The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-05-13
PLANS NAY BE CHANGED.
Troops WIN Not GO to Cuba uniii They
Have livery Protection.

Have Every Protection.
Washington. May i2-Although no
additional confirmation has been r.
,eived Of the news from London that
the Spanish squadron, which LETT the
Cape Verde islands two weeks ago had
returned 20 Cadiz. the belief has greatly
strengthened I'm official circles that a
.ruise to Porto Rican or Cuban waters
was never very seriously contemplated.
As the capture Of Porto Rico at this
time has been held by the president and
his advisers to be of little or no Strategic
Importance, oomplicating, instead OF
simplifying the task OF reducing ha-
yana and expclling the Spanish land
forces from Cuba, it has been virtually
decided, as soon rs the absence OF the
Cape Verde squadron from West Indian
waters is definitely established, to recall
to Cuba the greater part Of Captain
SIMPSONS feet. Gable dispatches in.
itructing the American commander TO
make no attack at present on SAN Juan,
but 10 await further orders of Porto
Rico, have been sent TO the various ca
Ole stations in the windward group,
and will doubtless be delivered within
he next day or two.
There Is, OF course, no immediate de-
nand for the services of the whole Key
West fleet before Havana. The smaller
men.of.war left behind by Acting Ad.
miral Sampson are competent TO protect
the passage Of the landing expedition
from Tampa and to cover the Judgement
of the invading army ON the Cuban
.oast. But should an effort to reduce
the fortifcations OF Havana from the
p water side be thought necessary, the
| heavier fighting ships now of Porto
> Rico will have 20 be called on TO under
: take the bombardment; whileit the Wis
,aya, the Almirante Oquendo, the Maria
Teresa aud the Cristobal Colon should
after all have passed unnoticed into the
b Caribbean sea and should appear unex'
/. pectedly of the west end Of Cuba, the
n presence OF the full Key West fleet IN
/ that neighborhood would be found indis'
pensable TO beat of the assailants and
maintain communication with thu
American forces already landed.
n Though Monday is the date now vel
y for the departure Of the first division o
i regulars from Tampa, Il would create
J. no very great surprise II the troops
were detained ON Florida soil few day
longer. To take advantage OF the com
!, paatiye dryness Of May. a prompt star
\ and sharply directed campaign agains
Havana are considered advisable. Blu
il seems certain that the volunteers VIII
are 20 follow the regulars to Cuha can
: not be assembled ON the gulf coast in Il
condition for field work within the mex
two weeks, so that actual operations II
Cuba will scarcely be possible befor
:, MAY %. BY that time. too, all doubt
about the disposition OF the Spanish ma
val forces will have been solved, an
Acting Admiral Simpsons reunite'
N aeet can be employed TO cooperate witt
the American land forces In pushing tn
II siege Of the Cuban capitol.
No serious weight Is attached here {
" the suggestion that Spain will send
" feet through the Suez canal TO atiac
Admiral Dewey's forces in the Philip
. pines. II Is not considered likely tina
- the Spanish government would strip Il
home ports of adequate protection In OF
10 der 10 retake the re.conquest Of n di,
tant colony which could be held only a
y the sacrifice Of national interests 4
every other quarter Of the world.
% Moreover, with the government an'
II cabinet engrossed in struggle for poll
N teal existence at home, Spain Is scarcel
~ in position to pursue for the presen
Ia any, but defensive and negative prC
gram