The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-08

Sutherland commanding, but were COM
PEELED to retreat by Lieut.. Sutherland's
pluclxy stand and the appearance Of the
cruiser Marblehead. Ii the belief expressed
by the naval officials about the vessels off
Barbados is correct it is likely that two
of them are the cruisers assigned by e-Ae
Spanish government to Cuban waters.
There are many reasons, however, that
conflict with the theory, If it is merely
theory, that the force off Barbados con-
slsts of Spanish vessels fleeing from Cuban
waters. The best of these is that Barba-
does Is right in the presumable route of
the Oregon and the Marietta, the former
powerful enough to destroy a dozen ships
like those Spain has kept on the Cuban
station for the last three years In making
a voyage from Barbados to the Canaries
or Spain the Spanish vessels would have
to cross the course of the American battle
ship, about whose movements they have
undoubtedly been informed. Confirmation
Is given to the presumption that the enc
mys force in the vicinity of the English
island consists of the Oquendo, Vizcaya
Cristobal Colon and Maria Teresa by the
fact that this squadron has had just about
time to reach Barbados from ST. Vincent
If they went at the rate of 10 knots an
hour, a clipping speed for any war vessel
to maintain on a long voyage. But the four
armored cruisers are capable of going at
that rapid gait. All Of them are fast There
is not one of the four that could not over
take the Oregon, which made an average
of 13 knots an hour on her long run up the
east coast of South America to Rio de JAN
Giro. The distance from st. Vincent to Bar
BADGES is only 900 miles, and the Spanish
feet left the Cape Verde Islands on April
20, just one week tomorrow morning
'If the three destroyers have left the
four bigger vessels it is not surprising
They are not good sea boats, and the
wonderful speed of which they are capa-
BILE is minimized by the necessity of coal
ing at seas The fact that no collier left
| st. Vincent with the armored cruisers and
the destroyers lends color to the assump-
lion that the latter were sent to join the
two transports and three torpedo boats
which took a course from st. Vincent IN
the direction of the Canaries.
Attention was called tonight by naval
officers to the fact noted that Barbados
lies in the course that would have been
taken by the Oregon and Marietta in or
binary times They do not put any faitn
however In the theory that the Spanish
force would select Barbados as the place
TO intercept the American vessels. They
still maintain that such policy would be
carried out on the South American coast
somewhere between Pernambuco ana
Para But It is very probable, they say
that the enemy would be sighted off Bar
BADGES If bound for Porto Rico. This
suggestion fits In with the mysterious
visit Of some Of Admiral SIMPSONS ves-
sells to Key West and their departure
thence after coaling. II may be that the
/ government has information that the
/ Cape Verde feet was bound for Porto
Rico to retain that place as a base OF
| supplies and operations. II Is less than a
two days run for the fast armorclads Of
the enemy from Barbados to San Juan
the Porto Rican capital and principal har-
bor, while 1t will take admiral Sampson
I until Sunday TO get there. The Spanish
1 armored cruisers would, therefore reach
| San Juan two days. or at least a day.
ahead OF Admiral SIMPSONS squadron.
and assist in the defense Of their base.
! II is, therefore. not anticipated that any