The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-28
Sent a Report From CienfuegOs to
Admiral Sampson.
HAS A POWERFUL FLEET
INCLUDES THE IOWA, MASSA-
CHUSETTS AND TEXAS.
The Nature of His Dispatches to
Sampson Were Not Divulged-Be-
lief Among SIMPSONS Men That
Invasion of Cuba Will Soon Be
Commenced-The Spanish Fleet.

OFF the Northern Coast of Cuba, May
81, a. M. via Key West-(Copyrigh
1888. by the Associated Press. AT 10
o'clock last night the Dolphin ran
alongside the flagship New York. Her
light showed that she bore dispatches
for Rear Admiral Sampson. The COM
mander of the Dolphin shouted through
the megaphone:
II have dispatches from Commodore
Schley to the r-in-chief.
A cheer went up from the crowded
decks. Commodore Schley's dispatches
were dated off Cienfuegos.
Absolutely nothing definite can be
said" was the reply which Captain
Chadwick, of the New York made to a
question as to what had transpired.
Since he heard Of Admiral Cervera's
arrival at Curacao Rear Admiral Samp-
son has repeatedly said he believed the
Spaniards would go TO Cienfuegos or
Santiago. To prove the American adj
miral was almost sure the Spanish fleet
would be caught the following can be
divulged without a breach of conf
dence:
When the ships of Commodore
Schley's division were sailing out of
Key West under Rear Admiral Samp-
sons orders the admiral sent this signal
" captain L HililpS, VI the 16AdS-
You are going to nab the Spaniards
and good luck to you
Since then Rear Admiral Sampson
has been cruising around as a purely
precautionary measure. He thoroughly
believed Commodore Schley would bot
tie up the Spaniards, either in Glen
fuegos or at Santiago, but he took all
measures to guard against possible
evasion of Commodore Schley by the
enemy and any attempt to make Ha-
vana through the eastern or western
passage, though there is little doubt
/ that the commodore, had he met the
Spanish ships, could have defeated
them.
There is good reason to believe from
strategic point of view that more can
be gained by the SpaniardS being
bottled up in Santiago than in an en-
gagement which, though it would re-
suit in victory for the Americans, might
have resulted in some damage to our
ships. In the harbor of Santiago the
Spanish fleet will be helpless. The
channel leading into the harbor is
narrow, and the enemy can either be
kept a prisoner there, by sinking a few
hulks in the channel. or he can be
destroyed by a superior force.
NOW FOR INVASION.
If Commodore Schley has successfully
accomplished his object, there now
seems nothing to prevent active opera
tions on the part of the army. That is
the idea of the best naval authorities.
The climate in Cuba is not what il was
a month ago, but it is much better than
it will be a month hence, and before
another Spanish fleet can reach these
waters the naval authorities hope to
have troops in possession of a base Of
operations in Cuba. The navy would
he al fn Of no
troops and enable the military forces
to get ashore without hindrance.
Intense enthusiasm reigns tonight
among the officers and the men over the
news, although ii is not absolutely GER
tain.
Since Rear Admiral Simpsons
squadron left Key West an intensely
close watch has been kept for the Span
ish fleet, in spite of the belief that it
was at the south of Cuba. Several false
alarms have been given, the men on the
lookout in the tops being so anxious to
catch sight of the Spaniards that they
would see five columns of smoke where
only one was really discernible, and
that the smoke of one of Rear Admiral
SIMPSONS own boats.
The fleet as at present constituted
without Commodore Schley's command
and without the ships actually engaged
in the blockade, forms the most power
full squadron ever assembled by the
United States navy. Then, again. Com
modore Schley's ships are fully able to
defeat the Spanish force under Ad-
miral Cervera, even under conditions
favorable to the enemy, a state of
things which is not thought to exist at
Santiago de Cuba. 1t would be mere
pastime for the Massachusetts. Texas
and Iowa to sink the Vizcaya, AL
mirante OQuendo. Cristobal Colon and
Maria Teresa if they attempted to file
out of the harbor.