The age-herald., 1898-05-29
ITS REALLY TRUE
 CERVERA'S THERE Officials Of Navy Department Have Final ly Received Definite Information. SQUADRON INSIDE HARD0R While Commodore SChley'S Fleet is Lay
 iDS For It Outside. MILITARY SITUATION SlMPLlFIED Now That the Spanish Fleet is Incapable of Doing Any Damage, the Troops Will
 be Transported to Cuba as
 Rapidly as Possible.

Washington May 2S.-The navy depart ment received information today which for the first time relieved officials of anxiety and doubt that they have felt for some days and satisfied them on two vital points, first that the American fleet under Commodore Schley was outside Santiago harbor, and, second, that Admiral Cerveras fleet was inside of that harobr. This information came from private sources, which naval officials regard as thoroughly reliable. It is from the same source that gave the navy department the first information almost week ago that the Spanish zluadron was inside Santiago harbor This source of in- formation has proved itself reliable thus far, and for that reason the news received today was accepted as conclusive. It did not come from any naval or state depart ment officials. There is little doubt, how ever. thatit will be supplemented by off, cial advices from Commodore Schley, in- deed, if such advices are not already here; up to the close of office hours the navy de- partment had not bulletined anything from Schley. The officials are in a state of ex- pectancy, having learned from the press dispatches from Kingston that the scouting vessel Harvard was there with reports.
 Military Situation
 Relying upon the private advices, naval officers feel that the entire military situa- tion is simplified and the powers of mis- chief by the Spanish fleet are at an end. One distinguished officer remarked that as a result of the information received he felt ten years younger since he had been se- riously apprehensive that the Spanish fleet had succeeded in getting away, but the faT Af fo11 walt axra1l lafc aifad that point. He said that Commodore Schley could now spare several of the ships from his squadron to permit them to join in the offensive demonstrations else- where All Schley needs it is pointed out, Is small force to watch the entrance of Santiago harbor. Two battleships and two cruisers would be ample for this ser vice as such a force would largely over match the four armored cruisers in the Spanish squadron In this way, Admiral Cerveras fleet can be pocketed without keeping large number of American ships out of service at other points.
 Fear of Tropical Storms
 In calculating upon keeping the Span iards penned up in this fashion the officials have taken into account the possibility of the dispersion of the American blockade fleet by one of the tropical cyclones that are almost due at this season The Ameri- can fleet in such cases would be obliged to cut and run for some neutral port or make it's way by force into one of the Cuban ports for shelter. In either cage there might be an opportunity for the Spanish fleet to make it's escape providing the commanding officers are willing to take the desperate chances in going out in weather heavy enough to compel the big American iron clads to seek shelter. On her way to this country the Vizcaya passed through some very severe weather almost approaching the cyclonic and proved that ccalc nf har cla ar a a withstand such storms with perfect safety.
 During the day the navy department posted bulletin giving reassuring advices from Admiral Dewey. This was the only specific bit of information given out during office hours It was a day replete with rumors, some of them very sensational, but the various reports of sanguinary battes failed of verification and ultimately proved to be groundless, so far as the reports reaching here disclosed.