The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-18
Rum0rs Of an Early Invasion
Revived.
CHAFFING UNDER CRITICISM
Navy Department hattled by the
knOW-it-AIIS.


tin board to-day failed to yield any news
of the movements of either of the three
fleets, Sampson ,Schley's and the Spanish
flying squadron, and there is reason to be-
lieve that the department. itself has re-
ceived no information on that point.
The department officials are beginning
to show a little sensitiveness to criticism
in the matter Of delay in bringing the
Spanish fleet into action, conscious as they
are that they have made all dispatch COM
patible with due regard for the safety of
our own ports. as well as for the lives of
the crews of our ships,
Every day there is talk of change in
the naval plans brought about by some
movement of the Spanish squadron, but
what the latest phase of the campaign is
nobody outside of the members of the war
board is competent to say.
The general impression to-day is that
no particular effort is to be made just now
to pursue the Spaniards so long as they
keep within the confines of the Gulf of
Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, but that
Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley
in combination will encircle the island of
Cuba, maintain the blockade and convey
troops across the Florida straits, if neces-
sary, meanwhile simply keeping watch
on the Spanish flying squadron to see
that it does no mischief either to the Amer
lean feet or by escaping to the Atlantic
to the seaboard cities
BY this plan the military and naval off,
LII. 3
we're criticisms that are being expressed
because of delays in opening the military
campaign in Cuba itself
Considerable pressure has come upon the
administration from congressional quarters
10 have the campaign hastened and there
are thought to be. signs of a resumption
of the plans of the military leaders for the
invasion of Cuba at the point where they
were suddenly suspended by the announce
ment of the arrival of the Spanish flying
squadron at Martinique. One sign of this
was the inclusion in the regular army or
ders of direction to Capt. Alger to go to
Tampa to join Gen. Miles.
At army headquarters there was no sign
OF Immediate departure, but after all, in
view of the fact that three times at least
everything has been prepared for a move
meht to Tampa, it may be presumed that
everything is ready for departure at short
notice without open manifestation of pre-
parauons.
The department processes to feel no APP
prehension that Admiral Dewey or his
men are in anywise endangered by their
oecupatlon of Manila harbor on the pres
ehl basis, but this cannot be said of the
unfortunate inhabitants of Manila if the
present situation is protracted unduly. 1t
's no small matter TO organize and trans
port an expedition of 1900 or 1900 sol
uiefs 5000 miles across the sea at short
"oIlce The Indications are that within a
week some of the soldiers, at least, will
pe on their way from San Francisco fol-
lowing the Charleston, which is expected
20 leave at any moment with few sup
miral
There are indications that the war de-
Paftment has been brought to see the wis
"om and fairness of the suggestion thrown
OUT by Maj. Gen. Merritt that his expedl-
uon should consist Of not less than 1000,
ana that at least a third of them should
oe seasoned troops from the regular army
capable of meeting on even terms the vet
eran soldiers who garrisoned Manila To
endeavor TO overcome the Spanish force
with less than half their number of troops
would seem to be senseless proceeding,
IN view of the fact that there is no neces-
slty for such a course.
Gen. Merritt took occasion TO deny very
emphatlcally the accuracy of certain
newspaper interviews published this morn
ing which placed him in the position of
refusing TO obey an order to proceed to the
philippines because his force was insuffi-
cient
The officials at the department on seeing
these publications did not. hesitate TO ex-
press at once their belief that Gen. Merritt
was too good a soldier to refuse to obey
q lawful order, although they admitted
that he might have, as he did to-day,
through Inspector General Hughes, a
member of his staff, suggest the propriety
OF an increase in the number and a bet
terment in the quality of the soldiers to
be assigned to his command.
reports received here from Key West
chow that the condition Of the little tor
pedo boat Winslow is much worse than
was supposed, and it win be necessary
IN all probability to have her come to
Norfolk for repairs. One shot smashed
her low pressure sfarboard cylinder and
another traversed one Of her boilers. II