The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-05-26

WASHINGTON, May 25.-The navy de.
partment announced in the most posi-.
tive manner that there had not been re-
ceived any information to warrt mt the
report of any sort of engagement in
the Windward passage. There was a
rumor yesterday that Cervera's feet
had been destroyed by the combined
forces of Sampson and Schley.
This did not specifically 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 o.
general engagement possibly the bull
letin announcement is sufficient to cover
the case.
In response to an inquiry as to where
the Spanish fleet was located, Mr..
Long replied that his belief was that il
was still at Santiago de Cuba. Con.
corning 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 COM
mander of the Mangrove since the time
of the alleged capture, showing that
the ship could not have been in the
hanuS OF the spanish.
Mr.. Long paid a handsome tribute to
the war board and stated that there was
no purpose whatever of changing the
present system whereby this board CO.
operates with him in giving every pos
sible assistance and advice, mainly in
the way of information, to the admirals
in command. The office of the war
board, the secretary pointed out, was
not to fight battles; that was exclu-
sively the province of the squadron
commanders. The board acted merely
in an advisory way and. at no time had
assumed executive functions.
The Spaniards appear to be making
ready for something more thah q de-
fensiye campaign at home, or at least
they are trying to create that impression
by other means than news bulletins
that issue almost daily from Madrid.
The navy department now has through
its own reliable sources reports of the
greatest activity in the Spanish navy
yards and of the preparation for sea
and for a long voyage of two of the
torpedoboat destroyers. 1t is given out
that they are to join Cervera imme-
diately when his squadron enters Cadiz
harbor. Possibly this statements is
made with deliberate purpose of mis-
leading American sailors into the belief
that Cervera has taken his way home
ward.
Inquiries as to the whereabouts of
the Oregon brought reply to the effect
that the battleship was safe. Nothing
could be learned of her location. 1t is
probable that the kilograms said to have
emanated from the vessel really were
filed at Key West, but were brought to
@ Nnrt han
the Oregon, which is cooperating with
our fleets.
The cutting of the cables at Santiago
and at San Juan de Porto Rico by
United States ships was a military
move of the first Importance. Blanco
has yet one link left of communication
with the outer world, but the Spanish
commander at San Juan now finds him
self totally in the dark as to conditions
in Spain or in Cuba, while the value of
that port as place of refuge for the
Spanish flying squadron is materially
diminished. 1t is safe to say that the
remaining cable to Santiago will be cut
soon like the others, so that if Ceryera
is misguided enough to have entered
Santiago harbor he will be completely
out of touch with his home government
on the one hand and equally unable to
communicate with Blanco at the other
end of the island.
PoRr AU PRINCE, May 25.-A local
newspaper, The Matin, says that Rear
Admiral Osborne of the British navy,
who left for New York on Sunday on
board a Dutch steamer, saw at Curacao
Spanish squadron composed of five
cruisers and five torpedoboat destroyers
or torpedoboats. The Spanish officers
or 10 hau I'd
not accept battle unless with an equal
number of ships and that they would
avoid encountering superior num-
bers. Admiral Osborne did not con-
slider the Spanish squadron to be in any
Way formidable.