The times., 1898-05-12
The War TO Be Pushed With
VigOr ard Determination.
no FEAR OF SPANS SHIP
While the Spanish Fleet Is ut Cadiz
Cuba and Porto Rico Are TO BE
Taken and Occupied - Meantime
Dewey VIII BE Re-enforced and
Manila Captured.

iiCSl 10 ilOl al NdulZ. With nearly CliNAi
remainder of the Spanish navy,
The position of the Government now is.
briefly, that the fleet is on the other side
of the Atlantic instead of off Porto Rico;
| that it is not in any sense a menace to
the United States at present. at least, and
that every campaign Of the United States
should be pushed to its finish with ali
possible haste and vigor. The Cuban
| campaign is 10 be prosecuted with a re-
freshing absence of the peace attitude
that has so far characterized It, both on
| land and at sea. 1t is understood there
will be action, sharp and decisive. The
great army of $4,000 men-and very likely
more than that number-will be put into
| the island as fast as railroads and trans
ports can do it.
There will be 15.00O regulars, 10000 i'm
munes. if they can be recruited in the
next few days 5000 cowboy cavalry, and
5000 volunteers. This army will go in
three expeditions. each expedition of 10000
being embarked as fast as that number
of troops is ssembled at the Gulf points
Meantime. the landing place for the
troops will have been secured by the
squadron. Very likely there will be more
than one. The War Department is very
secret as TO what these places will be.
Since the experience last week with one
| of the local newspapers 1t is almost i'm
possible to learn anything definite of this
nature even with the stipulation that it
! shall be withheld from publication.
The plan of the Navy is equally aggres-
sive. 1t may not be stated positively, but
| there is a strong belief among the naval
officers that Havana is to be bombarded
within few days. Whether this is done
| or not, however, there will be attacks
| on other places. possibly Matanzas and
| Cabanas. Meanwhile the blockade will
be kept up vigilantly.
Porto Rico Next.
The second objective point is Porto
Rico. Admiral Sampson did not find the
Spanish fleet and the great battle that
the world has been expecting between
modern war ships is Indefinitely post
poned. Admiral SIMPSONS orders when
he left Key West were to proceed TO
Porto Rico, and take the feet and the
island. He cannot execute the first part
of his orders now, but there Is every rea-
| son to believe that the second half of his
| program is stiIl in force and that he will
| proceed with il without delay.
There is reason TO believe that Com
| modore Schley has been instructed to
| steam TO Key West immediately and then
| 10 the blockading squadron off Havana
! to aid in the attack on Cuba. Nothing
| definite relating to his movements can be
| learned at the Navy Department
! The Philippine expedition is rushing
| preparations. 1t has been decided to
| hasten help to Admiral Dewey by send
| ing the warshiD Charleston even before
| the remainder of the expedition can be
1 HienaTchad ic 4Aa+ -.
| Charleston may sail today, with am
munition and a detachment of 500 ma
| rines. IL is believed that Admiral
Dewey will be able to take Manila with
| this force and the seamen that he can
| spare from his squadron without danger.
| This viii be a temporary expedient only
but 1t is thought best to get aid 10 him
| as soon as possible,
The Administration is of the opinion
that the war is nearly at an end. Every
where there is expressed the belief that
within a very short time the American
flag viii be flying over Cuba. Porto Rico
and the Philippines. Spain is expected
to give up when these things are accom-
plished, willingly or by force of Euro
pean Intervention.
Another View of 1t.
This is the Administration view and
the Administration program. 1t is not to
be disputed, however, that there is an
other view held by many army and navy
people, and many outsiders as well
There is the possibility that Spain is not
satisfied, and that If she were she could
not give up now without a revolution.
If she intends to fight, she may have
any one of three plans that might, to
certain extent, interfere with the orderly
carrying out of those of the United
States Almost the entire Spanish navy
Is now at Cadiz. according to the most
reliable information the Administration
can obtain. 1t is thought by a great
many of the naval officers that this
armada will leave Cadiz today, or in
very few days, for this side OF the At
lantic. Another thing that the Spanish
fleet may do is to stay on the other
side and wait, to prey on American COM
merce and compel the American Navy. if
it wishes to end the war finally, to at
tack it on its own ground and backed by
its own forts.
The third possibility is that the fleet
may sail for the Philippines This last
suggestion is Spain's, and it is not taken
seriously by anyone except possibly.
some of the Spanish populace.
1t is very clear that if Spain is in
tending to send her navy to this side.
the war is not by any means over Its
greatest battle is yet to be fought, and,
perhaps. the greatest in naval history.
The Cape Verde fleet by itself would
have been certain of swift annihilation
in their first engagement with Admiral
Sampson. For this reason it is said
Spain never intended to send 1t alone.
With the other branches of the Navy
however, there would be a most fornnid-
able feet, that no one of the United
States squadrons could hope to fight sue
cessfully. The situation on this side
makes it imperative to divide up the
United States Navy, with only the hopa
of reassembling it in time for a con-
certed resistance.
Chance for Another Bluff.
1t is also suggested that Cuba must be
lost inevitably within a few days, unless
Spain makes a great show of sending
the armada. If no evidence of energy
is shown by her, the Administration here
bard Havana and land a large army in
Cuba.
1t is doubtful if Mr.. Mckinley would
consent to do this If positive information
were received today that twenty stout
Spanish warships had left Cadiz to attack
America or break the blockade of Cuba
The old argument that the American Ma
w might be injured in the bopbardment
and the American Army shut off from
succor would then be possible again
There are two other views to be taken
into consideration. Spain has been as de-
termined in her protestations of fight
since Manila was taken as She was be-
fore. There is no evidence of her inten-
ton of giving up except the fact that
the Cape Verde feet has not come this
way, and naval people say that this is