Evening star., 1898-05-25


leave again before the arrival of the Ameri-
cans, but he had underestimated Yankee
energy and dash and will pay the penalty.
Ihe Secretary does not believe that Ger
vera purposely allowed himself to be trap
ped. under the belief that the Americans
would walk into net. Neither does the
secretary believe that Cervera is daily ex-
pecting relief squadron which will attack
the Americans from the rear while he SAL
nes out to take hand. If this has been
ms calculation 1t will be found that Schley
VIII De reinforced, SO that he can whip two
spanish squadrons. At the same time Ha-
vana will be kept securely bottled. The
Meet there will be sufficient to whip any
spanish squadron, and to besiege the city
in addition
Many naval officials at the White House
this morning said they believed that Ger
vera was out of coal when he went into
santiago; either this or that some of his
ships were in need Of repairs
Belief mt Navy Department.
Inc Navy Department hopes, and even
peiieves, the report is true that the Span-
ish squadron is at Santiago, but SO far is
not IN possession of accurate information
on that point. Still the officials believe that
Cervera is in Santiago harbor. The reason
for this belief, so far as can be gathered.
Is that the Spanish squadron when last
heard from was in that harbor, and 1t has
not been seen anywhere else, in spite of
the fact that the scouting vessels of the
navy fairly swarm in the West Indian wa
ters and the United States consuls on every
island are on the alert to watch and to re-
port the movements Of the Spanish fleet
The department officials accepting the view
that Cervera is in Santiago harbor are of
the opinion he is likely to remain there for
iohg tlme, weeks and months perhaps.
Too Strong to Be Attacked.
A study of the defenses of the harbor
and Geographical features has convinced
the experts that to undertake to carry the
place by storm from the sea and attack
the fleet under the protection of the forts
would involve SO great loss of life on our
part as to be entirely unwarranted under
existing conditions. The harbor is known
to be mined, and these mines are so we'll
protected by judiciously placed shore bat
teries that the usual methods of counter
mining could only be practiced with the
utmost peril to the sailors of our fleet
MORO Castle, one of the principal de-
fenses of the harbor, is perched, as indicat-
ed by its name, upon a high elevation. Its
fair gunnery, rain a most destructive fire
down upon our ships, and not even the bat
tie ships and monitors are designed to re-
sist a plunging fire Of that kind.
On the other hand it is extremely diff
cult for guns mounted on shipboard to be
sufficiently elevated to throw projectiles
with any effect against a modern fortifi-
cation on an elevated bluff or hill. That is
the lesson of do
Rico, and the fleet there had the advantage
of being able to lie off at long range, which
it will not possess in the attack on Santa
go. OF course the place could be taken by
assault, but, as already stated. the officials
do not believe that the present conditions
warrant such an expensive undertaking.
Will Keep Cervera Inside.
So the effort will probably be made, if
Cervera is inside Santiago harbor, to keep
him there Until starvation causes the sur
render of the Spanish squadron and the
forts of Santiago. That this can be done
is not doubted by naval experts as the mar
row channel connecting the inner harbor
with the sea, requiring the Spanish ships
to emerge singly, would expose them to al
most certain destruction at the hands of
a couple of armored vessels or monitors
commanding the entrance. OF course there
is always the danger of these watch dogs
being themselves attacked and DESTROYED
by some of the torpedo boat destroyers at
tached to Cerveras squadron, provided
their commanders are desperate enough
to face the tremendous primary and sec
ondary batteries of the American warships.
There is also some risk of an attack on the
blockading vessels from without.
The news has reached thu Navy Depart
ment today that the Spanish torpedo gun
boat Terror had cleared out of the harbor
of Fort de France, after having taken coal
from the Alicante. Such a craft contains
vast possibilities of mischief unless her
whereabouts are accurately known.
Given Three Months.
'I give the Spanish squadron a three
months lease of life If they are in Santiago
harbor." said prominent naval officer this
morning. He explained that he based this
calculation on the length of time that the
supplies of the fleet would hold out. Long
before that time expired the town of San
tiago, which will probably be cut off entire
ly by the insurgents, ard perhaps by Unit
ed States troops, from the surrounding
country, will be practically starved. but
following the Spanish practice elsewhere
Havana and Manila, for instance the mill
tary and naval forces. appropriating all the
food supplies, would hold out longer The
long watt involved in this calculation would
the officer explained, have a very substan-
tial compensation in the probable acquire
ment by the United States of the splendid
vessels that go to make up the Spanish
squadron, through their surrender They
represent in money value alone about s15,-
100000. and. besides being ready to hand,
they have an additional value to the United
States that cannot be expressed in figures.
The Cabinet Exultant
Members of the cabinet are exuItant over
tcday's news regarding the Spanish fleet,
and, although they are not willing to make
public the source Of their informa ton, they
regard it as perfectly Trustworthy They
are not willing to state the exact position
of Sampsor's feet, but say that it is acting
In concert with Schley and can come to his
relief at any time should the situation re-
qrire 1t. The published report that another
and more formidable feet is en- route from