The Somerset reporter., 1898-05-19

Report as to Blanco's Supply
of Ammunition.
Importance of the Bloekade-SpHnish
Squadron believed to Have Large Car
goes-The Whereabouts of the Enemy's
Fleet Again In Doubt.

Washington May Examinations
have been received here that Captain
General Blanco at Havana IS very short
of ammunition, in which case the power
ful batteries at the entrance of Havana
harbor would be deprived Of a large
part of their defensive strength. This
state of affairs may lead 10 desperate
attempts at blockade running on the
part of the Spaniards in the hope Of
getting more ammunition into Havana.
1t Is believed that the supplies SO fire.
quently referred to as being on the
Spanish lying squadron we're of this
character rather than food supplies,
Which makes it all the more important
HAT Sampson and Schley should sue
eeed in keeping Admiral GerVera from
reaching Havana or Cienfuegos, or any
port in Cuba connected with Havana by
rail. Commodore Schley probably Is
well down the Florida coast now, and
should be able to guard the Florida
straits His appearance on that side of
Cuba would enable Sampson to bring
his ironclads with perfect safety TO Glen
fuegos on the south side. and with this
disposition of our naval force and the
free use of a considerable number of
our scouting vessels, ii is hard TO see
how the Spanish fleet can escape from
the gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean sea.
Secretary Longs order relating to the
publication of news emanating from the
navy department had the effect Monday
flr,.a - 70 inc hA n
information that heretofore has been
rather freely given. The secretary s
order was directed to Captain Crown
inshield, chief of the navigation bureau,
and he in turn gave it effect by making
an order in his own name that no person
| connected With his bureau in any &C.
pacity should have any conversation
| whatever upon subjects in any way
pertaining to the navy with representa-
tives of the press. As an offset, it was
ordered that bulletins of such facts as
| have actually occurred and are proper
for publication, and are not connected
with existing or projected movements
| shall be prepared and posted on the bull
| letn board
The sum total of the information pub
| lished by the bulletin board yesterday
under this rule was a notice of the
| intention to start the Philippine relief
| expedition, and of the permission given
| to some foreign neutral vessels to pass
| the blockade at Havana. In eXplana-
| ton of the issue of this order, the naval
authorities say that some of the news
papers have been SO far lacking In pa
| triotism as to print plans of campaign
and projected movements of naval ships,
with the result that the war board has
been obliged completely to revise its
plans in the knowledge that the Span
| iards had promptly taken notice of the
publications and were prepared to profit
by them.
| Complaint was made to Secretary Long
that the newspapers were working in
| Jury to the government in such cases
| IL is not the purpose of the secretary
| to prevent the press having any informa-
| ton that Is not calculated to cause a
miscarriage of the plans of the depart
| ment but it remains to be seen whether
| the naval officers to whom the order had
| been directed will not by their ironclad
| Interpretation of Ii bring about a modi-
| fication in the interest of liberality.
The opening of the blockade at Fla
vana to certain vessels is rather curl
| Gus proceeding that may lead to a very
| considerable widening of the blockade
| itself, SO that in the end the neutral
vessels not loaded with contra band OF
| supplies, the carrying of which into
Havana would interfere with the nava
| and military operations of our govern
! ment, ma lass the blockade under
| suitable - latiors laid down by the
| United ST. The statement that the
| nav def1r. laent still hopes to make ar
| exchange - prisoners at an early day
| shows "a mission of the Uncas was
by no l.asss complete failure