The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-05-31

Washington, May %. = The military
situation as at present determined
upon by those in authority is to make
no forward movement of troops either
upon Puerto Rico or Cuba until full
and definite information is received as
to the location of the Spanish squad
ron and it's possibilities as factor in
the aggressive movements of Spain.
That being the positive determination
there is no present purpose to hurry
forward the troops now at the several
points of concentration, but the inter
val prior to an aggressive forward
movement will be employed in season
ing the men. Steps have been taken
to secure early information as to
whether Admiral Cervera's squadron
is inside Santiago harbOr and whether
the American squadron has such adj
vantage OF position outside the harbor
as to make the escape Of the Spaniards
practically impossible. For the last
few days army circles have shared
public belief that the Spanish ships
were trapped in Santiago harbor, and
that has given impetus to arrange
ments by which large bodies of troops
at Chickamauga and elsewhere might
be
Moved Forward Rapidly
to Tampa for embarkation. The pres
ence of thirty or more transports in
Florida waters added to the conviction
that a movement on large scale was
about to occur. All this has been go
ing on with the understanding that
Admiral Cervera's career as a posi-
bic menace in the rear Of our troops
had been cut off by his being secure
within Santiago harbOr, but in the alb
Sence Of positive information on this
point, together with the certainty that
he can be held inside the harbor, there
is no purpose whatever on the part of
the war department to make an ag-
gressive forward movement on Cuba
or Puerto Rico This was stated in
the most positive manner and from an
authoritative source. Unless the navy
department succeeds in securing some
direct and official information respect
ing the Spanish and American fleets
within the next tWenty-fOur hours
through the aid of the West Indian ca
bles it will resort to the use of dis
patch boats. 1t can be again affirmed
on the highest authority, and notwith-
standing all rumors to the contrary,
that at the close of the day the de-
partment had nothing more than be-
lief. founded on unofficial advices, that
the Spanish squadron
Was Lying i'm Santiago
harbor and no news as to Commodore
Schley's whereabouts. However, the
great majority of the officials of the
navy department entertain no doubt
that Cervera is within Santiago har-
Dor and they have succeeded in inn
pressing this belief, upon the president
and the members of the cabinet. The
reports from the newspaper dispatch
boats as to the movements OF Samp-
sons and Schley's squadron's during
the past week are very myStifying to
the naval officers here, and one OF
them called attention to statement
coming from the West Indies to the
effect that twelve warships were seen
q short way off from CienfuegOS on
Wednesday, This he thought was
Schley's squadron, and in that case he
could scarcely have covered the dis
lance between Cienfuegos and Santa
go with a slow moving fleet of iron
clads in less than two days, in which
case Schley would not be due off San
tiago until Yesterday. OF course all
this is speculative, but it shows that
there is still an element of doubt in
the departments calculations as to the
whereabouts of the fleets.