Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-05-26

Washington, May %. - All Of the
news that was given out yesterday at
the navy department was comprised in
the one short bulletin posted at the
close Of the day stating that the de-
partment had information believed to
be authentic, that Admiral Cervera,
with his flying squadron, was at Santi-
ago de Cuba. This went to confirm
the newspaper reports and also the
Madrid cablegram published in the
morning, the latter a rather unusual
circumstance, for the Spanish bulle-
tins have been notably deceptive ever
since the flying squadron left Cadiz.
Accepting this statement as correct it
indicates that there is little probabili-
ty Of a hostile meeting between Samp-
son or Schley and Cervera Immediate
ly. Looking over the charts of Santi-
ago harbor the experts soon discovered
that the place would be veritable rat
trap for the Spaniards with its narrow
entrance, in which Il single American
monitor could bottle up the whole
Spanish fleet. The naval strategy
board, rechristened Of late the war
board, is to lose one of it's most active
and valuable members in the person of
Capt. Barker. He leaves Washington
for Hampton Roads to take command
of the fine protected cruiser Newark,
which has just been
Extensively Repaired
at the Norfolk navy yard. 1t is said
that the Newark will join SIMPSONS
To-, II
as she can get there. 1t has not been
determined who would succeed Capt
Barker as member of the war board,
place requiring the very highest pro-
fessional qualifications and involving
knowledge of strategy as taught scien-
| tifically, which it uot the possession Of
all naval officers. 1t may be that the
vacancy will not be flied at present,
though there has been favorable men,
ton of the name OF Admiral Ramsey,
retired, in that connection. Prepare
f, lions go on steadily for the Philip
pines military expedition. Gen. Mer-
rift, who will command, stopped in
Washington on his way westward
from New FORK, and spent most of the
day in consultation with the officials
Of the department arranging the de-
tails of the expedition. Another trans.
port was secured and the department
Is showing a disposition to treat Gen.
Merritt with the utmost liberality in
the equipment Of his forces. 1t is said
that the advance guard on the vessel
under the command Of Gen. Otis will
sail out Of the Golden Gate to-day,
Bound for the Philippines.
/ The complaints of the shoeless
among the volunteers just brought
into the army will soon be silenced as
the department. just placed orders for
| 100000 pairs of soldiers shoes. A be-
ginning was made toward the organ
ization of the independent volunteer
forces under authority conferred. upon
the president by special resolution.
The national guard will have no part
in these organizations, which will be
made up of engineers, immunes and
electricians. The staff assignments
are coming out rapidly in the general
orders issued daily by the department,
the appointments being made general
ly upon the request of the major gen
erals and the brigadier generals vet
to be provided for in this matter. The
state department announced that the
Polaria, the Hamburg-American line
steamer at Key West, which was au-
thorized to land certain passengers in
Havana, had declined to avail itself OF
the privilege, so the department is re-
lieved of what promised to be an en-
barrassing incident, and os the neces-
sity Of establishing what might prove
fo 1,o q 1orroro,,c prooo1o0t