Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-20
THE FLEET IS THERE.
The Spanish Squadron al Santiago de Cuba,
Sure.
REPORT BELIEVED TO BE AUTHENTIC.
Senior Qucsada Thinks the Place is Useless
rs Base of Supplies ut
Havana.

Washington, d. c., May 90
The navy department posted the fol-
lowing bulletin at the close of office
houra
THE navy department has informa-
ton which Is believed to be authentic,
that the Spanish squadron under Ad-
miral Cervera Is at Santiago de Cuba"
WHAT QUESADA THINKS.
Washington, d. c., Nav 90
II the Spanish fleet is at Santiago de
Cuba, the fact Is probably not known
officially at the navy department to-
day. Notwithstanding the fact that the
| department has been using all of the
machinery OF the consular service, in
addition to the services of numerous
scouting vessels to get and keep track
of the elusive foe. The war board went
into session early in the day, probably
to consider and weigh the newspaper
| reports as to the the movements of the
| Spanish fleet. The fact that the first
| came from Madrid was regarded as in
| itself suspicious circumstance, for 1t is
! hardly to be supposed that the Span
| iards are such simple strategists as to
| advise us of their plans in that manner.
! The other report regarded as confirma-
| tory of the Madrid cable, namely. that
from the steamer Dula, upon close read
| ing failed to Indicate whether the war
ships seen from that vessel were Ameri-
can or Spanish. Altogether the general
| belief at the department was that the
whereabouts of the Spaniards are still
In doubt.
Gen. Miles had another long CONSUL
tatlon today with Secretary Long and
those repeated meetings are construed
here to mean that point has been
| reached in the campaign where the
army finds II necessary to cali upon
the navy for conveys to take the
troops to Cuba. II Is realized that this
work is extra hazardous at present.
Conveys always are exposed to des-
struction at the hands of determined
enemy and with n squadron of fleet
Spanish cruisers and torpedo gunboats
of great speed lying in wait some
where near Cuba nothing but the most
formidable conoy such as would be af-
forded by all of Simpsons and
Schley's ironrlads, save the monitors
would suffice to give reasonable de-
gree of protection against attack.
There are indications that the mill
tary expedition will make its real start
from Key West, unless the atmosphere
clears through the destruction or dis
appearance from Cuban waters of the
Spanish fleet. If the start is made from
Port Tampa the ships with their heavy
posed to attack almost thirty hours,
not allowing for the possibility of
spending much additional time off the
Cuban coast waiting for an opportun-
ity to land. on the other hand If the
start Is made from Key West the final
starting of the journey win be reduced
to the daylight hours of one day
While the report from Madrid that
the Spanish squadron Is at Santiago Is
received with some misgiving. yet the
officials of the Cuban delegation here
consider the report accurate. as 1t bears
out what these officials pointed out
when the Spanish fleet first reached
Martinique, as 10 the probable course
the Spanish admiral would take. Being
well acquainted with the Cuban coast.
It's facilities, for landing. etc, Secretary
Quesada suid at the outset that Admir-
nj Cervera would seek to elude the
American 1eet and by a circuituus
route would make for Santiago. This,
Mr.. Quesada pointed out, was the nat
i ural move by which the Spanish ad-
miral would escape battle and would be
most secure in making landing on
Cuban soil. The present reports ppear
to bear out this theory
: Mr.. Quesnda said today that the
Spanish admiral would find himself
seriously handicapped at Santiago II
Will be useless for him to attempt ia
land provisions and supplies to succor
Blanco at Havana ms there is no rail-
road communication between Santiago
and Havana, and an overland triI
would take six weeks or two months.
Besides. Mr.. Quesada SAYS, the
Cuban troops overrun the eastern END
, of the island surrounding Santiago
and 1t would be impossible for Span
| ish supplies to be carried overland
through country full of Cuban bands
: There are said to be about 5000 Cubar
: troops In the immediate neighborhoo(
of Santiago. but reports recently
brought to the Cuban officials her,
show that they lack ammunition suf
= flcient for an effective assault OF
:, Santiago. II the Spanish fleet is n
=" Santiago, Mr.. Quesada says, abou
u all 1t can accomplish IL to secure {
base of operations in fairly wei
fortified harbor and also to lay In Goa
I. from coliers which are understood t.
!, have preceded the fleet there.
LONDON INTERESTED.
London, May 2O--The report of tn
y arrival OF Admiral Cervera's fleet n
Is Santiago de cuba hoa revived the in
terest of London in the war.
All the Information thus far come
n from Spanish sources, and there /
much speculation as to why the Span
ish authorities permitted the news t.
be published.
CuARTERING TRANSPORTS.
- Five Steamers Ready tn Carry Troops T.
the Philippines.