Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-11

ming the risk Of having the occupy
ing army's line of communication
cut off. On the other hand, it is
believed that no enduring peace
can be secured until the Spanish
navy has been destroyed, and it
now appears that to this our sail
ors must make up their minds to
go after the Spaniards, a task very
much more difficult than that of
meeting them near our own
shores.
1t was suggested by some Of
the members Of the War Board
that there was just a possibility
that the Spanish squadron might
make a quick passage into the
Pacific through the Suez canal and
attack Dewey at Manila 1t is
said that, contrary to the common
understanding, the Suez canal is
powers, so that if the Spanish
choose to take this course they
would have long start of any
pursuing fleet from our side of
the Atlantic. 1t is scarcely be-
lieved, however, that the Spanish
are willing to take the Great risk
Of exposing to attack their own
ports by the withdrawal of SO con-
siderable proportion of their
naval strength as would be re-
quired to overmatch Dewey.
Nothing was heard from Samp-
son to-day, but there is confident
expectation that interesting news
will be coming from his squadron
within the next twenty-four hours.
One effect of the retreat of the
Spanish fleet has been to hasten
even more the preparations already
under full Roadway for the dis
patching of military expeditions to
Cuba. 1t also has caused COM
plete change in the concentration
plans. Time is now believed to be
the great factor. There is no long
er opportunity to indulge in extern
sive drilling and practice man
oeuvreing. The regular army
troops do not need these and are to
be thorwn at once into the fray.
Many of the regiments of the Ma
tional Guard which are entering the
volunteer service are felt to be suf-
ficiently trained from a military
point Of view to follow the regulars
Immediately and the department in
dicated it's purpose to-day of dis
patching these troops directly to
the gulf coast for shipment, instead
of sending them to Chickamauga
This disposition was shown by the
changes in the new orders issued
to the troops, although there yet
may be a return to the original
programme of concentration if the
plans show signs of weakness as
they develop.
The quartermaster general has al
ready gotten under charter twenty
seven merchant steamers for the
transportation of troops, and rough
ly speaking, these should carry
about 10000 men. Others are be-
ing procured as rapidly as possible.
The plan of the War Department is
to have these vessels assemble at
the different gulf ports, Tampa,
Mobile, New Orleans and Calves
ton. to take on troops which will
be sent there. The Navy Depart
ment is expected to furnish con-
voys for these transports, which
would be absolutely helpless against
Spanish attack. AT this point there
are signs of friction. First the
transports will be obliged to wait
Admiral SIMPSONS return in order
to secure proper convoy, and sec
ondly the navy objects very decid-
eddy to undertaking the task of
conveying a number of transports.
1t insists that to assure the safety
of the convoy of the troops, all of
the transports should be gathered
in one fleet to start from Tampa,
and the navy is likely to prevail in
this.
Now that Major General Sewell
has been assigned to command the
concentration camp at Falls Church,
preparations are being rushed to
put the ground there into shape for
the reception OF the volunteers.