The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-24

he coupled with IL the statement that she
had reached point whore she would 30
ssrYiess9ls. ~..os''
This was taken to mean that she was In
close proximity to Simpsons fleet or
would soon join the big squadron.
Nothing was said at the time concerning
the Marietta and Buffll. There lie no rea.
son to believe the Oregon Is on the Bra
lillian coast, while the opinion Is expressed
that the Marietta and Buffalo may have
bsen left behind, keeping along the coast
within the.three mile limit until Para wa,
reached. A eoasting merchant vessel may
have joined them and put in at Para.
WASHINGTON. May Everything points
to an imminent engagement between the
fleets Of Sampsonand Schley and Corvera's
squadron While the Department Is still
maintaining its policy Of secrecy about the
movements of our ships, it Is generally be-
lleved that Sampson and Schley are round
ing Cuba in opposite directions to catch
the Spaniard between two forces If pos
sible
1t Is probable that Cervora may attempt
again to eludc his pursuers, but he cannot
follow such tactics indefinitely. His sup
ply OF coal Is limited, and it Is q question
OF only q short time when he will have
worn out his welcome In the West Indian
coaling ports aud finds himself barred by
the neutrality laws from repeating his
visits to the hitherto friendly coal piles
Naval officers see only one recourse for
him, and that Is to effect o juncture with
tho Spanish coiliers at some out-of-the.
way inlet in n remote island of the Wind.
ward group, where he would not be pre-
vented from violating he neutrality laws
bya protest. at the time from the govern
ment to which the island belongs.
IT. is believed there is enough coal Mt San
Juan 10 give him steam TO fight battle,
but not enough to enable him to remain
Atlantic, The vigilance of tho armed
American scout ships is expected to pre-
vent Spanish Golfers landing an addi-
tional supply at San Juan.
Key West. May 23 There was mys-
FERROUS explosion in the YucatGn Channel
yesterday afternoon about 3 O'Clock. Four
vessels within signaling distance of one
another beard the explosion, which seemed
to como from beneath the water, and was
like the booming Of thousand cannon.
At first there was a rumble then a loud
roar, which brought all hands on deck.
Inc surface of the wafer was not disturbed
The vessels signal ID one another, !but we
all In the dark Us to an explanation of the
explosion.
Tho Yucatan Channel is at tho extreme
western point Of Cuba The ships were
twenty-four miles off hore at tho time,
anu 1t was not an explosion of submarine
mines 1t possibly was some seismic dis.
turhance. Ii Is one of the most eXtraordi-
nary and inexplcablo happenings in mar
thine history.
st. Johns, N. F.. May a3.-An officer
from one of the British warships on the
west coast OF this island arrived here to-
night to consult with the Governor, Sir
Herbert Murray, as 10 the contingency of
the arrival OF the Spanish fleet In these
waters to obtain coal
The officer desires that his name shou Id
not be mentioned, but he urges Sir Hcr-
bert Murray to advise the American Gov
ernmeEt to send one Of its fastest cruisers
to patrol the Grand Banks for week or
more The cruiser, on sighting the Span.
iards, might then give the earliest posi-
bic notice of the movements of the enemy
BY making Immediately for st, Johns or
Cape Race and teegraphing its informa.
tion t, the United States.
Valencia, May ga Spanish staff off
Ger of high rank and ability, who has
served In tho present Cuban campaign. re.
ferring to the American invasion Of Cuba.
declares that tho undertaking bristles
with difficulties.
The comparative insignificance of the
invading force and the great preponder-
ance of artillery to accompany it seem to
indicate, he thinks. tho intention of tho
American War Department to land at
1rst small body OF troops In strategic
or advantageous position close to the
shore which could be rapidly cntrcnched
and fortified. Hero tho Americans would
endeavor to hold out under the protection
OF their ships until the whole invading
force landed or was sufficiently strong to
move into the interior