The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-11
SAFE AT CADIZ.
Department Locates the
Spanish Fleet.
CLEARS WAY FOR OPER.
ATIONS in CUBA.
The Possibility Of Attack on
| Dewey Discounted.
NEWS OF SAMPSON EXPECTED IN
TWENTY -FOUR HOURS.

J Washington, May TO-. is hard to tell
whether the naval officials were relieved
or disappointed by the news that came
late this afternoon to both the navy an6
state departments to the effect that the
Spanish flying squadron had arrived al
Cadiz, Spain.
The safety of the Oregon from ATTACK
is now completely assured, and the way
is clear for military operations in Cuba
without running the risk of having tht
occupying army's line of communication
cut off. On the other hand 1t is believed
that no enduringi peace can be secured
until the Spanish navy has been de
stroyed, and 1t now appears that to do thil
our sailors must make up their minds
to go after the Spaniards, task very
much more difficult than that of meeting
| them near our own shores.
1t was suggested by some of the mem.
bers of the war board that there was juft
a possibility that the Spanish squadron
might make quick passage into the
Pacific through the Suez canal and at
tack Dewey at Manila. It is said that
| contrary to the common understanding,
the Suez is open to warships of belligerent
powers so that if the Spanish choose to
take this course. they would have long
start of any pursuing feet from our side
of the Atlantic.
1t is scarcely believed, however, that
the Spanish are willing to take the great
risk of exposing to our attack their own
homo ports by the withdrawal of so con-
siderable a portion of their naval strength
as would be required to over-lnatch
Dewey.
Nothing was heard from Sampson to-
day, but there is a confident expectation
that interesting news will be coming
from his squadron within the next "a
hours. Whether this means an attack on
Porto Rico or not. cannot be learned.
One effect of the retreat of the Spanish
fleet has been to hasten even more the
the despatching Of military expeditions
to Cuba. It also has caused complete
change in the concentration plans. lime
is now Believed to be great factor
There is no longer opportunity to indulge
in extensive drilling and practice manoeu-
vering. The regular army troops do not
| need these, and are to be thrown at once
into the fray.
Many of the regiments of the national
guard which are entering the volunteer
| service are felt to be sufficiently trained
| from a military point of view to follow
| tho regulars Immediately and the depart
ment indicated its purpose today of de-
| spatching these volunteer troops directly
| to the Gulf coast for shipment, instead
of sending them to Chickamauga. This
| disposition was shown by the changes In
the new orders issued to the troops, al
though there may be a return to the origi-
nal programme of concentration, vet, If
the plans show signs of weakness as they
deyelop. The quartermaster general has
already gotten under charter 27 merchant
steamers for the transport of troops and
roughly speaking, these should carry
about 90 COO meD. Others are being pro-
cured as rapidly as possible. The plan of
the war department is to have these yes-
sells assemble at the different gulf ports,
Tampa, Mobile, New Orleans and Calves
ton, to take on troops which will be sent
there. The navy department Is expected
to furnish conveys for these transports
which would be absolutely helpless
against Spanish attack. At this point
there are signs of friction. First the
transports will be obliged to await Ad-
miral SIMPSONS return in order to &C.
cure proper convoy, and secondly, the
navy objects decidedly to undertake the
task OF conveying a number of trans
ports. 1t insists that to assure the safety
of the convoy of the troops all OF the
transports should be gathered in one
feet to start from Tampa, and the navy
is likely to prevail in this.
Now that Major General Sewall ha,
been assigned to command the concentra-
tion camp at Falls Church, preparations
are being rushed to put the grounds there
in shape for the reception of the volun-
teers.