The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-17

y
4 this morning and signed 81 Secretary Long
! relative 70 tbs publication Of news emau-
4 a;ing from the navy department had the
eject today O, considerably curtai'iag the
( supply Of information that horsioforo has
( been rather freely given out. The secrc-
( tary's orders we're directed TO Captain
Grow Dlnsbield. chici Of The navigation pu-
! reau, and be in tara gave 1t effect b.
making al order ia his own name that no
I person connected with the bureau IN any
capacity should have any conversation
+ whatever on subjects in any way pertain
< the press.
Z AS an Offset IL was ordered that bulletins
OF ouch facts as have actually occurred
Z and are proper for publication and no,
conne@of with exis,ing or projected move
( rnents shalt bo prepared and posted on the
bulletin board. The sum total Of the To-
formation published By the bulletin board
today under this rule war notice oi ihe
intention 10 start the Phllippine relief ex-
petition end Of the permission given to
same foreign neutral vessel to pass the
blockade at Havana
In explanation Of the issue OF this order
the naval authorities say that Some of the
leading American newspapers have been 30
far lacking in patriotism IS 10 print plans
OF campaign aud projected movements Of
navai ships, with the result that the war
board has been obliged TO completely revise
its plans in the knowledge that the Span
iards had promptly taken ua,o OF the pub
LEGATIONS aud we're prepared to profit by
them.
Z Complaint was made to Secretary Long
that the newspapers we're working injury
ito the government in such cases. 1t ia the
purpose Of the secretary to prevent the
press having any news calculated 70 cause
miscarriage OF the plans Of the depart
nent, but 1t remains TO be seen whether
the naval officers to whom the order has
been directed viii not by their lronclad tn
depreciation OF Il bring about modlflca-
ton in the Interest OF libiraiity.
The opening Of the blockade at Havana
10 certain vessels Is a rather curious pro
ceeding that may lead TO very oonsld.
cradle widening Of the blockade Itself SO
that in the end the neutral yesscl5 no,
loaded with contraband or supplies. the
carrying OF which into Havana would IN
terfere with The naval and military opera
tons laid down By the United States may
pass through. Tho statement that The navy
department stiil hopes 20 make an cxchangu
OF prisoners az an early date shows that
the mission OF the unoas yesterday was by
no means complete failure, as haA been
stated.
Inc troops going 10 Manila are 10 be
prepared Tor Blk month"; stay. according
TO the number OF fatiouS furnished, a..
100. 600. and preparations for their do
parture are being pressed with The greatest
energy. The Charles On should hive sailed
tecay from San Francisco aud the marines
who have been lying In Key West harbar
On board the Panther sweitering under n
semi-tropleal sun are to be Transferred 10
moro comfortable vessel, the Resohte.
men aboard.
u intimations have been received hero that
General Hlaneo at Havana is very short OF
ammunition. In which case the Doworful
batteries at the entrance Of Havana har-
Dor. OF course. would be deprived Of a
large part of their defensive strength. This
I state OF AFFAIRS may lead 10 some desperate
AtWlnp,s at oloekade running on the part
of the Spaniards IN the hope OF getting mora
ammunition Into Havana. II IA believed
mat the supplies so frequently referred 10
rs being ON the Spanish flying souaArnn
wore or this character rather than tool
\ Supplies, which makes II all the more Inn
portant that Sampson and schley should
\ succeed ~ Keeping Admiral Cervora from
reach'ns havana or Cienfnegos or any port
I'm Cuba connected with Havana by rail-