The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-25
A DAY OF RUMoRs.
Long Believes the Spaniards Are Still
at Santiago.

at Santiago.
Washington, May 24-There was
lapse into sensational war rumors in
Washington today, after week of
comparative uuietude. The rumors
ranged all the way from the capture OF
the little Mangrove with a crew of Is
men. to the reported destruction of the
entire Spanish fleet by SIMPSONS and
Schley's combined forces. They were
circulated with persistence, nOtWith-
standing their denial as soon as they
could be brought To the attention of any
official capable of passing judgment on
their accuracy. As the day rolled
along the officials themselves became
aprehensive. as was shown by the fire.
QUency with which they called for the
latest newspaper bulletins.
At the close of the day. however, it
was again announced in the most posi-
tive manner that the navy department
had no information to warrant the re-
port of any sort of engagement in the
Windward passage. This did not spe-
officially cover the waters of the West
indies. but in view of the fact that the
department has almost pledged itself
to let the public know of anything in
the nature of a general engagement,
possibly the bulletin announcement is
sufficient to cover the case.
SECRETARY LUIS SldLGNA " q SAOUp u
newspaper men that the department
had received no notification of import
ance. In response to an inquiry as to
where the Spanish fleet was located,
Mr. Long replied that his belief was
that it was still at Santiago de Cuba
Concerning the reported capture of the
Mangrove and the loss of other ships
the secretary dismissed these stories as
purely conjectural and not supported by
facts.
Word had come from the commander
Of the MangrOve since the time of the
alleged capture, showing that the ship
could not have been in the hands Of
the Spanish.
SPANISH ACTIVITY.
The Spaniards appear to be making
ready for something more than de-
fenSIve campaign at home. or at least
they are trying 10 create that impression
by other means than news bulletins that
issue almost daily from Madrid The
Tavy department now has, by its own re
liable sources, reports OF greatest actiy-
ity IN the Spanish navy yards, and pre-
paratiOn for sea and for long voyage of
two of the torpedo boat deStrOyerS. It
is given out that they are 70 join Ger
Cadiz harbOr.
Possibl.- this statement is made with a
deliberate purpose of misleading Amer
lean sailors into the belief that Cervera
has taken his way hOmeward-
SCOUT BOATS ASLEEP.
The rl1mor current in London that the
American and the Spanish fleets had
come together and that the SDaniards
had been destroyed. IS not credited by
members of the cabinet. who apparently
have no reason to expect an early en-
gagement. The fact. however, that the
government has no knowledge of the
present whereabouts of Admiral Cervera's
fleet leaves the question of the time
when the Spaniards may be Overhauled
a matter of doubt. News is eagerly
awaited and some irritation is expressed
that some one of the comparatively large
number of swift scouts which we have
in the southern waters has not been
able to locate the enemy and so bring
about collision between the fleets.
SPANISH PLANS CHANGED.
There are signs in Madrid that have
been noted here. seeming TO warrant the
suppOsitiOn that there has been COM
pIete change in the Spanish plan of con-