The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-12

New York, May ia dispatch to the
World from St. Thomas, W. L. says:
Heavy cannonading was heard Monday
night off toward the Porto Rican coast,
where the United States cruiser Yale was
last spoken. It is regarded as possible
that it was an engagement between the
Yale and the Spanish cruiser Isabella II.
and an unknown four-masted Spanish
vessel which was sighted yesterday.
The Norwegian steamer Gyner has
passed here bound for Galveston, from
San Juan, Porto Rico, for Spanish sup
plies.
London, May 1.-THE Globe publishes
this afternoon dispatch from Cadiz, dat
ed Saturday last, which said the following
ships. which were all ready for sea with
the exception of the Pelayo, were at that
port: Pelayo. Vittoria. Carwlos V. Ami
rante Oquendo, Vizcaya. Maria Teresa,
Cristobal Colon. Alfonso Kill, Pluton,
Proserpina. Osade, Audaz, Juror and Ter
ror: also several torpedo bats. transports,
and the Normannia and Columbia. for
merly OF the Ham5urg-Anerican line,
which have been renamed Patricia and
Espido, respectively.
The Globes correspondent added that ne
believed the squadron would sail on We'd
nesds az (today), and said a numer Of
trooD5 would leave for the Canary Islands
on Nay IS, while thre battalions Of ma
rines were CHARTERED at San Fernandino
ready for embarkment.
Lieutenant Colwen, the naval attache Of
cas5 Tod
that he was by no means convinced that
the Spanish Cape Verde squadron is really
at Cadiz.
London, May lion the stock exchange
here today the report that the Span sh
Cape Verde squadron had returned to Ca
diz was generally discredited. though tho
opinion was freely expressed that IL the
rumor was true It indicated the indication
Of Spain 10 throw up the sponge and leave
the West Indies 70 their fate, thus open
ing the way to an early peace. This is On
der stood to he strongly desired in GER
tain quarters. and the effect Of the seem
Ing backdown Of Spain was beneficial
London, May 11.-InGui-ies made on
board ships which ave recently arrived
here from the Canary Islands, Islands Of
MADEIRA, Teneriff and Gibraltar. show
that nothing has been seen of the Span
ish feet.
The British steamer Galecia, Captain
Bird. which left Cadiz on April %, re-
ports that the only Spanish war vessels
were the auxiliary cruisers Normannia
and Columbia, two torpedo boats and an
armed yacht. possibly the Giralda.
The British steamer Tetuan. which ar
rived rere from Gibraltar after leaving
Las Palmas on April %, Tene!fffffe Oh
April 80. and MADEIRA on May 2, saw no
signs Of the Spanish fleet.
Washington. May 1.-THE nav Depart
ment today was in hourly expectation of
advices from Admiral Sampson. What
the character OF these advices would be-
the officials did not intimate. but they ex-
rected interesting and important news
u was rather a matter of surprise TO them
that :he rress had not already receiveI
Irfoi nation from the squa DION wa St
Thomas ard the fleet dispatch boats
which accompanied SIMPSONS squadron.
Notwithstanding the cable adyires 20 tho
effect thai the Spanish fvlng squadron
hal REQ ned the Spanish home squadron
G. CadI. the naval strategy boa~l was by
~ means assured on this point. AMI Il was
believed that while Admiral Sampson had
been placed In possession of the cable re-
ports he had been warned not to accent
them as absolutely conclusive as yet In
course of action by the department SEEM
ed to he to confer upon Admiral Sampson
iull authorition to exercise his owl dis
oretaion in his movements, and it was be-
iieved that this had been done. A posi-.
sible limitation was a request that he hold
himself in readiness to furnish an armed
convoy for troops TO Cuba. It might seem
strange that the navy department should
he in doubt as to whether or not a soua |
dron Of large men-of-war was living in a /
harhor where the ships would be plainly /
visible 10 the eyes of 100000 people. II
was pointed out. however. that the United /
States had now no representative in Caliz I
nor could it look to the representatives Ct /
foreign governments in Spain to furnish I
any information touching naval move /
ments. Reliance must be had either uron /
severely censored newspaper dispatches !
or upon the reports of spies. and neither 4
Of these were To be taken as Of u-im- 4
peachahle accuracy during this iuncruve.
Tor this reason the navy department; was /
disposed to accept all reports with ex- /