The record-union., 1898-06-25
Before the Last Vessel Has Passed
Through Suez Canal
An American Squadron Will Be Steaming
at Full Speed Across the Atlantic
to Attack the Span
ish Coast.

to be carried into Africa, metaphoric-
ally speaking, if Spain is foolhardy
enough to send the Cadiz fleet through
the Suez Canal to attack Dewey in the
Philippines. 1t is announced on good
authority that before the last Spanish
vessel has passed through the canal an
American squadron will BE steaming at
full speed across the Atlantic, straight
for the coast of Spain, to bring the war
home to the Spanish people. There is
of himself against this Cadiz fleet since
his own squadron will be re-enforced
by ironclads long before Camara's ships
sight the bay of Manila, and he will
have the shore batteries with him in
stead of against him in the struggle.
But it has been concluded by the
Administration that nothing, save the
most severe measures, will suffice to
bring the Spanish people to a realizing
sense of the hopelessness of the con-
tinuance of the present war, and even
kindness, it is held, will dictate such
blow as that which it is proposed
to administer, if the Spanish persist in
this last project.
After the fall of Santiago and the
capture or destruction of Cervera's 8
squadron, Sampson will have an abund-
ance of vessels to spare for the task
set forth. Probably he Will constitute
the attacking fleet in two squadrons,
the first flying squadron, to be COM
posed of the swiftest vessels of the
fleet, such as the Columbia, Minneapo-
lis, Harvard, Yale, St. Paul and New
Orleans and such craft. This will be
followed by another command, either
under Sampson or Schley, by the bat
tleships which Captain ClarkS expert
ence with the Oregon has shown can
easily be counted on for the voyage
across the Atlantic. With the Iowa,
Oregon, Indiana, Massachusetts, and
Texas, all battleships, supplementing
the New York and Brooklyn, armored
cruisers, and the less powerful, but
speedy vessels of the flying squadron,
the Spanish coast would be speedily
swept clear of all commerce, all Span
ish shipping would be destroyed, and
bombarded.
No official news came to the War De-
partment during office hours from our
army near Santiago. This was a cause
for. of ha y-fyv anf G
General Shafter has a cable at his
command and it was expected he would
report the measure of success he has
attained in the debarkation Of his army
on Cuban soil and the beginning of
operations against Santiago. However,
the General has the reputation here as
being a man of deeds rather than words
and of not being given to over-many
official reports.
Not hearing from him, the officials
were obliged to rely for information en-
tirely upon press reports. They found
these highly satisfactory. Secretary
Alger expressed particular qualification
at the news that the troops had reached
d
Castle without encountering serious re-
sistance The direction taken by the
troops after their landing at Baiqu;ri-
trending generally westward-is taken
in some quarters here to indicate a
purpose 20 unite with SIMPSONS fleet
in an attack on Morro Castle and the
other forts at the entrance of Santiago
Harbor before turning their attention
to the town itself Once the forts are
captured, Sampson, with small boats,
could reach the mines, and if, as re-
ported, the Merrimac does not COM
pletely obstruct the channel. some of
the battleships may be sent in to deal
with Cervera's squadron in its last re-
sort.
Something of this kind is believed to
be necessary in order to relieve our
troops from the fire of the Spanish fleet
when they attack Santiago directly.
One or two of the big battleships, sup
plemented by a few torpedo boats,
could be relied upon to keep Cervera's s
squadron so fully occupied that he
would have no time to get to the troops
attacking Santiago from the rear.
For the first time to-day there was
a reliable announcement of the intention
of General Miles to go to Cuba to par
ticipate in the operations there before