The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-30
ND cERYERA IS SURELY BOTTLED UP
!chley Has Seen and Recognized
the Spanish Fleet.
DARING UNDERTAKING.
INST Have Effected a Landing and
\ Personally Investigated. ,.s.,
SPEEDY OCCUPATION OF CUBA

I'm Doubtless Follow the Commodore's
Report, and 1t Is Said that General Shat
tes Has Received Orders to Begin the
Landing Of Troops at Once-Meantime
ths Strictest Censorship of All Press Dis
patches Will Be Enforced - Admiral
SIMPSONS Reorganized Squadron Will
Convoy the Invading Army Schley's
Report Disproves an Alleged Spanish
Naval Victory.
Washington, May 30.-Oflicials of the
ayy department not only utterly dis
redit the reported naval engagement
ear Jamaica on Friday, but declare
nth the utmost positiveness that it
Id not occur. Advices from Admiral
ampson and Commodore Schley clear
+ indicate that the statements con.
iined in the Madrid story are without
ae slightest foundation in fact. Sec
etary Long was shown copy of the
lspatch last night. After reading 1t
lreully he said:
1T Is an interesting story, but it en-
rely lacks the element of truth. You
fll notice that it is regarded with
aEpfcion, even in Madrid. 1t comes to
from Paris, where it was received
H0m some unnamed place after being
atered through the Spanish capital.
y. there is absolutely no truth in it."
}Oficials on duty at the navy de-
kEtment read the dispatch with
tasement. "I will take 1t upon my
lN." said an officer, "to say that the
fport is absolutely untrue. l know
LAT 1t is not true"
He would not say how he knew, but
tas important bit of information was
Implied by Secretary Long. Official
Hyices were received last night from
commodore Schley They contain no
tformation Of such an engagement as
} reported from Madrid. although 1t Is
inown that they were written after
he battle is said to have occurred.
Fat 1890 o'clock this morning the
ayy department received another dis
atch from Commodore Schley an
Ouncing definitely that he had To-
ated Admiral Cervera's Cape Verde
Qnadron in the bay of Santiago de
luba The commodore states that he
rs seen and recognized the vessels
+ the Spanish fleet.
while the naval officials have been
morally certain for several days that
yeTyera's squadron was in the harbor
Santiago, the official announcement
rom Commodore Schley was received
u the officers on duty at the depart
nent with intense satisfaction. AS
urance is now doubly sure that the
ypanish fleet is bottled up, and that
be cork is in the bottle.
II is not believed that Admiral Ger
fera will attempt to escape from the
lredicament in which he now finds
hmself, as such course would surely
result in the destruction of his vessels
nd the loss Of many lives precious to
Bpain. The suggestion is made, how
aver, that the Spaniard may blow up
lis ships rather than have them fall
INTO the hands of Schley as they GER
hinly will if they remain In the har-
Sor.
| The definiteness of Commodore
Ichley's dispatch would indicate that
10 has effected landing near Santi-
ago de Cuba and made a personal in
kestigation of the harbor. 1t would
10 impossible from the entrance to the
bay definitely to see and recognize the
Bpanish vessels, but by effecting a
anding at some point on either side
" the entrance vantage point could
be gained very likely from which the
sntire harbor could be examined. In
Ill probability Commodore Schley or
sne of his trusted officers has success
hlly performed this hazardous UNDER
iaking in order to obtain the valuable
Information contained in his dispatch.
| The transportation Of land forces to
the island, it is understood, was de-
hyed because Of the uncertainty con-
eerning the location of the Spanish
squadron, and the probability of an
sarly invasion Of Cuba Is now very
strong. 1t is not unlikely that the
movement of troops will begin this
week, and that before the end of the
week the United States forces will have
obtained substantial foothold upon
Cuban soil.
I Commodore Schley has not only his
ewn squadron, but two or three ves-
bsls besides at his command, and 1t Is
aot believed to be possible for the
Spanish admiral to escape with his
eset. either by day or night.
| No inflammation ia htainohIa 90 to