Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1898-06-01
WAR SITUATION.
80 Forward Movement of Troops untn the
spanish Squadron Is Locsted-Thls
Stated In n Positive Manner.

WASHINGTON. May as. The military
situation as at present determined up.
on by those in authority is TO make no
forward movement of troops either
upon Porto Rico or Cuba until full and
definite information is received rs 70
the location of the Spanish squadron
and its possibilities as factor in the
aggressive movements of Spain. That
being the positive determination there
is no present purpose to hurry forward
The troops now Mt the several points OF
concentration, but the interval prior
to an aggressive forward movement
Will be employ III n seasoning the men.
steps have been taken TO secure early
information as to whether Adm. Ger
vera's squadron is inside Santiago har-
Dor and whether the American squad
ron has such advantage of position
outside the harbor as 20 make the es-
cape of the Spaniards practically inn
possible. For the last few days
army circles have shared pub
lie belief that the Spanish
ships were trapped in Santiago har-
Dor and that has given impetus TO ar
engagements by which large bodies of
troops at Chickamauga and elsewhere
might be moved forward rapidly to
Tampa for embarkation. The pres
ence of so or more transports in Flor
Ida waters added to the conviction
that movement on large scale
was about To occur All this has
been going on with the under
standing that Adm. Cervera's en-.
reer AS possible menace in
the rear of our troops had been cut off
10 no ~, Ill
tiago harbor. but in the absence OF
positive information on this point, to-
gether with the certainty that he can
be held inside the harbor, there is nc
| purpose whatever on the part of the
war department TO make an aggressive
forward movement on Cuba or Porto
Rico. This was stated Friday night in
the most positive manner, and from an
authoritative source.
| Unless the navy department sue
ceeds in securing some direct
and official information respect.
ing the Spanish and American
fleets within the next - hours
through the aid of the West
Indian cables, il will resort &c
the nse of dispatch boats 1t can again
be affirmed on the highest author ty,
and Notwithstanding all rumors to the
contrary, that Mt the close of the day
the department had nothing more
than belief founded upon unofficial
advices, that the Spanish squadron
was lying in Santiago harb and no
news as 20 Commodore Schley's where
abouts. However, the great majority
of the officials of the navy department
entertain no doubt that Cervera is
within Santiago harbor, and they have
succeeded in impressing this belief
upon the president and the members
of the cabinet. The reports from news
paper dispatch boats as to movements
of SIMPSONS and Schley's squadrons
during the past week are very mvsti-
| flying, even to the naval officers here.
and one of them called attention TO a
statement coming from the West Indies
to the effect that IL war YES
sells We're seen for a short time
off Cienfucgos Wednesday. This he
thought was Schley's squadron. and
in that case lac could scarcely have
covered the distance between Cien-
fuegos and Santiago with slow NOV
ing fleet of iron clads in less than two
! days, in which case Schley would not
be due off Santiago until some time
Friday. or course all this is specula-
tive but il shows that there is still an
element OF doubt in the departments
calculations as TO the whereabouts of
the fleets.
IL was announced Friday that Hol-
land, the inventor of the submarine
boat of that name, was expected here
saturday TO discuss with Capt O'Ncil,
chief of ordnance, the feasibility of
using that novel craft in an attack up-
on the Spanish squadron at Santiago
u the vessels are still there The of.
hcials are disposed to receive in a
kindly spirit any suggestion that
might prove 10 be valuable in this line
and they will talk with Mr.. Holland
over the details OF his scheme. prob
ably on the basis OF compensation to
bc paid 90 him for each spanish vessel
destroyed
An important phase to the military
programme is "A decision not to take
mp the details OF organizing the new
force Of 10000 volunteers for at least a
week or ten days. At the cabinet
meeting Friday inquiry was made OF
Secretary Alger as 90 what steps he
proposed taking ON the organization
IF this large additional force of vol
uutccrs His reply was that he had
not even considered the details OF
this question aud that his plan was
not Co take up the matter for week