The evening times., 1898-05-30
0REGOh's CREW PRAISED
Secretary Long Sends an Official
Letter to Captain Clarke.
TO JOIN sAMpSOS'S SQUADRON
Before Another Month Passes There
vim Be at Least Hundred Vessels
ON Duty-Cad.z Flset an Easy Marx
Several Ret.rements Will soot
Cause Promotions.

Secretary Long has officially commend
ed Capt. C. E. Clarke and the officers and
men under his command FOR their excel
lent work in bringing the battleship Ore
gon safely to Key West.
This commendation was given upon tho
teiegraphic announcement from Capt
Clarke of his arrival at Key West. and
not upon his mail report. which Is ex-
pected to reach Washington tomorrow.
The Secretary's letter is a pleasant state
ments of facts concerning the cruise, and
highly compliments Capt. Clarke and his
subordinates for their work.
The assignment of the battleship Ore
gon to Rear Admiral SIMPSONS command
gives that officer off the northern coast-of
Cuba three armorclads-the New York.
Indiana and Oregon--besides four moni-
tors and protected cruisers. 1t is expect
ed that two of the monitors will be Or
dered to Commodore Sch,ey's assistance
to relieve the Iowa, which may be re-
turned to Sampson.
Even without armored reinforcement
Rear Admiral Sampson has sufficient
force to easily dispose of the Cadiz fleet,
which the Spanish authorities report has
left Spain.
Information received by the authorities
concerning this fleet Is that Ii win not
leave Cadiz under a week at the earliest
and probably not until the middle of
June. All idea of the Philippines being
the destination of the Spanish home squa-
dron has disappeared in official circles
and it is regarded as certain that if 1t
leaves Spain at all it will come west.
The New York, Indiana and Oregon, as
sisted by the protected cruisers, auxiliary
cruisers and torpedo boats in northern
Cuban waters, could easily take care of
this fleet. which has only two armored
ships. the batleship Pelayo and the arm
ored cruiser Carlos v: one protected
cruisers. the Alfonso XIII; the converted
yacht Giralda and four torpedo boat de-
stroyers, the Destructor. Proserpina,
Audaz and Osado. The reconstructed Nu-
mancia and Vitoria classed as third rate
battleships. will probably be retained at
Cadiz for home defense.
Naval officials say that Spain appre-
ciates as much as the United States that
II Cervera is really bottled up" at San
tiago de Cuba 1t will be impossible for the
Cadiz fleet to effect junction with
his force.
Re-enforcements for the American
blockaded squadron will soon be sailing
for Cuba. and before another month pass
eS there should be at least 100 American
most formidable of the vessels soon to be
sent South is the protected cruiser New
ark. commanded by Capt. A. s. Barber.
The Newark will leave the Norfolk navy
yard next week and will be assigned to
duty as Commodore Watson's flagship.
Secretary Long and Representatives Of
the Carnegie and Bethlehem Armor Com
panies formally signed Saturday the con-
tracts for the manufacture of armor for
the battleships Illinois. Indiana and Wis
consin The work OF casting ingots for
the plates has already commenced and
win be pushed as rapidly as possible.
The next six months will witness a
comparatively large number of retire
ments. Rear Admiral w. A. Kirkland
commandant of the Mare Island navy
yard. viii retire on July g. His retirement
will not result in any promotions, but will
simply reduce the number of rear admir-
ais to that authorized by law. Upon the
retirement of Rear Admiral c. S. Norton
In August. Commodore F. V. McNair will
be promoted. and Capt. W. T. Sampson
will become a commander.
Rear Admiral Montgomery Sicard,
chairman of the Naval War Board, will
leave the active service on September 3d.
and Capt B. ]. Cromwell will be promot-
ed to flag rank upon the retirement of
Rear Admiral E o. Matthews in Octo-
Der. Rear Admiral ]. N. Miller will be
relegated to retirement in November and
Rear Admiral F. NJ Bunce in December
These retirements will promote Capt.
il. F. Picking and Capt. Frederick Rodg-
era.