The Indianapolis journal., 1898-07-08
GRAND HUNT PROPOSED.
All Spanish War Craft in Cuban
Waters to Be Run Down

Waters to BE Run Down.
WASHINGTON, July Accommodation
between Washington and the fleet off Ha-
vana being more difficult than with the
feet off Santiago possibly accounts for the
failure up to this time to receive official
confrmatio of the newspaper report of the
sinking off Mariel yesterday of the Spanish
cruiser Alfonso XII. While not great or
powerful ship. the Alfonso XII was a serv-
iceable cruiser. The naval officers would
rather hear of her destruction than that of
any vessel remaining in the Spanish navy
She occupied the berth of the Maine, and
When the latter entered Havana harbor it
was to the Alfonso's buoy that the Maine
was moored, while the cruiser moved her
berth to the next station above. While it
has never been established who planted the
Internal machine which destroyed the
Maine, the officers of the Alfonso XII have
never been cleared of suspicion, for it is
said that the only. practicable means of
planting the mine in the position where it
must have lain would have been through
some agencies on the Alfonso XII.
The navy is preparing for a grand hunt
throughout the West Indies. There are a
number of Spanish war craft left scat
tered through coves on the Cuban coast
and lying in obscure little harbors in the
West Indian islands. These are to be
hunted down and captured or DESTROYED.
and the movement is to begin Immediately.
Many of the little boats have been spotted
already through the agercy of the State
Department, and others will be located soon
by the aid of swift little torpedo boats
and auxiliary craft 1t was with this object
in view that the recently constructed tor
pedo boats Gwynn, Morrison and others
were ordered from the north to Florida
waters.
One of the purposes of the conference of
the war board to-day was to get the army
and navy more closely together and refute
the statements that have been published
to the effect that serious friction exists
between the two arms of the service. On
this point Secretary Long to-day expressed
himself as follows: There is not the slight
est foundation for the suggestion of any
thing but the best feeling between the army
and the navy. Each rejoces in the splendid
heroism and success of the other. They are
ready to cooperate for the honor of the
flag at any time and anywhere. AS to the
two departments, the War Department is
always ready to help the Navy Department
if ii should need anything, and the Navy
Department has been very glad to aid the
War Department by the loan of its best
scouting vessels for transports and in every
other way
General Miless visit to Cuba will be
rather that of an inspection officer to ascer-
tain just what is needed to give Shafter all
the power necessary for a successful con-
clusion of the campaign. Everything is
packed again at army headquarters here.
and unless Santiago surrenders soon and
makes the visit unnecessary it is likely that
General Miles will sail with the Harvard
or one of the other liners when they take
the next installment of troops to Cuba
The officials of the War Department
thought they saw encouraging signs of
Santiagos surrender in General Skaters
report yesterday that Spanish army officers
were deserting 10 the American side. 1t is
believed that this is the immediate result
of the sending back to the Spanish lines in
safety OF wounded Spanish officers and men
who had fallen on the battlefield thus dis
pelling the impression the high Spanish Off
cials have sought to create among their
ignorant troops that the Americans were
barbarians and did not recognize the rules
of warfare 1t is earnestly hoped that the
conclusions drawn from Skaters dispatch
are sound for private advices received here
speak of the appearance of contagious
disease within the Spanish lines