The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-24
THAT NALAL BOARD.
It Made Sampson Travel Many Niles
Unnecessarily.
COULD HAVE NET CERvERA LONG AGO
II he Had Been Permitted to STAY
in Windward Passage.
HAD TO GO OVER SANE ROUTE
AFTER the Loss of Many Days to Get
Back Where lie Was in the
First Place.

News from Admiral Sampson and Com
modore Sohley is looked for at the navy
department every hour, but no one at the
| department appears to be able or willing
TO say Just where the news is to come from.
All that can be positively ascertaincd is
that the United States fleets are some
where out of Key West looking for Ad
miral Cervera and hoping to come UP and
fight him. Whether it will be at Santiago,
| Cienfuegos or somewhere between these
| points or at San Juan. Porto Rico, none
of the experts will venture to say. Mean
| time there is some discussion among naval
officers about the action of the feet of
Admiral Sampson that suggests a spirit of
criticism. Naval officers who have the high
est respect for tho men who are supposed
to have designed the plan of campaign for
the United States fleet are openly express
ing wonder that Admiral Sampson was per-
/
to Key West, TO consume a great deal of
coal, and then TO coal again merely to
sail back over the course he had lust pur-
| sued.
His personal inclination. 1t Is believed,
would have led him to remain in the Wind
ward passage. holding position OF great
strategic advantage, until his scouts
brought him news of the presence of the
enemy
To the suggestion made to these officers
that the Washington authorities did not
know the Spanish fleet was at Martinique
until Sampson was fairly on his return trip
the unofficial strategist answers that the
navy department knew week ago that
| Cervera was at Curacao: that 1t had at it's
command two or three swift vessels that
could have stopped Sampson before he had
come half way on his return and that coal
ers could have been provided to take coal
to him and he might have been able to in
tercept the Spanish fleet on Its way to San
tiago harbo,.
AS 1t was Admiral Sampson left Key
West the day the news was received that
Cervera had arrived there The news of
SIMPSONS departure worked its way to
Blanco; he probably sent by wire to San
tiago the next day, and Admiral Ceryera
was afforded chance to move out and re-
new his explorations of the Caribbean sea.
But the navy department will forget the
waste of time of Admiral Sampson If it
learns tomorrow that he has arrived at
Santiago and found Cervera still there.
When he started from Key West last
Thursday he had to steam 200 miles to
reach Santiago. At ten. knot pace he
should have made the distance in three
days.
The almost unanimous opinion of naval
officers is that. whether Cervera has de-
little while before giving battle. he can
not long postpone a meeting with Admiral
Sampson, and perhaps with Commodore
Schey at the same lime.
The policy of silence concerning naval
movements has been very strictly observed
now for a couple of weeks. but not 50
strictly that it did not become known here
that Commodore schley got away from Key
Wes' little sooner than Admiral Samp-
son If Il was but hail day sooner he
ought to have been able, with his swiftar
ships. to have reached Santiago de Cuba
Saturday. 1t is assumed he did so by
these who conclude that the department.
sent him to look for the Spanish fleet where
it was last heard Of. II is believed that
ScEey won't to the south OF Cuba by The
Yucatan passage
Naval officers assume that everybody is
now familiar with the formation of San
tiago de Cuba harbor and the disadvantage
in which a feet would be that retired in
it to await the coming of the opponent
Few of the believe that Cervere has adopt
cd this course, They are inclined to the
opinion that he went towards Martinique
to meet coalers sent over 10 provide MN
with the fuel he must now need and per
haps be Joined By some of the vessels Of
ten reported to be at Cadiz or some other
Spanish port. but which some conservative
naval officers are firmly convinced have
Ieng been on their way across the Atlantic
to reinforce him.
: This last possibility viii not spoil thu
! chance, now seemingly good. of another
fght.
, Very prominent naval officers who toda'
. talked with members Of the administration
8 EXPRESSED very decidedly the view that Ad
: miral Cervera had neither sufficient zkil
9 nor coal to escape the conflict which
) Sampson and Schley are seeking.
A gentleman who is not connected witt
, the navy. but who Is much interested in
J seeing 1t DO its work well says that II IL
mistake TO suppose that the strategy
board had tramelled Sampson or schley
. or both. with conflicting or embarrassing
orders.
Practically" said this gentleman nd
miral Sampson has had his own way IN all
} that he has done. II he returned 10 KEY
. West. when Cervera was at Curacao, know