Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-05-26
A RUNOR IS DENIED.
l,avy Department States 1t Is Un-
true About II Ships Being Sunk.
A QUIET DAY At KEY VEST. Fla.
Speculation stu Concentr ited IN the Hog
tile Fleets and a Great Naval Conflict
Expected-The First Cuban Ex'
pediti0n starts

w ASHINGTOS, Nav 10 ne ruHOrs
of a great naval battle, current Satur-
day night were disposed OF by the
navy department early yesterday In
the following official bulletin: mo
truth in the published statement con-
corning an engagement off ST. Nicolas
Mole, Hayti, in which II ships were
sunk" This was posted not only for
general information. but also to quiet
the alarm among relatives and friends
of those on board the American ships.
As rule the department adopts the
cautious phraseoloyy Of stating that no
official information has b.en received,
but to make assurance doubly sure in
this case the departments declared there
was mo truth" in the reports. This
indicates that the official information
Is such as to warrant the statement
that the American and Spanish squad
rOns have not met.
The bureau of navigation, navy de-
hartmann whore Official DISPATCHES are
received was omen throughou, Sunday.
hut tho officials ware engaged on ron.
tine york and there was M evidence
~ that activity which would attend
the receipt of important information
nor ~ mo- Laon exnect.pcv which
would Indicate the near approach of
the two fleets In the absence Of exact
information as IN the location Of the
A.e,s this sorenitv in naval citcles
was fair indication that the official
advices did not Give nromise Of an i'm.
mediate engagement H. is evidently
tho viaw ~ the war hoard that an on.
u /, can be bropoht nm
will be d.cis;ve NJ The whole war and
there ia M nurnose 70 allow such mo-
resnlts IN oo off IN a f,uke
or ., . too nrec;,;tous MOVE in dafer.
ence IN the nublic measure for results
but N move firmly vet Cautiously and
insure a vict,rv whom there IL q f,oht
Arm, heaaonarters was as husv nc
m week davs as the moving of LARGE
hod,es ~ man gives scant time for
sunday rest An extended disnatch
was recaived from San Francisco civ.
ing the final details of the embarka-
ton of troops for the Philippines next
Tuesday. 1t is stated that the City OF
Pekin. the Sidney and the Australia
would sail on that dav with the First
regiment of California volunteers. the
First Oregon volunteers one officer
and 80 men from the heavy artillery
of the California volunteers, making
in all 1875 officers and a,40O men, under
Brig. Gen. Thomas Anderson. AL.
though Gen. Anderson takes charge Of
this command, II is understood that
Gen. Otis, who is in San Francisco.
will accompany the expedition. The
Pekin was originally secured by the
navy department. but as she is so
large and serv.ceahle as troop ship.
the army Is using her in conjunction
with the navy. Besides the troops she
will carry supplies and ammunition
for the navy.
QUIET DAY AT KEY WEST. FLA.
Kry WEST Fla Nav % The tran.
ou;ll,tv 81 a tron;cal sunday was nm.
disturhed nv deanite news from anv
A few naval nniforms On
Tho s,reet ware tho onlv s;rns ~ tbo
NJ this lanonid town 10 tho
theater 81 war There ara onlv ona or
two sbins in tho harbor and tbev are
ooa,;nn With all bas,a 10 nat o,vo, ~
io;n tba;r fel,ows IN an action wh;oh
all are convinced is only a matter of
days, perhaps hours Speculation is
still concentrated on the whereabouts
of Admiral Cerveras SQUADRON. the
or;n;or fovor;r, so,oo ,,o;rt
on 'i'e soueherh coas'' ms ooVh SUES oi
the island are now patrolled by United
States warships, the naval authorities
will ~ot admit tha ,oss;h,l;,v ~ rar.
..,, i'll,
'era esvhpe "'.houe .he hoso "esper-
ate conflict IN the history OF naval
Reports from Admiral Samp.
sons SQUADRON saw that all Is ou,et az
~. -. 80 =, C,,h. T"...
.'e nor''erii eous' Vi |uoa No'hihR
from Commodore Schley Is expected
for day or two. rumor reached
here that four American warshins
rh;lo hon,houa,n. Son.,.u 4. CT
"", Jun o"'u''e sa.''aeo ue ouoa'
had oeen driven on oy the Spanish
fleet, but the story Is generally dis.