The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-29

Copyright, 1893, by the Associated Press,
Key West Fla, May 2S.-s:52 a NIT is
now almost certain that Commodore
Schley has the Spanish feet bottled up In
the harbor of Santiago.
There is so little doubt about this that
the naval campaign is proceeding upon
the assumption that Admiral Cervera is
Incapable of doing any harm Within z
few weeks the exact conditions at Santi-
ago will be known without a shadow Of
doubt
In spite OF assertions to the contrary.
Commodore Schley was not absolutely
sure Of his game when he last comn7uni-
Gated with ear Admiral Sampson, and the
commodore will not take active steps 10
block up the entrance TO Santiago har-
Dor until he is perfectly certain that Ad-
n1iral Cervera's ships are inside. How
ever. he may have done this already. as
Commodore Schley's last communication,
forwarded on Thursday. only reached Ad-
miral Sampson yesterday
The commodore stayed three DAVIS at
cienfuegos. He signalled to his ships. 81
believe the Spanish fleet is in the har-
Dor" On this belief a message was sent
othe American admiral. The details Of
how Commodore Schley found out that he
was mistaken are not yet known. At anv
rate acting on the admirals instructions
the commodore then moved east, arriving
outside Santiago on Wednesday morning.
May %
After his experience at Cienfuegos. it
8 1aab
very conservative in deciding whether or
not he had caught Admiral Cervera
From the tone of his dispatches it is evil
dent that the commodore soon had gain
ed such secondhand and external evil
dence as pointed to Admiral Cervera's
presence in the inner harbor This evil
dence was apparently strong enough to
make the commodore feel certain the OBJ
ject Of his trip had been ACCOMPLISHED
but in view Of his previous experience.
he would not risk a decisive statement
until after ascertaining the fact for him
self
Before this dispatch is published If is
likely that Commodore Schley has sent
some vessel into the entrance of the har-
har of Santiago or has learned from a re-
liable source ashore as to the exact num-
her and name Of the Spanish war ships
sheltered by the hills about that place.
F. Contrary TO the generally expressed
opinion Santiago harbor is poorly pro-
tected Like Havana and San Juan de
Porto Rico, it has its MORO Castle. which
is even better target than those of
Havana and San Juan. The only danger
to he feared is from the mines which have
been laid in the channel Of Santiago since
war was declared But countermining
would probably render these mines harm
less. should it prove desirable for Commo-
dore Schley's ships to enter the harbor
Such a step, however. is unlikely.
In this connection it may be noted that
since the commencement of the naval op-
erations the moral effect Of the mines
has been great This condition promises |
70 continue and will probably mark the |
naval operations to a greater degree than |
ever imagined in the past.
A prominent naval authority said to the |
correspondent of the Associated Press:
THE moral effect of torpedoes and /
mines will prove far superior to their act
ual effect. in fact, so great is their moral |
force that doubt whether their powers
of execution will have an opportunity to
be Judged in this war"
The blockade of northern Cuba contin- |
ues uneventful and is apparently success /
ful.
Now that the clement of uncertainty
regarding the Spanish ships whereabouts
is almost entirely removed. the ships
which were solely occupied in watching
for the Spaniards have become an addi-
tional force for the blockade and without
any inconvenient change Of position.
Commodore Schley has been reinforced.
nut his position was clearly so strong
that the reinforcement which he received
made no difference to the strength of the
feet in northern Cuban waters.
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