The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-25
"A WARNING TO SPAIN.
Her Seaports May Be Bombarded
,yyss by Our Warships. s::.aAs-,
IT ALL DEPENDS UPON 0AMARA.

Should His Squadron Enter the Suez
Canal En- Route to the Philippines
Vessels From SIMPSONS Fleet VIII
Steam Across the Atlantic.
Washington, June 2S.-The war is to
be carried into Africa, metaphorically
speaking, If Spain is foolhardy enough
to send the Cadiz fleet through the
Suez canal to attack Dewey in the
Philippines 1t is announced on good
authority that before the last Spanish
vessel has passed through the canal
an American squadron will be steaming
at full speed across the Atlantic
straight for the coast of Spain to bring
the war home to the Spanish people.
There Is no doubt Dewey can take care
of himself against this Cadiz fleet.
since his own squadron will be REIN
forced by ironcads long before Ca
mara's ships sight the bay of Manila.
and will have the shore batteries with
him, instead of against him In the
struggle. But 1t has been concluded
by the administration that nothing save
the most severe measures will suffice to
bring the Spanish people to realizing
sense of the hopelessness of the con-
tinuation of the present war, and ever
Kindness it is held, will dictate such
a blow as that it is proposed to ad-
minister il the Spanish persist In this
last project.
After the fall of Santiago and the
capture or destruction of Cervera's
squadron Sampson will have an abund-
ance of vessels to spare for the task
set for him. Probably he will consti-
tute the attacking fleet in two squad
rons. the first flying squadron. to be
composed of the swiftest vessels of the
fleet, such as the Columbia, Minne-
apolis, Harvard Yale, st. Louis. st.
Paul, New Orleans and such craft.
This will be followed, under another
command. either Sampson or Schley.
by the battleshiDs, which Captain
Clarlk's experience with the Oregon has
shown can easily be counted on for the
voyage across the Atlantic. With the
Iowa, Oregon, Indiana. Massachusetts,
and Texas all battleships. supplement-
ing the New York and Brooklyn. ar
mored cruisers, and the less powerful
but speedy vessels of the flying squad
ron the Spanish coast would be speed
lily swept clear of all commerce, all
Spanish shipping would be destroyed
and some of the best ports blockaded
or bombarded.
No official rows came to the war de-
partment during office hours from our
army near Santiago. This was cause
for mild surprise at the department, as
General Shafter has a cable at his COM
mand, and 1t was expected that he
would report the measure of success
he has attained in the debarkation of
his army on Cuban soil and the be-
ginning of operations against Santiago.
However, the general has the reputa-
ton here of being a man of deeds
rather than words, and of not being
given to over many official reports.
Not hearing from him, the officials
we're obliged to rely for information
entirely upon press reports They
found these highly satisfactory, and
Secretary Alger expressed particular
qualification over the news that the
troops had reached point within sew
en- miles of Moro Castle without en-
countering serious resistance. The di-
rection taken by the troops after their
landing at notwithstanding generally
westward-is taken in some quarters
here to indicate a purpose to unite with
Simpsons fleet in an attack on MORO
Castle and the other forts at the en-
trance of Santiago harbor before turn
ing their attention to the town itself.
Once the fort is captured Sampson,
with small boats, could remove the
mines, and it. as reported, the Merri-
mac does not completely obstruct the
channel. some of the battleships may
be sent to deal with Cevveras squadron
in its last resort.
Something of this kind Is believed to
be necessary to relieve our troops from
the fire of the Spanish fleet when they
attack Santiago directly. One or two
of the battleships, supplemented by the
few torpedo boats, could be relied upon
to keep Cerveras squadron 50 fully oc-
cuCied that he would have no time to
get to the troops at Santiago from the
rear.
For the first time yesterday there
was reliable announcement Of the in
tention Of General Miles to go to Cuba
to participate in the operations there
before the campaign is extended to
Porto Rico The time of his departure
is as yet unsettled.
With great satisfaction the navy de-
partment yesterday published Samp-
sons statement that Hobson and his
men are well and are not in the line
of fire. They are in Santiago, four
miles from the Moro. It also was noted
that Sampson finds no difficulty in hav-
ing his flag Of truce respected which is
gratifying in view of the statement
coming from Havana some days ago
that there was to be lapse into bar
barism through the refusal of the Span
iards to recognize flags Of truce.