The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-22
Naval Officials Are Not Worried Over the Threat
j ened Spanish Bombardmelit. The Call For
Troops More Men to be Added to
the Regular Army.
old GLORY TO GUARD CUBA.

to cross the Atlantic and attack Com
modore Schley on his own base. but
II would seem to be equally impracti-
cablc for the commodore to take his
flying squadron across to attack the
Spaniards unless he is reinforced.
The threat Of the Spanish newspa-
pers to give us a surprise In tho shape
of naval visitation does not cause
any particular uneasiness at the navy
department. and although nothing
positive Is known as to the destination
Of the Spanish squadron. 1t Is sur
missed that 1t has started on it's return
10 Spain, 1900 miles distant from Cape
Verde. thus indicating a purpose to
await an engagement in their own
waters. 1t is likely that in this event
the first port made will be the Canary
Islands. distant about S2E miles from
st. Vincent, and Spanish possession,
partially fortified and a fair base.
No Fear of the Torpedo FIotilla.
1t Is not believed that the Spanish
naval commander would be foolish
enough to run the risk of taking his
torpedo boat fiotlla across the At
lantic in the attempt to defend either
Porto Rico or Havana. 1t is about
$500 miles from Cape Verde to Porto
Rico, and In the present stormy season
on the North Atlantic the torpedo
flotllla would have all it could do to
keep afloat. and would be exposed to
destruction at the hands Of the small
est swift cruiser sent to intercept it.
Naval officials refuse most positively
- ,Iatl l. ! ..,4, -
issue by sending supplies to the re-
concentrates in Cuba on a merchant
ship conveyed by man-of-war. 1t is
known that this plan has been under
consideration, but a suggestion has
been made that the Spaniards might
avoid the issue entirely by permitting
the merchant ship to land the stores
without molestation and then right
afterwards seize the stores for their
own use.
The news of the actual beginning of
war was received with gravity at the
departments, and there were many
speculations as to the destination Of
the Spanish squadron. One suggestion
was that 1t is heading to cut off the
fine battleship Oregon, now on it's way
lIoHl IlC L dClllC CoGSl W JUN
Captain SIMPSONS command. There
is also some fear that the Oregon may
be taken at unfair advantage, without
knowledge of the existence of war, by
the Spanish destroyer Temmerlre. now
lying at Buenos Ayres. Possibly, with
view of avoiding conflict in the
Straits of Magellan, where she would
be at a. disadvantage, the Oregon has
been ordered to go around Cape Horn.
Relative to the news that comes
from Chicago that the three revenue
cutters on the lakes cannot be availed
of for naval purposes, 1t is said at the
navy department that the department
had some time ago abandoned the idea
Of using these craft owing to the DIFF
flculty in getting them out to the At
lantic coast. 1t was, however, decided
that an International obstacle had been
encountered In the shape of a notice
from the Canadian government that
the passage Of the ships would not be
permitted.
In the war department many orders
flew to and fro relative to the con-
centratng Of troops in the south, and
Secretary Aiger was several times in
consultation with the president, result
Ing In the determination to call for
100000 volunteers as soon as congress
passes the necessary legislation. Tho
change in the composition of the cabi-
net, entirely unexpected, completed the
list Of important events of the day.
General Miles, commanding the army,
said today that so far as he knows,
there would be no change in the loca-
tlon Of the headquarters of the army, |
and that he would remain at Washing |
ton unless unlocked for circumstances |
made 1t necessary to locate elsewhere. |