Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-05-19
WILL MODIFY THEIR PLANS.
Eject of the Appearance of the Spanish
Flying Squadron In East
Indian WaterR

WASHINGTON, May IA complete
change has taken place in the offensive
plans OF our government. The receipt
of the news from Sampson of his at.
tack on the forts at San Juan and the
news of the actual presence of the
| Spanish flying squadron off Martinique,
only 500 miles away from Sampson and
less than 1000 miles from Havana,
caused the dispatch of the flying squad.
ron under Commodore Schley and the
delay of the army of invasion of Cuba
1t is to the navy that the government
again looks for a battle that may end
| the conflict.
The news of the Spanish feet re-
vealed at once the possib ility of a quick
move on the part of the Spanish fleet
that would cut the line of communities
| ton by water between Cuba and Key
West, exposing to great peril any
American landing force that might be
| caught between superior Spanish
| army in Cuba and the sea patrolled by
Spanish cruisers.
1t became necessary, therefore, to
defer the departure of the military ex-
petition from Florida until the Spanish
fleet is met and crushed or driven from
West Indian waters.
Orders few quick and fast from both
the war and navy departments. The
hrst checked the movement on Florida,
setting in from all parts of the coun-
try, and diverted the troops toward the
concentration camp at Chickamauga.
The navy department wired Samp-
son information of the approach of the
Sr0a T1iSh foot on1 1irootionc h.,+
to do, and another order flashed
to Schlev, who has been eat
ing out his heart at Hampton
into the fray, to start with his vessels
at the earliest possible moment. The
commodore took no chance of cancel
lation of these highly desirable orders,
but at 3:45 o'clock had put himself be-
yond the reach of any Geographic re-
call. What is expected Of him cannot
be disclosed at the.navy department,
and naturally is purely a matter OF
conjecture. SIMPSONS feet is strong
enough, unaided, to overcome
the Spanish flying squadron
if he can ever catch it out of the reach
of Notifications. His fleet, however,
is lacking in speed as compared to the
Spanish vessels, and cooperation on
the part of our flying squadron would
add very much to the chance of corner
ing the Spaniards and forcing the fight,
which is believed to be necessary to
the success of the Cuban campaign.
Some one suggested at the navy de-
partment that the Spanish feet when
last heard from was at point not very
much more distant from the great cit
les of the Atlantic seaports than from
Havana, but if the Spanish admiral
contemplates movement IN the former
direction he probably will run full into
Schley.
Much regret is expressed among
naval officers at the delays experienced
in communicating with Sampson, and
it is not learned yet at the navy de-
partment whether the admiral has
actually received up to this moment
the important advices as to the move
ments of the Spanish fleet that have
been dispatched to him. Doubt on
this score is founded on the experience
the department has had already with
the cables received yesterday from the
West Indies.
1t was stated positively at the close
of Office hours that no word had come
during the day from Admiral Samp-
son, save the one telegram sent out
yesterday morning regarding the at
tack on the forts at San Juan. It can
be stated that there is good ground for
the belief that the admiral has achieved
all that was expected of him or that
was necessary to carry out the plans
of the strategy board. The pur-
pose was to destroy San Juan
as fortified base that might
form harbor of refuge for
the Spanish fleet, and according to the
admirals report this has been prac-
tically accomplished. 1t was neither
necessary nor material that San Juan
itself be occupied, all that was essen
tial being that the Spanish fleet should
find no more protection there than it
would in any harbor without substan
tial defenses, and if the Spanish squad
ron should have the temerity now tG
enter San Juan harbor, they will fall
easy victims to SIMPSONS battleships |
and monitors.
Capt O'Neil, chief of the bureau of |
ordnance, was with Secretary Long
several times during the day, giving |
ammunition Admiral Sampson has on
board. 1t is the opinion of the bureau
officials that the bombardment OF |
San Juan did not materially de-
plete SIMPSONS stock of powder, shot |
and shell. There is no doubt, how |
ever, that it made considerable inroad |
upon it, as it is said that a continuous |
fire for three hours that the ships were |
in action would have completely ex-
hausted the entire stock. There is no |
possibility, however, of such a
continuous fire, and the officials
feel satisfied that Sampson has |
at least half of his ammunition and |
perhaps more still on board. Every |
ship in his feet was stocked to it's
fullest capacity with powder, shot and
shell. The division which shelied San
Juan had 90 rounds of the large size
projectiIes for the IL and 13-inch guns.
and about 500 rounds for the 5 anc g.
inch guns.