The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-23
THE OFFICIAL DENIAL
Given Out to Prevent Any Anxiety
for Friends of Sailors.

Given Out to Prevent Any Anxiety
for Friends of Sailors.
WASHINGTON. May 22-The run,ors
of a great naval battle, current last
night, were disposed of by the navy de-
partment early today in the follow
ing official bulletin:
mo truth in the published state
rrent concerning an engagement off st.
Nicholas Mole, Hayti, In which twelve
ships were sunk
This was posted not only for gen
eral information. but also to quiet the
alarm among relatives and friends of
those on board the American ships. AS
rule. the department uses the eau
tlous phraseology of stating that no
official information has been received.
but to make assurance doubly sure in
this case the department declared
there was no truth" in the reports,
and indicates that official information
is such as to warrant the statement
that the American and Spanish SQUAD
rons have not met.
The bureau of navigation, navy de-
partment, where official dispatches are
received was open throughout the day
but the officials were engaged on rou-
tine work, and there was no evidence Of
that activity which would attend the
receipt Of important informa ton. nor
OF that keen expectancy which would
indicate the near approach of the two
fleets.
In the absence of exact information
as to the location of the two fleets
IN
fair Indication that the official advices
clo net give promise of an immediate
engagement. 1t is the opinion of the
department that an engagement. If #
can be brought off, will be decisive Of
the Whole war, and there is no DIR
pose to allow such momentous results
10 go OH on fuke, or on a too pre-
clpltate move, in Difference to the pub-
llc pressure for results, but to move
nrnlly' yet cautiously, and insure a.
victory when there is a fight.
Army headquarters were as busv a.s
Oh week days, as the moving Of large
pooies OF men gives scant time for
sunday rest. An extended dfspatcb
was received from San Francisco Civ.
Ing the final details of the emba, kation
DAY. 1t. stated that the City Of Pc
king, the Sydney and the Australia
would sail en- that day with the FIRST
regiment of California volunteers. the
First Oregon vo unteers, one officer AMI
fifty men Of the heavy artillery Of ttA
California volunteers, making< in all
ESQ officers and 2,40O men under Rrig
Gen. Thomas Anderson. Although
Gen. Anderson takes charge Of this
command, it is under Gen. Otis. who ia
IN san francisco, and viii accompanv
the expedition. The City of Peking
was originally secured by the navy de-
partment, but as she is 50 large and
servlceable as troop ship, the army
Is using her in conjunction with the
navy. Besides the troops she will
carry supplies and ammunition for tho
navy.
Cen Miles spent the morning in bis
oftce, but in answer to inquiries said
lhere was nothing to announce as to
ms own plans or the concentration of
troops In the South. Secretary Alger
called at the White house at 1920
o'clock, ami was with the president fif-
teen minutes. Later the president, ac-
companed by Myron T. Herrick, Of
Cleveland, who, with Mrs. Herrick. is q
guest at the White house, went to
church. Up to this time the White
house had received no war news of i'm.
portance.
Secretary Day and Assistant Secre-
tary Cridler were at the state depart
ment part of the day, but it was said
by those in authority that 10 word of
importance had been received from our
consular officers in the West Indies.
They would be about the first to report
an engagement in that vicinity.
The report from Madrid that the an
thorities there threaten to cut the cable
from Galveston, if our ships isolate
Rlanco by cutting the cables from San
tiago, is received with much amuse-
ment by officials familiar with cable
routes. The cable from Galveston
runs to Vera Cruz and other Mexican
points. 1t is so far west that the
Spanish admiral could not reach il
without long run, and If he should
succeed in cutting it, there would be no
strategic advantage against the United
States, as the line is little ussd for gov
ernment business.