Connecticut western news., 1898-05-19
NEW FLYING SQUADRON.
The Probable Encouragement of Our
 Naval Forces.


 Naval Forces.
 Washington, May 1S.-The intention of the administration to expedite the military occupation of Cuba is appar- antly to be coincident with a rearrange- ment of the plan of naval campaign, which will increase the efficiency of the United States sea forces and insure with greater certainty a speedier engage ment with the Spanish fleet. A re- porter was told yesterday that the ad- ministration had decided to ignore the threatening presence of the enemy's fleet in West Indian waters and pro- ceed to make a vigorous campaign on land and water.
 Admiral Sampsons armorclad divi- son and the so called flying squadron are rapidly converging on the blockad- ing force under command of Commo- dore Watson. A junction can be ef- fected in two or three days, and, with practically all the fighting vessels of the United States in the Atlantic concen- trated in Cuban waters, there need be no further delay, according to the view taken in official circles and presuma- bly sanctioned at yesterdays regular cabinet meeting, in landing an army on Cuban soil. The postponement of
 
 the uncertainty of the whereabouts of the Cape Verde fleet. It was determin- ed that while that powerful formation of ships rema ned intact it would not be safe to send troops to Cuba, for in the event that Sampson were defeated by the enemy's fleet the base of SUD- plies established by the United States would be lost and the American army left in a terrible position.
 To Protect Base of Supplies. Another reason that determined the administration to hold in abeyance the .Xecution of the military campaign was the necessity of keeping a number of big vessels to protect the base, thus weakening the force available for giv- ing battle to Admiral Cervera's ships. At that time, however it was uncertain whether the enemy's naval force would attack Atlantic coast cities, and Con- modore Schley's squadron was accord ingly held at Hampton Roads in prepa- ration for such an emergency.
 When the Spanish fleet appeared at Martinique much of the uneasiness about the safety of coast cities van | ished. and the flying squadron was or | 1ered to West Indian waters. Sampson was then seeking his opponent in Puer- 1 to Rico and could not return to Cuba | before Cerveras faster craft got there. Under these circumstances the landing of the army would have been folly. I Then the Spanish fleet appeared of i Curacao, insuring Sampson's and Schley's presence in Cuban waters be- I fore the enemy could get there. The \ advantage, which was with Spain when they sailed from Martinique, had been given to the United States. Circum- \ stances had made it possible for this ] government to carry out its plans with greater prospect of success and with no further postponement.
 The gathering of the squadrons of 4 Sampson, Schley and Watson in the West Indies will result in something more important than expediting the | Itart of the military programme. It is | undeTstoon that consideration is beir., l given by the strategy board, If it ha I not already reached a decision, to tn \ subject of rearranging the formation \ of the United States naval forces st 1 that each squadron will be better quail | fled to perform the work assigned to it ! Commodore Schley's force is a fiyin! | squadron only in name. Two of the yes | sels composing it are battleships. nei | ther very fast. One of them, the Massa | chusetts, is not now capable of nor | than IA knots an hour. The Spanisl | fleet under Cervera is an actual fyini | squadron. The four armored ships ar | 20 knotters. and the three torpedo boa | catchers are all in speed what thei