Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-05-12
A War PROGRAMME.
San Juan May Be Bombarded To
Day by SIMPSONS Fleet.
4 LANDING TO Be MADE on CUBA.
Gen. BlaneO to he Engaged and COmpelled
to Surrender-MOve on the Canaries
Proposed and Then Visit
Paid to spain.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE navy de-
partment, now that 1t is accepted that
Spain's feet is not within striking dis
lance OF Adm. Sampson, does not ex.
pect news of naval engagement soon,
but looks forward to the bombardment
Of San Juan to-day, its capture shortly
afterward. and then, in rapid success
sion, the invasion of Cuba and the dis
patch of a feet to find the Spanish
navy, wherever it may be, and destroy
it. This programme may be changed,
in case the Spanish feet should appear
in American waters. which, although
improbable, is not out Of the question.
Naval officers are not wholly convinced,
even by the seemingly authentic and Of
fetal information which came from Gu
ba yesterday, to the effect that Spain's
flying squadron had arrived there,
that West India waters are not the
ultimate, if not the immediate. desti-
nation Of the squadron, and they feel
that there may yet be clash with the
opposing squadron on this side of the
Atlantic and are prepared for it. 1t
is the evident design of the Spaniards
to cloud their movements in uncer-
tainty, perhaps in order to take Amer
lean ships by surprise, and the arrival
of Spanish transports and ammuni-
tion supplies at Porto Rico in the past
few days, especially supplies Of coal,
is regarded as confrnatory of the sus-
piciou that the Spanish ships may soon
put in an appearance. Their arrival
will be warmly welcomed by the blue
jackets under Sampson.
Should the Spanish determine to
avoid an engagement at sea the
United States troops will speedily be
landed without interruption in Cuba,
probably at Matanzas This is about
50. miles from Havana As planned,
$4,000 men will call on Havana within
a month. Blanco will be engaged and
the land forces will compel his sur.
render. II there is much hesitation,
Sampson can do some work from the
bay that will force Blanco to terms.
By this time, should the Spanish
navy fail to put in an appearance,
there will be a disposition to take the
Canary islands, off the cost of Africa.
They are protected by 10000 soldiers.
Having captured Cuba, Porto Rico, the
Philippines and the Canaries, the next
move will be to visit Spain. Cadiz will
be a good mark. Especially is this
true if the Spanish navy continues to
make this hiding place, An invasion
of Spain is not improbable.
The Pacific coast troops will be sent
to the Philippines to aid Dewey OF
the 40 regiments Of volunteers sent to
Cuba, one will come from Kansas and
two from Missouri. The Third Mis-
souri, regiment, booked temporarily
for this point may be sent to Cuba,
the Canaries, the Philippines or Spain.
Gen. Miles will go to Cuba and estab-
fish headquarters and conduct the
in person. A cabinet official
says that Adm. Dewey's victory has
changed all the plans Of the president;
that he is now insisting upon quick
ening of the war and has set July as
the day peace is to be restored The
president desires to cele brate the indie
pendence of the United States and our
victory over Spain at the same time.