Evening star., 1898-05-14
WEEK ENDING MAY IA. ,s.s.
The War With spatn.

The War With Spain,
The plan OF campaign WAS materially
changed during the week by reason of nm
expected developments in West Indian wa
ters. Admiral Sampson, xho had been dis
patched from Key West with the heavier
portion Of the blockading squadron. urder
or6ers to find and destroy the Spanish Cane
Verde fleets supposed to be cruising to-
ward Cuba, failed to find evidences that
| that fleet had reached this vicinity and con-
sequently executed his alternative order of
attacking San Juan, the capital of Porto
Rico. This he did Thursday, and after an
engagement Of about three hours he suc-
ceeded in reducing the fortified lions with
the loss of two men killed and eight wound
ed. The Spanish losses seemed 70 be very
heavy. 1t was reported from London, but
not confirmed. that the city had capitu-
lated. Meanwhile word was received that
the Cape Verde fleet had appeared at Mar
Unique, four hundred miles from Porto
Rlco, and Admiral Sampson was ordered to
proceed at once to engage the vessels and
If possible, destroy them. At the same
time the flying squadron at HAMPTON
Roads, under Commodore Schley. was or
dered to sea- 1t sailed Friday afternoon,
presumably to cooperate with Admiral
SIMPSONS fleet as a reserve force to en-
gage the Spanish squadron in case the lat
| ter succeeded in evading Sampson In con-
sequence OF the unexpected appearance of
the Spanish fleet which early in the week
had been officially reported from Madrid as
being located at Cadiz, the plans for the
land invasion of Cuba, which had been
activeiy pressed on the theory that the
altered and the invasion was POSTPONED on
the ground that it would be unwise to send
troops into Cuba as long as there was a
possibility that Spain might DESTROY or
weaken the American naval forces and so
jeopardiZe the success of a land campaign
at this time. Consequently troops that had
been ordered to tampa for transportation
were defected TO Chickamauga. The
project of reinforcing Dewey at Manila
however, was actively pressed and orders
were sent to the cruiser Charleston at Mare
Island to put to as soon as possible in
advance of the transports, in order to aug
| ment Dewey's supply of ammunition and
other stores. Troops We're rapidly concen-
trated at San Francisco for dispatch to the
Philippines. Maj. Gen. Wesley Merritt was
designated as military governor of the
Philippine Islands, and orders were issued
for his prompt departure in conjunction
with the army or occupation of about Is, 600
| men. President Mckinley sent to Congress
message narrating the facts of the battle
OF Manila and recommending that Commo-
dore Dewey be personally thanked in the
name of the nation. Immediately and with
out debate both houses passed joint reso-
luton of thanks. and, in accordance with
this action, the President nominated Com
modore Dewey to be rear admiral the
ately without reference to committee
1t was reported that the cruiser Concord
had destroyed another of the Spanish gun
boats in Philippine waters, The first
American lives lost in the war were sacri-
feed in an engagement at Cardenas a
short distance east of MatanZas between
the United States gunboat Wilmington the
torpedo boat WinSlOw and the auxiliary
tug Hudson and the Spanish land batteries
and four gunboats in the harbor In the
fight the Winslow was badly disabled and
shell bursting on her deck killed Ensign
Worth Bagley and four of the crew and
wounded Lieut.. Bernadou, the commander
The Hudson gallantly succeeded, after
many dangerous attempts, in towing the
Winslow out of danger. The land batteries
We're silenced and considerable damage was
done to the town by fire. One of the Span
ish gunboats was shattered. The reports
We're received from Havana by way of
Madrid that an engagement had taken
place at Cienfuegos, in which the Ameri-
cans were repulsed with heavy losses. This
was not Immediately confirmed although
Saturday morning dispatches were received
indicating that an engagement had oc-
CURED at that point in which one Ameri-
can life was lost. while the Spanish bat
teries were demolished. The gunboat
Nicksburg and the torpedo boat Morrill,
were decoyed into Havana harbor by a
ruse on the part of the Spanish gunboats
and We're fired upon by the Santa Clara
batteries. They replied vigorously and a
sharp engagement ensued in which no
damage was done to the American ships
The steamer Gussie made an Intellectual at
tempt to land supplies and ammunition for
the insurgent forces, being prevented by
Spanish land forces. The President sent
to the Senate a large number of nomina-
tons in connection with the organization
or the volunteer army, including the names
OF the sons of well-known political leaders.
An order was issued announcing the points
or concentration for the volunteer army
including one in the vicinity of Washing
ton, at Falls Church: Va, where prepara-
Co.,
to 10000 troops, including the District
quota Rumors of foreign Intervention in
behalf of Spain were revived and denied
as were likewise intimations that the for
elgn powers, except Great Britain, would
protest to the United States against the
military occupation Of the Philippine ISL
ands. Disqufeting rumors reached Wash
1ngton that the French mail steamer La
Iayette, which was permitted to pass the
blockade after its capture, had landed am
munition for the Spaniards, and among the
passengers who were landed We're soldiers
ana military experts. Precautions were
taken to prevent the landing of stores and
representations of semi official character
were received that the Lafayette had not
violated the terms of the condition under
winch she was permitted to proceed to Ha-
Nana The battle ship Oregon arrived at
Bahia. leaving at once, and soon returning
TO repair certain damages to her engines.
Domestic.
Theodore Roosevelt severed his connec-
ton with the Navy Department as assist
ant secretary to become lieutenant colonel
Of the regiment of trough riders;'' Mr.
Charles N. Allen Of Massachusetts was ap-
pointed to succeed him. The trial of Civil
Engineer Menocal on charges connected
with the failure of the New York dry dock
was begun at the Brooklyn navy yard. The
Senate passed the post office appropria lion
bill, the constitutional amendment chang
ing inauguration day to May and the bill
fn ha rlt tfy-ufi ion of 1a
tween railroads and their employees. A Joint
resolution for the annexation of Hawaii
was reported favorably to the House from
the committee foreign affairs by al
most unanimous vote. The bill for raising
revenue to conduct the war was reported
to the Senate from the finance committee
after radical amendments had been adopt
ed; the committee struck out the bond ISSUE
proposition and added several other feat
Tres conformatory in a general way to the
principles erunciated by the democratic ma
tional platform adopted at Chicago in 1886.
The Supreme Court rendered decision up
he inr rf nf he ('Dr