Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-06-02
KEEPS CLOSE WATCH.
Schley's Squadron Won't Allow
Cervera to Escape.
II Help Is Needed, Sampson and His
Fleet Are in a Position to Rem
der It-Havana May Soon BE
BOmbarded.

der It-Havana May Soon BE
BOmbarded.
Key West, Fla, May 27.-Defnite
news of the American squadrons op-
Grating in Cuban waters was received
here Thursday afternoon fully con-
firming the general situation outlined
in these dispatches Thursday morning.
Commodore Schley is believed to be off
Santiago de Cuba, and definite informa-
ton as to the exact situation in so far as
it affects Admiral Cervera's squadron
may be expected soon. Rear Admiral
Sampson is in a position to proceed
quickly to the assistance of Commodore
Schley with any or all of his ships on
receipt of definite word from Commo-
dore Schley, and at the same time he
remains within striking distance Of
Havana. If, however, Commodore
Schley reports that Admiral Cervera is
bottled up at Santiago de Cuba, the
naval view is that he will be permitted
to finish the business at that point with
the ships now under his direct COM
mand.
Key West is satisfied that Commodore
Schley really has Admiral Cervera's
Spanish fleet penned up in Santiago
bay. If Cervera was in Santiago bay
Tuesday night the Spanish squadron
is eliminated from the war equation, for
one of the American battleships could
hold the Spaniards inside the narrow
entrance indefinitely. Whether Com
modore Schley's ships and Schley's men
are equal to the task of entering the
harbor or not is beyond saying. At
least he can blockade the harbor and the
supply in the lockers of Cervera's ships
will work out the problem.
To lombard Havana.
Washington, May 27.-Two kilograms
were received in Washington late
Thursday night from Key West intimat
ing that bombardment of Havana is
imminent. The kilograms, of course,
passed through the hands of the censor,
who found nothing Objectionable in the
suggestion that to-day or Saturday the
navy department would have an officia!
report that Havana had been bonn
barded.
Gives Out No News.
Washington, May 27.-Secretary Long
said at the close of office hours Thurs
day that no word had come from any
of the scouting vessels so numerous in
West Indian waters concerning the
Spanish flying squadron, wherefore he
concluded that Cervera was still in San
tiago harbor. Supposedly Schley is ly-
ing outside watching the entrance to
prevent the egress of the Spanish YES
sells, but. while there is evidence of a
certain kind on that fact, there has
been no official confirmation of it. This
is little remarkable in view of the fact
that it is only days run for one of
Schley's swift torpedo boats from San
tiago to cable port in Hayti. There
Is also a curious lack of informal ton
from newspaper dispatch boats on this
point. 1t was supposed that the censors
might have exercised from the dis
patches of the newspaper men any ref
erence 10 the fleets, but this would ap-
ply, according to the statement of the
navy department officials here, only to
that part of the dispatches that might
relate to the movements and where
abouts of the United States forces, and
the censor's rules would not exclude
reference to the Spanish squadron.
Military Operations Retarded.
Notwithstanding the officials profess
mistaken confidence in their original
belief that the Spanish squadron is Sc
curely bottled up in Santiago harbor,
there is no concealment by them of an
intense desire to secure some absolutely
trustworthy information on that point.
Conference at the White House.
Probably it was this uncertain state
of affairs that induced the president
to call consultation at the white house
Monday between Secretaries Alger and
Long, Gen. Miles and the members of
the naval war board. Admiral Scard,
Capt. Crowinshield and Capt. Mahan.
AS stated by one of the members of the
conference, the purpose was to go over
the whole situation, from the Philip
pines to Cuba and Puerto Rico, and de-
eide just how far the plans already laid
should be modified to meet existing con-
ditions.
Plans Discussed.
This involved a discussion of such i'm
portant points as the propriety of the
immediate advance of the military
forces upon Cuba; the credibility of
the advices so far had touching the To-
cation of the Spanish squadron; the
policy of preceding the Cuban expedi-
ton, or accompanying it with one di-
rected against Puerto Rico and, finally,
the extent Of the military assistance
to be sent TO Admiral Dewey at Manila.
AS already indicated, the proceedings
were rather in the nature of con-
sultation than of war council, where
a full decision is demanded at once, so
that it is not probable that all of these
important questions were disposed of
at the council. None of the members of
the conference felt authorized to tell
what had taken place, but there are
thought to be patent indications of