The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-29
PLANS OF CAMPAIGN.
Ex-SEcRETARY HERBERT TELLS
WHICH SPAIN MAY FOLLOW.

Does Not Believe 1t Practicable For Spain
20 Bombard Our Cities-His Opinion IL
That She VIII Fight For Dominion In
Cuban Waters.
What will be Spain's plat Of cam.
paign?
Will Sagasta send the Spanish ships
to Cuban waters and endeavor to break
the blockade aud relieve the Spanish
army7
II he does not do this, there are two
other plans open to him. One is to retain
the Spanish navy near home and wait
until it is attacked. To do this would
be not to fight at all. We will be con-
tented, certainly for time, if we can
capture Cuba and relieve the situation
there which has caused the war. Assur-
edly Spain will not consent that the
navy shall be idle.
Another plan, and one which IL is
possible now that Spain will follow, is
to maze diversion upon our Atlantic
coast either by sending large feet to
attack some of our seacoast cities or by
scattering the Spanish fleet. or at least
the swiftest vessels it has, to make q
raid upon our commerce.
cannot believe ii is practicable for
Spain TO attempt TO lombard any Of our
cities. Unarmored vessels cannot do 1t,
because they couldn't withstand. shots
from the smallest of our coast defense
guns, and SPANS armored vesoels have
not sufficient coal endurance to enable
them to undertake such expeditions.
They have no coaling stations conven-
lent. Their vessels could not carry suffi-
cient supplies to justify such an at
tempt. ANY effort to bring us to terms
by raiding our commerce would be fruit
less. Perhaps no war was ever yet de-
cided by commerce destroying.
Our transatlantic lines must no doubt
cease to make their trips. We cannot
spare men-ofw war to convoy them. Our
swift vessels are needed, part Of them
as scouts and part to hunt and destroy
Spanish commerce destroyers and priva-
teers. Nor will there be found, even in
our coastwise commerce, any very tempt
ing bait for privateers. Not many Of
these ships will be able to capture ves-
sells on our Atlantic coast and get them
safely into Spanish port for condemna-
tion as prizes. Certainly II we are left
alone in Cuban waters no Spanish port
will long be open in Puerto Rico or
Cuba.
The only other plan open to Spain is
to fight for dominion in Cuban waters.
This believe she will do. This opinion
Is veptured simply because you have
asked for it. 1t may Of course turn out
that am mistaken, as an enemy always
undertakes to do just exactly what he is
not expected to do, especially when he
IL inferior in strength, as Spain un-
doubtedly is to the United States. But
Spanish. sentiment at home has impel-
led Spain into this unequal contest, and
it is not easy to see how that govern
ment, in the face of that sentiment, can
refuse to fight for Cuba.
This is the subject matter of this
war. There is tho flower of the Spanish
army. There are the brothers and the
sous of these people in obedience to
whose mandates Sagasta has taken up
the gage of battle, and it Is not believed
that he can afford to leave that army to
be captured and that island to be sur
rendered without at least one brave and
determined effort to relieve it. Spanish
honor, Of which we have heard so much,
will not submit to it.
Some time probably will be taken to
collect the Spanish naval forces, and
efforts will no doubt be made to scatter
our feet by diversions against our coast
line and our commerce, but it seems
probable that all these diversions will
have the one end in view Of finally get
ting relief to Cuba by means OF Spanish
fleets. There lies the heart Of this COZ.
test. Spain might as we'll give up all
thought of making war against as as to
make no effort for relief ON the island.
--Ex-Seoretary Herbert of the Navy in
New York World.
q.