Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-06-02
IS TIME FOR ACTION.
The Period Devoted to Preparation
Has Now Passed Away
A HELPING HAND TO THE STARVING.
Five Million Dollars to be Asked for tbs
Purchase of Supplies for the suryiv-
ing Observation-Disclosures of
the War sIsdation.

| cant StaLGmGnt VIE LnauB ny u SAoiLGL
| officer, after the regular Tuesday meet
| ing of the cabinet, that no news had
| been received since Monday morning
| from Commodore Schley direct. and
| that pow 1t was believed that nothing
| would be beard fpr two or three days
| at least. This is taken to mean that
| Schley probably will await the arrival
| of troops before undertaking any &C
| tive move on Santiago.
It was plainly anticipated in some
| quarters that he might. through the
| possession OF some Information that
| would tend to neutralize the strength
| Of the enemy's position, make a bold
| attempt to enter the harbor of Santi-
| ago and destroy or capture the Spanish
| squadron. With the assistance of q SIN
| gle regiment OF regular United States
| troops, which 1t is believed is wen now
| or the way TO his support. the officials
| are confident that the feet Gao reduce
| the forts at the entrance to Santiago
| harbor, and make untenable the posi-
| ton Of the Spanish squadron within.
| OF course this plan Is based upon the
| theory that Cervera win not attempt to
| make his escape by a desperate sortie
| at night.
This movement Of Schley's Is unques-
tionable In pursuance OF, the presidents
| policy TO send q helping hand TO the
| starving reconceutrados The Spanish
| squadron might be kept within Santa
| go harbor until the end of the war
| without sensibly endangerlng an
| American life, and because of its dis
tence and isolation froW Havana,
| Santiago City has little to attract q
military 9ttacia But, lying in
| the very midst ID the insurgent
section d the island, the town
would afford q splendid base
| for the distribution Of supplies to the
families of the insurgents. and TO the
reconoentrados who still drag out II
miserable existance in the interior.
Already the president has begun to
prepare 10 help these people, and the
conmissary general OF the army has
prepared an estimate OF s.. 900, 900 foy
the purchase Of sufficient supplies o
feed 10000 reconcentrados for six
months.
For the time being it is felt that the
real field of action is removed from
Washington and is conferred with the
troops, now advancing under orders
from here, and with our ships.
The time Of preparation has gone by,
and 1t only remains for The preparations
to be carried into actual effect. Ahead
ing naval official pointed to his. desk,
which was clear Of papers and docu-
r,ents, and remarked that all the
preparatory details were now we'll
along, and that so far as the author
isies here were concerned they had
only to wait for the execution Of the
preparations heretofore matuTed-
1'here Will continue to be much
routine detail 81 the maintenance Of
the large military and naval force. but
this is now In well-esta blished chan
neis. The more vital feature of the
campaign itself has been fully matured.
To q certain extent the military and
naval operations viii be directed from
Washington, and yet, with Gen. Miles
in the south and Admiral Sampson and
Commodore Schley in Cuban waters,
they will have most TO DO with the
time and circumstances of the attack.
The commanders, military and naval,
have beep given wide latitude, as the
authorities here fully appreciate that
battles cannot be fought IA advance on
paper. ALI that has been attempted is
TO outline q campaign and make the
fullest provision for adequate forces,
ample supplies and fullest cooperation
between the navy and army, In the
successful execution of the plans. The
zeal blows ere foY the commanders t
strike. and In the execution of this
part OF the progremme the authorities
here can take little part. Il is for
this reason thet they regard them
selves now rather as spectators of what
ts about to occur.
Yhe consular reports, issued yester-
day, contain some additional declara-
lions Of neutrality, this time from
Brazil, Japan, British Guiana. st.
Lucia and Gibraltar.
1t is noticeable that both Brazil and
Japan go out Of the wey OF the usual
formal preamble to express regret Mt
the outbreak Of hostilities between the
United States and Spain. Bermuda
modifies her original proclamation of
April 90 80 as 10 make the rule relative
to supplying provisions, subsistence
and coal to beiligerent ships conform
closely to the very evere English rules
on that subject The Japanese proc
lamation Is rather remarkable from
the great exactuess with which it
prescrIbes the rules that are to govern
Japanese subjects In their dealing with
the belhgerents and the treatment
that will be accorded beiligerent ships.
The proclamation evidently was pre-
pared with greae care, and may serve
as a model Tor the guidance of diplomats
OF all nations
The board of naval bureau chiefs is
trying to hssben the work of constrlo-
ton of the hattlcships authorized by
the present naval appropriation bill
The Illinois type. upon which the new
vessels are TO be modelled, will occupy
three years In construction.
After q conference, yesterday, the
bureau chiefs, presumably hknowt
edge Of the constructive ability of the
American shipyards capable of under
taking this work, resolved to reduce
the time allowed for building the new
ships 10 o maximum of 80 months.
The navy department bought another
yacht yesterday-the Inquirer-at New
York for use In the auxiliary aeet bS