Justify the belief that
some such enterprise is contemplated ;,
very little Importance is now attached IA
me report Of the Spanish fleet being off
h,nss'oi IN walt for the Oregon and Mari
wa unu pne bultalo. The administration
was informed that these vessel, were near
fernambueo. If that report which vac
given out by member OF the cabinet be
correct, the Oregon and the ships win hor
nave yet 1900 miles to sail before tbo,,
would be off Martinique. Proceeding at the
pace at which the three vessels have hesn
travelling, 1t may be week before the
Spanlsh fleet will be able TO meet then,
- nslore rhat time IL is hoped that Admiral
! wa haNf FORCED ADMIRAL CprVPrp
10 llght or quit the promises, Then If ho
proceeds to the southwark in search of the
oregon he may be followed and be obligei
~ the last to fight Admiral Sampson's
meet reinforced by the Oregon. Marietta
aud Buffalo. 'o''"
~ appears that the president was we'll nd.
Vlsen that the chief desire Of the admiral of
me Spanish fleet Just now is to be abIa
10 reach Cuban ports and land ammunition
'or blaneos use. The source of the infor-
nation obtained by the administration is
not diyuiged. but is believed to have becn
sent from HaMna and by some one in tbat
NY possessed of valuable information.
inc expectation of war was moi ontor.
tanned by the Spanish government in limo
o permit 1t TO send over supplies of am
for the great guns for the defenso
Of Havana, small stock was on hand
,nt 1t l. believed to be essential to tho Of
feotlve use of some very good ordnance in
me defenses Of Havana that supplies n,
ammunition should be augmented at once
Aamiral oeryera, II is asserted with rrsat
1csitlveness, brings much of this essential
ihmuh'tion and will run some risks n |
reach port where, with his powerful fleet |
lie can break the blockade.