The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-30
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THE WAR SITUATION
Alarming Reports of Yester-
day Afternoon Turn Out
to be GroundIess.
SPANISH FLEETS SAILING
UNOFFICIAL NEWS THAT IT Has
LEFT CAPE VERDE.
SPANISH FLEETS SAILING
UNOFFICIAL NEWS THAT IT H. rs
LEFT CAPE VERDE.

LEFT C4PB VERDE.
Also That Part of the Fleet Was in Col
lision and Had to Put Back-No News
From Admiral Dewey-Presuming That
He is Bound Directly for Manila the
Calculation Made at Navy Department is
That He Arrived at O'Clock This Morn
ing.
washington, April 29.-This was a
day of alarming reports, running all
the way from the blowing up of a big
monitor to the detection and punish
ment of traitors, but fortunately all of
them turned out on inquiry to be with
out foundation. Actual events of i'm
portance were few in number. The
news Of the day Of most interest was
the departure from Cape Verde of the
Spanish fleet, the stay of which at st.
Vincent has been source of anxiety on
the part of officials here, because it
seemed to indicate that the sympathy
of Portugal for Spain might lead her to
wink at violation of neutrality laws
in favor of Spain.
Sailing of Spanish Fleet.
Late in the afternoon a cablegram
came to the state department from
Cape Verde. bearing no signature, an
nouncing that four battleships and
three torpedo boats had started north
after some of the transports for Cuba,
and that the northern fleet returned
shortly, having been in collision. Be
cause there was no s. nature to the
cablegram the officials did not know
what Importance to attach to this mes
sage. Captain Sampson sent brief
telegram relative to the firing at the
Matanzas forts. 1t was lacking in de-
tail, but it went to confirm the official
view that the affair was nothing more
than a naval reconnaissance.
No News From Admiral Dewey.
No news came to-day from Admiral
Deweys squadron, now on it's way to
the Philippines to do battle with the
Spanish fleet. One officer pointed out
that if Admiral Dewey defeated the
Spanish fleet the Spanish officials who
control the cable connecting the islands
with the rest of the world would prob
ably suppress the news or distort the
facts into Spanish victory Presum-
ing that the admiral is bound directly
for Manila, the calculation made at the
navy department shows that he will
arrive about o'clock Saturday morn
io1, oI>o +xtro1 Iva
hours earlier than our own.
Changes in Mobilization Plans.
The pressure continues unabated on
the war department for changes in the
plans already announced as to mobili-
cation of the volunteer troops, and very
much against it's judgment the depart
ment is making concession in this mat
ter A large number of callers are
bringing forward candidates for the
many plums within the gift of the pres
ident and Secretary Alger in the shape
Of appointments to grades above regi-
mental in the army. General Lee and
General Dodge spent good part of the
day in conference with officials, giving
color to the reports that they are
among those selected for appointment
as major generals. The announcement
that the State of Texas, laden with
supplies for the reconcentrados, is des-
tined for Sagua has led to the surmise
that it is probably this port instead of
Matanzas which has been selected for
the landing place of the first attack of
the United States troops.
Regarding European Paper's Growls.
Regarding the growls that appear in
the European papers, and threats to
interfere to prevent the United States
forces from blockading the Philippines
il may be stated that this was fully
expected. During the civil war there
were a great many attempts on the
part of European nations to disregard
orr blockades and many threats of in
reference, all of which came to naught,
from the firm attitude assumed by the
secretary of state. In the present case
the conditions of the Cuban blockade
are much more liberal towards the
European powers than ever before i'm
posed. In anticipation of the action of
the German commercial interests in
combining to secure exemption from
search for their mail steamers, it is
pointed out that the president in his
proclamation declaring the existence
of war, explicitly announced that the
voyages OF mail steamers are not to be
interfered with except on the clearest
grounds OF suspicion of a violation of
the law in respect to contraband or
blockade.
Portugal Declares Neutrality.
Viscount De Santa Tryrae, the Por-
tuguese minister, looked over The As
sociated Press cable dispatches from