The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-05-14
INVASION OF CUBA |
SPANISH FLEET TO BE DESTROYED BE-
FORE ARMY MOVES ON HAVANA.
SCHLEY is BOUND FOR CUBA
WIFI Stop at Charleston for Further
Orders, Before Proceeding Fur
ther Down the Coast.
Special to EVENING HERALD.

Special to EVENING HERALD.
WASHINGTON May IA.
The Strategic Board has again changed its
war plans, on account of the close proximity
OF the Spanish squadron to Cuban waters.
The enemy's fleet having been definitely
! located has again caused a postponement of
the plan of operations against Havana from
both land and sea. The invasion NAV be
deferred another week, or until Sampson
and Schley have met the Spanish feet and
demolished it. In the meantime Havana
will not be attacked.
At two o'clock this afternoon the state
department has an official report from
Curacao, Dutch West Indies, which is
800 miles southwest of Martinique. It
says the Spanish warships have been
sighted there.
If the news is correct, it indicates that
the Spanish fleet is sneaking to the west
ward of Cuba to avoid Rear Admiral
| SIMPSONS fleet.
Navy officials say the torpedo boat Winslow,
which was in action at Cardenas, is almost a
total wreck. A Spanish shell struck torpedo
ON the boat, and passed through the guncotton
charge without exploding. 1t will require
long time to repair the Winsow.
Admiral Sampson has left San Juan. and
has received orders from Secretary Long to
intercept the Spanish feet and destroy it,
There is no doubt in the minds of naval Off
Gals that the commander of the Spanish fleet
sighted off Martinique on Wednesday. receiv-
ed information at that point as to the
whereabouts of SIMPSONS squadron; it is
now believed that the Spaniards will avoid
San Juan and proceed with all speed to Cuba
and destroy as many of our small vessels in
those waters as possible, before attempting to
enter Havana harbor. Sampson has two
swift scouts on the lookout for the enemy.
By delaying the transmission of the
message sent by Captain c. S. Cotton, com
manding the Harvard, announcing that the
Spanish vessels had passed that point and
were hull down to the westward, the French
government has seriously impeded the work
of this government in getting machinery in
operation for crushing the enemy.
Captain COtton's despatch should have
reached Washington on Wednesday night.
Instead, it came on Thursday night, twenty
four hours later, so that the Spanish fleet has
been Out of sight of the American vessels for
an entire day.
If bound for the southwestern coast of Cuba
the Spanish fleet will not be able to make the
distance from st. Pierre before Sunday or
Monday, so that in this event battle could
uot possibly occur before the beginning of
next week. Before reaching its destination,
however the authorities are confident from
the precautions they have taken that the
enemy's squadron will be sighted. The Fly
ing squdron should be at Havana before the
enemy reaches there.
Secretary Long has signed and mailed the
commission of George Dewey as Rear Ad-
miral of the United States navy.
The navy department is about to ask for
bids for the construction of sixteen torpedo
boat dsstroyers, the new yessels to be the
very best of their class.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, Ambassador of Great
Britain, had consultation with Secretary
Day on the subject of the continued resi-
dence in Canada of the former Spanish min
lister to the United States, Don Polo Bernabe.
This government objects to his continued