The San Francisco call., 1898-05-17
Elusive Game of the Span ish Fleet PuZzling the
 War Board.
BlanCO Needs Ammunition and the Enemy's Ships May Be EnCoun- tered Trying to Run the
 Blockade.

ron off Martinique was announced.
 Whether Sampson has actually cabled the department that he is steaming for Cienfuegos, or whether the report originates with Secretary Long and his aids, it is suspected that the strategy board has taken a leaf out of Spain's book, and here after may be expected to publish mis- leading statements regarding the whereabouts of American vessels. It seems hardly reasonable to suppose that the Secretary of the Navy in one breath would declare that no more information would be given out re- garding the movements of the Amer ican fleets, and in the next would proceed to locate Sampson's destina- tion for the benefit of the Spanish admiral.
 While it is quite possible that the Spanish fleet has left Willemstad, it is more than likely that it is still in the immediate vicinity of Curacoa. The Navy Department has reliable advices, received through commercial resources, to the effect that the Span ish fleet has met several colliers near Willemstad and has filled the bunk CTS of every ship, after having taken in port all the coal the strict observ- ance of neutrality would permit the harbor authorities to supply.
 Tn this connection Secretary Day had a long conference to-day with MT. DeWeckherlin, the Netherlands Minister, in the course of which the latter gave the most satisfactory as- surances that at no time would the Spanish vessels be permitted to ob- tain contra band of war at Dutch ports in the West Indies or else- where.
 The report that second Spanish fleet has been sighted off Martinique is set down at the Navy Department as canard. Its evident purpose is to distract attention from the squad ron in the Caribbean Sea and to cause the Navy Department to divide it's forces in order to meet two fleets instead of one. If this is the real purpose the device has already failed.
 Another grave problem confront ing the administra tion is the starting of the expedition to the Philippines. The departure of the first vessel has been postponed from day to day, and although it is now officially given out that the City of Peking and the City of Sydney will start from San Fran cisco on Thursday with about 5000 men, it would not be surprising should there be further delay. The War Department is solely responsible for this procrastination, which has demonstrated graphically how poorly prepared this Government has been to cope with even fourth-class Eu- ropean power. It is hoped By army and navy officials to have the Aus tralia and Centennial follow soon af- terward, the latter vessel to sail di- rect from Seattle.
 It is estimated that 52oo men can be conveyed to Manila on these four transports. Orders have been sent to Mare Island to hurry the PhiIadel- phia, but it is not believed that she will be ready in time to act as con- voy for any of the troop ships. She will, however, be sent to join Dewey's l SQudOiOh tlS SooI dS SIic IS put III commission. The Philadelphia will be commanded by Captain Frederick Rodgers.
 The Philadelphia Press, owned and edited by Charles Emory Smith, the new Postmaster General, prints the following inspired editorial on the subject of holding the Philippine Islands, and it is regarded as sig nifcant, coming as it does from member of the Cabinet:
 ''The United States will keep the islands until it sees something bet ter to do with them. This is the national policy on which President Mckinley is acting, and it is the only one on which either he or the nation can act. As an act of war our fleet has captured the harbor of Nanila, and in a few weeks more our troops will have completed the occupation of Manila and the conquest of the islands. The national duty is clear as to these points. General Merritt is as competent to act as military governor of Manila as any one Of the scores of English generals put in like position. An American force is just as competent as an English force of the same size to occupy and pacify the islands and their nine million in- habitants. Be American! Have con- fidence in Americans! The Philip