The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-13
WILL BE INVESTIGATED.
Miraculous That tho Winslow Escaped
Complete Destruction.

Washington. May 12.-The setback
received by the American blockadng
| squadron in the engagement i'm Carde-
mas harbor yesterday and the loss of
| five lives on board the torpedo boat
Winslow had a SOLDERING effect in the
element in the navy which is crying out
for rapid action and efforts at destroy
ing batteries with unarmored ships.
There probably will be some sort Of in
quiry instituted to ascertain the re-
sponsibility for sending such unpro-
tected ships as the Winslow against
fortified ports. 1t is miraculous in the
opinion of older officers at the depart
ment that the damage and loss of life
were confined to the Winslow. for the
other boats were very little better off
i'm the matter of protection. and scarce
ly any of them could resist the fire of a
small rifle. 1t is likely that IL such
work as was attempted at Cardenas is
to be done hereafter the task will be
assigned to more formidable e-craft.
Just where the Spanish flying squad
ron is. still remains i'm doubt. and no
word of official confirmation has come
to the navy department on the Cadiz
report Of the day before yesterday that
the squadron is there. Still. there are
enough American securing vessels COW.
ering the approach to the West Indies
channel to spot any approaching Span
ish ship in short order. The people on
the New England coast have had their
apprehensions aroused again lest the
Spaniards appear in force off their coast
and proceed to destroy the summer re-
sorts and small craft there.
Mr.. Allen, the newly inducted assist
ant secretary of the navy. being a
Massachusetts man, had to bear the
brunt of a score of applicants for pro-
lection that came to the department
from all points on the coast from
Maine to Connecticut. The department
has done what is regards as necessary
in assigning the monitors and some
vessels Of the mosquito fleet to the
patrol of this coast and in holding
Commodore Schley's squadron at
Hampton Roads ready to fly at 20
knots speed to any point on the coast
that may be threatened.
A dispatch came to the department
from Admiral Dewey at Manila. 1t
was dated Hong Kong to-day, but was
evidently few days old and does not
show that Dewey has possessed him
self of Manila or that he has received
the last orders of the department. The
nature of the orders Is intimated by
the assignment of two officers as Gem
eral Merritt and Otis to command the
troops that are to be hurried to the
Philippines as rapidly as steam will
take them. Merritt was the senior
general in the United States service
after General Miles and in ordinary
cases is entitled to the most important
commands. so his designation for this
work may be taken as an evidence of
the presidents estimate of the import
ance OF this expedition.
In all official quarters. the state de-
partment and diplomatic, the reports
coming from London to the effect that
some of the continental powers. par
ticularly Germany and France, have
made protests against American occu-
patton of the Philippines. are met with
fiat denials. These denials are made
in the most specific manner by French
and German officials. They are begin
ming to feel considerable ANNOYANCE at
these oft-repeated reports. and they are
inclined to attach some significance to
the fact that all of them emanate from
London. In at least one embassy of
a continental power this tendency at
London has received official attention,
and the notice of the state department
has been drawn to it during an official
interview. Both the German and
French authorities feel that their dec |
laration of neutrality should be re-
ceived in good faith. and without the
tndt tney are dDOut
to intervene to defeat the ends of the
United States. As showing how far
fetched such reports are. an ambas-
sador stated tonight that Intervention
along the lines suggested by the cable !
dispatches from London would be so
clearly against American interests as !
to amount to a casus belli.
Being one of the four ambassadors !
at Washington. he was in a position to {
state that there was no truth in the
publication at London, cabled to this
country. that the ambassadors have
made joint representations to Secre-
tary Day concerning the occupation of
the Philippines. Judge Day treats the
report as purely fanciful and dismissed
Ii by remarking that nothing whatever
of the kind had occurred. There is no !
doubt that Germany. France and Great /
Britain are sending their warships to |
the Philippines. but this is said TO be /
a natural movement for the protection /
of the citizens and property of these |
countries and not with any purpose of |
aggression or of interrupting the plans |
of the United States. With their for /
midable squadron i'm Asiatic waters /
near the Philippines, IL is not a subject |
of surprise or apprehension that some