Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-28
rcctcd 10 Follow suit.


rcctcd 10 Follow suit.
WASHINGTON. April 27-The war sit
r.H Us substantially this.
-.. blockading squadron remains pas
.. before Habana with no present in
..H.n of bombardIne or Of drawing the
of tho shore batteries. The Strategic
rI states that ana effective blockade
.. cuba is being accomplished. to the
.ar. satisfaction of the authorities
.... There is no indication that a part
.. tle fleet viii be withdrawn for the
purpose OF anordus additional protection
to North Atlantic ports
AS to The reports of the imminc0ce of
l naval battle on the Philippine Islands.
OH. naval authorities here seriously
.I8t that the Spanish fleet win make a
stand against the American ships Their
reason for this belief is that the Spanish
t "a is very inferior in number and quali-
IS to the American force under Admiral
Dewey The Navy Department, therefore,
s satisfied that tho Spanish fleet will not
a,e battle ON the high seas with Ad-
u.rH Dewey. but will remain i'm port. to
secure the protection of the batteries of
Manila. and. consequently am engage
mont is not expected for about TWO days.
There is no certainty that there will be
ca gaeemeut at am in The immediate
future. the main purpose of the American
expedition being 20 seek and hold some
suitable Spanish territory I'm the Philip
.uet oe d base .l operations ia Asatic
waters. 10 IS possible that this can be
done without attacking the Spanish feet
al ail, by seizug a suitable port ON some
adjacent island without foruhcatons. the
tympathies of whose inhabitants are with
tAe insurgents.
THE MONrSERRAT KErOEr
SO word has come To- the department
az TO the close of office hours of the ar-
rival of the Montscrat at Cenfuegos.
Tae officials are Inclined To- believe that
Do the ship has gotten into that port she
U.I so before tho blockade of Cienfuegos
asd begun.
Tie fact that the Madrid officials have
rather ostentauously declared that the
Spanish fleet has sailed to lombard cities
on the North American coast is taken as
.n indication. i'm the Navy Department.
.. the utter improbabHiy of such a
r0vemeut If this were contemplated.
.e Spanish officials would bee the very
.-f persons TO make their purpose pub
Some vcxation was felt at the injury
stained 10y the Cushing. Luckily. the
.rartment will be able to replace her
..-v shortly. for President Master, of
.-. columbian Iron-Works called at the
H.ty Department this afternoon 20 an
Hmc, that the torpedo-boat Mckee. a
Knot boat. would be ready for trial to-
morrow. She will be sent at once to
Norfolk. to have the finishing touches
,.l.d. and then will join the squadron.
CAMPAIGN IN CUBA
n the War Department there is a
growing belief that the campaign proper |
r oura will not be i'm fun swing before |
,.y. fsI. when the rainy season has end
.- That belief. however. has not pre- |
t..i.l the officers whose duty IL is 10 !
s- the troops together from pushing |
work with the greatest energy |
within twelve hours after the Hull |
. became a law the department was |
.. to begin TO send out circulars pre-
.Hs The methods Co De followed i'm re- |
He the regular army up TO its full |
v.. strength of m.ooj men. The enor-
amount of work involved i'm thus
...a.mg OBJ. army, regular and volun-
'.. has caused General Miles 20 aban-
,.. .s 1uthcm trip for the present.
. officials Of the department were
-Hh.lmed to-day with all sorts OF
protests and appeals against their action
king the assignments Of troops
"..s the volunteer forces. and many
may be looked for.
NEUTRALITY ORDERS.
. State Department posted a notice
'..y stating it had been officially adj
.. .r the issuance of neutrality orders
" Tally. the Netherlands, switzerland,
-..aay and sweden. Russia. and Colom-
a chat country having issued "A
'H.y proclamation although the
Department has not yet been Off
notified Of the fact. IL Is supposed
tla, the official notice of Frances
h. .Hai'y will be received I'm to-mor-
'," press dispatches, as an agreement
"'. reached al the Cabinet council at
r..
-1Ing France. four of the six great
'."rit of Europe have declared their
he-'raI.ty namely, Great Britain, Italy,
i''noe and Russia There remain Of
"- great Powers, Germany and Austria
''.aer Of which has yet acted. The de-
"' or Austria. does not cause surprise
"-slfia's sympathy with Spain is
~''e Pronounced than that OF any other