The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-24
NO ADvIcEs AT WASHINGTON.
,NeEx- .frnm- the Fleets rot F.xpectetl
Until a Dispatch Boat Arrives.

,Naxs.x- frnua- the Fleets -ot F.xpected~
Until a Dispatch Boat Arrives.
WASHINGTON, May 23.--It was stated
at the Navy Department to-day. at the close
of Office hours. that no dispatches of any
kind relating to the movements of the fleets
or the prospect of an engagement had been
received during the day. and that the only
dispatch received related to an inconse-
quential prize case. AS the ships are now
nt sea. there is no expectation of reports
until decisive engagement occurs and a
dispatch boat gets TO port, or it is found
that CeTvera has eluded our search. In the
meantime, there is a complete lack of off,
cial data by which to forecast the coming
engagement. report was current during
the day that the big battle ship Oregon had
arrived at Key West. but the department
officials would notice it only by entering
general denial that word had been received
of any important vessel movements or arri-
walls.
Every inquiry of the Navy Department
experts is now directed toward the location
of the American and Spanish squadrons and
the chances of an early conflict, but the
sum total of the official advices throws little
or no light on the time when battle may
occur. 1t is said by those best acquainted
with the situation that the decisive fight
may occur within the next few hours, or
may not occur for several days, possibly
weeks. AT the same time, the authorities
believe that the chances are greatly les
sened of Admiral CerVera's prolonging his
elusive plan for any considerable time.
There are several reasons for this but the
main one is that the Spanish ships have
made inroads on their coal supply. The run
across from Cape Verde used up the
greater part. IL not all, of this supply.
Since then stops have been made at Mar
Unique. Curacao and Santiago, but at not
one of these places has 1t been possible to
take on more than enough coal for tempo
rary uses At Martinique the French de-
cree of neutrality prevented the Spanish
ships from getting more than enough coal
to carry them to the next port. which would
be three hundred to four hundred tons at
most. At Curacao the amount of coal Sc
cured did not exceed seven hundred tons.
AT Santiago there is no coal unless colliers
took it there recently which is not believed
to be the case. AS against these small
supplies, the Spanish ships have been con-
suming much coal on their elusive runs
There are no other coaling depots in the
West Indian islands open to the Spanish
snips, except for their most temporary
needs. Ihe British islands, jamaica Bar
badoes and others, are closed against them
by the decree making coal contraband of
war. The Dutch islands will give them no
further coal relief, as a result of negotia
tions with the Dutch authorities following
the coaling of the Spanish ships at Curacao.
The Danish Island of st. Thomas is SIM
hariy closed against them. Guadaloupe and
other French islands have the same restric-
tions as Martinique. Haitian ports are
closed to them by strict treaty provision
between Haiti and the United States. which
the Haitian authorities will see is NOT
waived in the present case. Santo Domingo
ports are similarly protected against the
chance of recoaling by Admiral Cervera's
fleet.
In short. naval officials believe the Span
ish admiral is now In rhe Caribbean sea
with his original stock Of coal used up. with
scant additions already well exhausted and
with no depots in site for a complete re-
ccaling. This, in naval parlance. would
starve the ships before long The only re-
lief possible for this dangerous position IS a
Juncture with collers from the other side
A good collier carries from 600 to 1000 tons
Of coal, and two or three of them could
completely recoa Admiral Cervera's fleet
Whether the Spanish will succeed in accom-
plishing this is still in doubt, and il is a
doubt on which large results depend. There