Evening journal., 1898-05-25

CAUGHT At LAST.
Admiral CerVera Bottled
Up In Santiago
HSrDOr.
SCHLEY Is ON GUARD.
The Willy Spaniard Must Now Fight
or StarVe.
ST. LOUIS CUTS A CUBAN CABLE
Lively Scrap Of the Auxiliary Cruiser aud
Tug wampatuck with Spanish Bat
-Troopships In san Francis
co Bay-AlIeged Spy Arrested.

WASHINGTON, May 25.-spain's fly
Ing squadron will hy no longer. Its
race Is run.
Cooped up In the harbor of Santiago
dc Cuba, It's destruction or capture is
considered by officials here TO be mere
iy a matter Of time Before the harbOr
are the armorclads of tho American
navy ready to give battle 20 Admiral
Cervera's men-of-war the moment they
poke their noses out OF the channel
leading to the sea.
Onlcial advices announcing these TO
be the positions Of the opposing fleets
We're received at the navy department
yesterday from the commander IN chief
Of tho American force operating IN
front of the harbor. II was these adj
vicey which enabled the authorities to
deny omphatically the reports that an
action had occurred I'm the Windward
passage.
A prominent official said last night
that ho regarded It as manifesty inn
possible that any engagement could
have occurred between Cuba and Haiti,
Notwithstanding the persistent reports
to this effect. when the department had
absolute knowledge OF the whereabouts
OF the American and Spanish forces.
Secretary Long announced yesterday
afternoon that he had reason to believe
the Spanish feet was still in the har-
Dor OF Santiago de Cuba, and later. In
referring 10 the duties Of the war board,
he said that It was simply advisory. re-
ferring information OF value to the fleet
commanders and outlining a general
policy which they should pursue.
The war board, he declared. made no
attempt TO determine how a battle
should be fought IL Is considered a
fair inference. In naval circles. there
foro. that Commodore Sohley's instruo-
tlons wero confined TO a notification OF
tho presence Of the enemys squadron
IN tho harbOr of Santiago de Cuba.
coupled with directions to proceed 20
that point and capture OF destroy It.
Whether Commodore SchleY shall at
tempt % foyp0 his way into the harbor
10 meet the Spanish fleet therein is a
point which no alono Is believed To DO
competent 10 pass upon and which he
alone must decide Before his departure
from Key West on Thursday last he re-
ceived = chRrt setting forth the mines
Ia the channel leading into the harbor.
and with this information no will ba
able 20 Judge what course Is best for
him 70 pursue.
BY bottling up the Spanish fleet in
the harhor of Santiago de Cuba "A great
load has been lifted from the shoulders
OF the nuthontiea. II means:
The freedom from danger OF the ports
along the Atlantic and gulf coasts.
The safety OF tho blOckading squad
ron and assurance of its maintenance
The prompt and comparatively easy
transportation Of troops TO Cuba for the
reduction Of Havana.
A decisive blow toward the final de-
struction Of Spain's weapons Of offense
and defense.
SO important is considered the reten-
tlon Of the Spanish feet In the harbor
Of Santiago de Cuba or it's destruction
that the authorities do not propose to
let II escape, and n necessary the
armorclads IN front Of Santiago de Cuba
win be re-enforced.
So clarified has become the atmOs-
phere as a result Of the bottling up Of
the Spanish feet'in Santiago de Cuba
that the authorities are now eagerly
and earnestly pressing forward the mill
itary expedition which will invade
Cuba
This expedition VIII unquestionably
start this week and Will 'be supported
by formidable force of armorclads.
which VIII be detailed to lombard Ha-
vana under the command OF Rear Ad-
miral Sampson. while the army makes
the land attack
The gunbOat Helena has been retain
ed at Tampa and viii be employed as a
convoy for the ships which will vonvey
troops. The gunboat Bancroft. which
has been at Tampa for some days. was
ordered yesterday TO proceed with all
dispatch 20 Key West which will be the
point of mobilization for tho several
corps and from which port they win be
transported under the convoy OF the
Bancroft and other vessels to Cuba.
War has two sides to IL. ] have been
In one myself" said a distinguished
naval officer we'll salted In the seas.
''and If the people think that Cervera is
going TO lie in the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba. saying, Come and pick us
up they mistake the character of the
Bpanish officer. whom I have every rea-
son To believe is efficient at sea. what
ever may De said of the rank and file
Of the men. II may Doe found that this
so called bottling up of Cervera may
prove TO be the hardest nut we have
yet had TO crack
Il know nothing Of what will ba done.
Commodore Schley might determine up-
on certain course of action and on
getting closer TO the entrance To san
tiago de Cuba might change his whole