The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-04
ALL CUBAN CABLES ARE CUT
Therefore Washington Does Not Hear
Of the Victory From Authorita-
, tive Source. SpaniardS
Blew Up the Sunken
, MerrimaC. !
AFTER SAMPSON SUNK HER

tho dispatches sent to Sampson and
Schley believe that the press report will be
substantiated. They look for official in
formation in corroboration at any mo-.
ment.
Tho officials of the navy say that the
Merrimac did not make the dash for the
purpose of meeting the enemy, but pur-
posoly to be sunk.
BY good authority 1t is not believed that
the vessel was sunk by the enemy at all.
She was scuttled by her crew. This will
DO shown by official reports.
Cape Haytien, Hayti, June A report
which cannot be verified Is current here
this morning that the American fleet, off
Santiago de Cuba, destroyed the Spanish
fleet at that place yesterday. No direc
news from there has been received.
The accounts Of the defeat Of tho Do
minican revolutionists at Monte Cristi,
Republic of Santa Domingo. are persis-
tontly doubted here.
New York, June A special despatch
to the Evening journal from Mobile says
that several transports, laden with troops,
sailed this morning under sealed orders.
The troops that sailed, the dispatch adds
were the Second and Third Cavalry and
the Twelfth Infantry.
Madrid, June 4.-The official announce
mcnt is made that an American cruiser,
approaching too close to shore, has been
sunk by the batteries at Santiago do Cuba.
Port au Prince Hayti, June 4.-Advi-
ces FROM Santiago do Cura say tho Span
iards have dynamited the sunken collier
Merrimpc so MS to clear the channel, with
the view OF the possible coming of the ca
| diz fleet to relieve Admiral Carvera.
Madrid, June 4-The Spanish version of
the sinking of the Merrimac in tho chan
mel Leading into the harbor of Santiago &c
Cuba yesterday says: "Two American
ironclads were seriously, damaged during
! the engagement
The Spaniards also describe the affair as
"a brilliant Spanish victory"
Jamaica, June 1.-THE last cable strands
binding Cuba to tie outside world were
cut this afternoon by cable vessel convey
cd hero by tho United States despatch gun
boat Dolphin. This black sea crab dclved
all day along the coast, hour by hour. lis
powerful claws at length brought up tho
barnacle clustered cable strands, and snap.
ped them and tonight Cubais wholly iso-
lated.
The first cable picked up was that run
ming to Kingston. 1t was found carly this
morning. The coast loop connec ing San
tiago and Guantanamo was then cut.
Proceeding to Guantanamo she cable yes.
sol finally grapple1 and severed the Hay
ten cable.
This ends the cable cutting operations
begun q month ago, when the Marblehead
and the Window lost five men in light
off Cienfuegos where three cables were
crippled and several hundred Spaniards
killed by shells from the warships. After.
ward the St. Louis and the Walnpatuck
cut tho San Juan do Porto Rico cable ut
Santiago, -,
The strands cut day were the only
ones remaining, except few coast loops
and these will probably be severed In q
short time.
The cutting of these cables is almost as
serious for the Spaniards in coast towns as
the cutting of foreign cables. The land
wires connecting the coast towns are
wholly at the mercy of the insurgents
Therefore, in the event of American troops
landngin Cuba the absence of the coast
10 Fps will seriously interfere with the
hasty mobilization of the Spanish troops.
Tho United States and Hayti Cable
Company and Ito Commercial Cable
Company have not been notified of any
interruption of the service, and they are
still accepting business this morning for
Cuba.
Washington, June 4. to Santiago har.
bor.-If the Merrimac went in under her
own crew, it Is interesting to know that
her complement of officers consisted of
Commander J. NJ. Miller.
Lieutenant w. w. Gilmer, executive of.
floor.
Ensign J. r. Y. Blakcly.
Ensign J. NJ. Luby.
Assistant Engineer r. X. Crank.
Miller is from Missouri, Gilmer from
Virginia, Bakely from Pennsylvania and
Luby and Crank from Texas. 1t is OK.
pectcd that reports will DO received today
from Admiral Sampson, which will give
details of the Merrimac's destruction and
the names Of the eight mon who have been
captured,
Key West, Fla, June 1.-The United
States gunboat Marietta arrived hero to.
day, after II long voyage from Valparaiso.
Washington, juno 4-Santiago, thon
Porto Rico. This continues to DO the war
program. Preparations are being made
In tho War Department for sending an
army to Porto Rico Troops are being or.
dered from Chickamauga and tho other
Southern points Of mobilization TO Jack
sonvile, from which place it is now the
purpo:e of tho administration to embark
the army designated for Porto Rico,
During tho last three weeks tho entire
plans of the government as to the policy
to DO pursued in carrying on the war have
been materially changed. At first thcre
was no other thought in the minds Of the
President and his Cabinet than that tho
first movement of the army should DO an
invasion Of Cuba for an attack on Ha.
vana.
Washington, juno 4-Evorythlng Is
now in readiness for the movement of the
first division of theinvading army. A re.
port has been received at tho War Depart.
ment trom General Miles giving the in.
formation that the regulars have elm.
barkcd at Tampa and Mobile for tho San
tiago expedition,
The transport ships are being assembled
at Key West, where tho warships dosig-
mated as conveys by Admiral Sampson
will join them.
General Miles Is well pleased with the
condition of the regulars who make up
the army that will operate in southeastern
Cuba They are fully equipped and pro-
visioncd and are In excellent condition
physically. They have been in Southern
camps until they arc aoclimatod and fitted
for service in Cuba.