New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-02
ADUTPAL CAMARA'S CRTISF.

The Spanish trick TO get more conl at FORT
So,d IN gross violation OF international law has
failed. thanks TO the vigilance OF the American
foreign service and the honest neutrality or Vi"
Anglo. Egyptian Government. 1hat VIII mol
however, prevent Admiral Camara from pro
cccding. He has now in the bunkers OF his fleet
an ample supply Of coal to carry him to the
Philippines. There are. moreover, several coal
ing stations between the Suez Canal and Manila
which are not under Egyptian or British con
troll but under that Of Powers which are sup
posed 10 he inclined 10 favor Spain az far rs
nossible md at which II may be possible for
him to secure further supplies. There is no
legal objection TO the fleets passing through the
canal provided it goes one ship ut time. IL is
said. moreover. upon what seems to be the best
Of authority, that the required tolls nave al
ready been paid to the canal company In Paris
probably, we presume, with an understanding
that they are to be refunded if for any reason
the feet should not 90 through. So all things
are ready Let the expedition proceed.
Yet there seems 10 be some hitch day or
two ago Admiral Camara decided. so IL was
said not to take his torpcdo-boat dcstroyers any
further. but to leave them at Port Said. At
lea st one of them was broken down. ana 1t WAS
apparently deemed unwisc 10 expose them TO me
furv of the Indian Ocean in the hurricane sea-
son. which is now Just beginning Now, having
been requested by the Egyptian Government To
move on with the rest Of his ships. as required
by law he dcmurs on the ground that the ships
are in need Of repairs and has set about renov-
inr guns etc. as if TO give the vessels m over
hauling. That looks as though he were relnc-
tant to 90 forward Why? II Is true. British
observers declare the Pclayo and the Carlos '
10 be in a shOckngly unscawOrthy condl'loh.
But that must be a calumny. uttered in behalf
of the Yankee pigs. II is inconccivaDle. you
know. that after tarrying so long at Cadz the
two crack vessels Of the Spanish Armada should
set out in other than prime condition. or
course the voyage through the Mediterranean
cannot have impaired the excellence OF their
condition SO they must now be ready to face
the worst typho0n that ever blew Why, then.
this delay?
II is scarcely to be imagined that there IL any
hesitation ut meeting Admiral Dewey. True,
the latter did vanquish Spanish feet at Ma
Mia two months ago. But that was because OF
the cowardce or treason of the Spanish Admi-
raj for which he Ia TO be cOurt-martialled. True,
also that Admiral Dewey has been. or Will then
have been, reinforced by the Monterey. the Mo
nadnock the Charleston and various other craft.
besides an army Of ten thousand men under one
of the ablest generals Of the age. But what are
such triHcs compared with the redoubtab!e
strength and spirit Of the Cadiz feet, equipped
with the awfully portentOus ''tOx0pyre,' n
single charge Of which will blow the biggest
warship to atoms and make the air deadly poi
sonous for half mile around! Surely there Is
no good reason Cor an hours delay unless the
object be. as the Spanish Minister Of Marine
said the other day. "to use the fleet to deceive
and mystify the Yankees" Perhaps that is the
explanation Of Admiral Camara's curious tao
tics But then the Yankees have a trick Of fol-
lowing the ancient rule Of cards-when in doubt
play trumps And In this game truInps will be