The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-17

Washington, May 17.-An order post
Cd yesterday morning and signed by
Secretary Long, relative to the publi-
cation of news emanating from the
navy department, will have the effect
OF considerably curtailing the supply
OF information that heretofore has
been rather freely given out. The sec
retary's order was directed to Captain
CrowninsGeld. chief of the navigation
bureau, and he in turn gave 1t effect
by making an order in his own name
that no person connected with his
bureau in any capacity should have
any conversation whatever upon sub
jects in any way pertaining to the navy
with representatives Of the. press. AS
an Offset, it was ordered that bulletins
Of such facts as have actually occurred
and are proper for publication, and arc
not connected with existing or pro-
jccted movements, shall be prepared
and posted on the bulletin board.
The sum total of the information
published by the bulletin board yester-
day under this rule was a notice of the
iltention to start the Philippine relief
expedition, and of the permission
given to some foreign neutral vessels
to pass the blockade at Havana.
In explanation of the issue of this
order, the naval authorities say that
some of the leading American news
papers have been SO far lacking in
patriotism as to print plans of cam
paign and projected movements of
naval vessels, with the result that the
war board has been obliged to COM
pletely revise its plans, in the knowl-
edge that the Spaniards had promptly
taken notice of the publications and
were prepared to profit by them. Com
plant was then made to Secretary
Long that the newspapers were work.
ing injury to the government In such
cases. 1t is not the purpose of the sec
retary to prevent the press having any
information that is not calculated to
cause miscarriage of the plans of the
department, but it remains to be seen
whether the naval officers to whom the
order has been directed will not, by
their Interpretation of 1t, bring about
a modification, in the interest of lber-
ality.
The opening of the blockade at Ha-
vana to certain vessels is a rather
curious proceeding, that may lead to al
very considerable widening of the
blockade itself, so that in the end the
neutral vessels not loaded with con-
traband or supplies, the carrying of
which into Havana would interfere
with the naval and military opera
tions of our government, may pass the
blockade under suitable regulations
laid down by the United States.
The statenlen Mt that the war depart
ment still hopes to make an exchange
of prisoners at an early day shows
that the mission of the Uncas on Sum
day was b, no means complete fail
ure, as has been stated.
The troops going to Manila are to be
prepared for six months stay, and
preparations for their departure are
being pressed with the greatest energy.
1ptlmations have been received here
thJ. Captain General Blanco, at Ha-
sana, is very short of ammunition, in
which case the powerful batteries at
Che entrance Of Havana harbor, of
Course, would be deprived of large
part of their defensive strength. This
state Of affairs may lead to some des-
perate attempts at blockade running
on the part of the Spaniards, in the
hope of getting more ammunition into
Havana. 1t is believed that the sup
piles so frequently referred to as being
on the Spanish flying squadron were
Of this character, rather than food sup
plies, which makes it all the more i'm
portant that Sampson and Schley
should succeed in keeping Admiral
Cervera from reaching Havana, Glen
fuegos or any port in Cuba connected
with Havana by rail. -