Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-27
PREPARING TO FIGHT HARD,
WILL MEET SPAlN'S FLEETS IN FORCE.
Volunteers WIZ Not be Unnecessarily
hisised In Cuba Insurgents TO be Sup
Piled So They May DO the Fighting.

Piled SO They May DO the Fighting.
! Chicago, April 27.-A special to the
Times-tlerald from Washington says:
Secretary Long Of the navy depart
ment declares Havana will not be bonn
Darded until serious danger from the
Spanish fleet IS eliminated
| He says the United States cannot at
| ford to risk the loss Of a warship until
the armsdps are destroyed or are no
longer menace to be greatly feared.
II might he an easy matter to silence
the guns Of MORO castle and the neigh.
boring shore batteries. but In the cons
fliot American ships might be crippled
beyond easy repair. The navy of the
United States has a long coast line to
defend, which compeis a scattering OF
its vessels, and it labors under the ad-
ditionai disadvantage of not knowing
the objective point Of the enemy's neet
The American navy is not SO strong
but that the loss Of a single ship might
prove fatal in naval engagement.
| There Is no additional consideration
that when the troops have been landed
in Cuba there must be n fleet able to
keep the line Of supplies open and to
cooperate in the reduction OF Spanish
/ strongholds. II is a common habit TO
desplse the power of Spain, but naval
officers say 1t is mistake in the case
of the armadas a chance shot or
two might weaken the American
I squadron just enough to give the enc,
my a victory In the expected sea fight.
and the navy department will not take
! that chance.
SPANISH ARNIADAs COMING.
The secret service OF the department
has sont word that Spanish ships were
to sail to this side and it is thought
[ possible that the armada which lcft
Cadiz several days ago may be on the
I way across the Atlantic. The fleet at
I Cape Verde Islands viii also move In
| order to obey the neutrality laws or
Portugal, and that also may cross to
7 this side.
Naval officers and government OFF,
clals gcnrally are anxious for n chance
to test the merits of the two navles.
They are confident OF victory for the
American ships, and the sooner the sea
fight comes, the better it viii please
I them. with the danger from the
Spanish armadas removed or mini
mized the taking Of Cuba would he
{ a comparatively easy matter and the
I eyes Of Americans are turned across
! the sea for movements Of the onemyr
! fleet It Is estimated in naval circles
! that plans have been made for the
I union Of the squadrons of Admiral
sampson and Commodore Schley, II tho
/ Spanish should attempt to mass their
offensive power In the hope Of catching
! either one OF the sGuadrons unawares
TO be destroyed before the arrival OF
reinforcemnts
1t is thought fleet cruisers VIII be
sent out as scouts as soon as news II
received OF a movement of the armadas
To cross the Atlantic, and il is surmiscd
that is what the Columbia and the
Minneapolis are doing now.
The tactics of the Spanlards are n
mystery but 1t IL suspected they make
an attempt to lombard some OF the
big cities on the North Atlantic coast,
II is possible that Is the mission of the
Pelayo and her consorts, and II Is be-
lieved the American cruisers are scout
ing the ocean to Intercept them. II
they should be discovered approaching
the United States. the scout would
scud back to the nearest port ana send
message to the Tying squadron. The
American navy rs thus tied up to some
extent until the enemy shows his hand,
LANDING TROOPS IN CUBA.
Preparations are going on for the
movement Of force OF regulars into
! Cuba as soon as possible. II Is ru-
morad that the force may be 1900 in
stead Of 5000 The object Is to estab-
fish a base OF operations open COM
muuicatlon with Gen. Gomez, md feed
as many of the reconeentrados as can
be reached.
The daring act OF Lieut.. John @. FIRE.
Haa
boat Porter In landing under the guns
of Matanzas sunday night was hailed
with much satisfaction. a report Is
current that Lieut.. Fremont landed a
pilot who has conducted a number Of
nlibustcring expeditions and that this
pilot was dispatched with messages to
Gomez.
1t Is not probable the American land
force will engage in an aggressive
campaign against the Spanlards for
some time. II will be equipped, how
ever. to Withstand siege in case the
blockade squadron should he called
away to meet the eEemys fleets and to
that end will doubtless throw M
breastworks or construct fortifcations
OF some sort.
An official high in the war depart
ment is authority for the statement
that the volunteers called for will be
held in their state encampments in /
definitely, to be organized and hard /
ened,
A plan has been proposed to gather |
them IN great camps al Washington. I
Richmond. Atlanta or Chickamauga. ,
but 1t was declared today that these 1
troops would not be moved TO such |
camps for weeks
The volunteers can he trained In |
their own states as well as anywhere |
else, It was explained, and thousands I
of mothers and wives will be relieved 4
of much anxiety. It Is argued there ~ [
no need OF making the service moro .
trying than the situation demands. /
The United States Is on the defensive |
and must await the action OF the /
enemys fleets, because the American
navy has not a sufficient preponder-
ance Of strength TO warrant the taking
OF chances, It was intimated In the