The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-25
warsnip has escaped from the hareo,
so far.

The direction taken by the troops after
their landing at notwithstanding gen
orally westward-is taken In some quar-
tess 10 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. II as reported. the Merrimac does
not completely obstruct the channel.
some OF the b~attleships may be sent in
70 deal with Cervera's fleet I'm it's last
resort. Something OF this sort is be-
iieved TO be necessary In order TO re-
lieve our troops from the fire of the
S~panisbAieet when they attack Santiago
directly. One or two battleships. sup
~plemented by torpedo boats. could be
relied upon to keep Cervera's squad
ron so fully occupied that he would have
no time to get to the troops attacking
Santiago from the rear.
The formal statement by the Spanish
minister Of marine that the Maria Chris
tina had succeeded In running the block
d into Cienfuegos naturally demanded
ttofC httcutiOn IMAM the nFct puDllCd-
tion, although the officials do not hesi-
tate to express doubt OF its accuracy.
This vessel is not, as may be supposed,
a formidable craft. but is nothing more
than n of the ships of the Transact
lantic company OF Cadiz, hastily fitted
up with a few 6h-inch guns. She was
built In 1855 and Is a 16-knot vessel OF
1881 tons displacement. If she has got
ten into Cienfuegos. she has crossed
from some OF the smaller Islands Of the
West Indies, or maybe from Porto Rico.
1t Is believed. however. that IL the ves-
sci actually reached Cuba, she has got
ten Ia at Batabano, or ManzanilIo, both
or which ports are outside OF the block
ade lines. t
There has been 30 much talk OF Span
ish vessels running the blockade"
when. az a matter OF fact, IL they came
TO cuba at all. they entered some un-
blockaded port, that the officials are
beginning to recognize q deliberate pur-
pose on the part OF persons secretly hos
tile TO h United States to give basis
Tor the spanish representations made to
European powers that our blockade is
ineffectual No vessel that enters a
port outside Of the blockade lines can
be said TO have run the blockade" and
the number OF vesesls that have really
entered Or escaped xrom biookaded ports
10 exceedingly gman. In fact, taking
the aumker Actually known from the
onciai records, It would appear that the
present blocksde Of Cuba by the Ameri-
can Meet me- 'kesn the most SUCCESSFUL
ever known wh4n the extent Of the
blockaded territory IL considered.
FOR h first time there Is a reliable
announcement Of the intention OF Gen
erai MIS- t., ~ To Cuba TO participate
In the operattopelthere before the cam
paisn 10 sStsnd<ft To porto Rico. The
time Of his departure = a. yet unsettled.
With great satasfscuon the navy de-
partmsnt ppbanshea ss~npson's state
nsnt that Hohssn and Ms mon are well
and arr not in-ths Mns Of are. N was
also noted thet Skmpsen inds no dif-
nculty In bav)e( HE cag of truce recog-
nissd, which 70 gratifying In view Of
the statement coming from Havana
some days 9 that this was TO be a
lapse into barbarian through the re-
fusal OF the Spanish 70 recognise such
fiags. ~"