The age-herald., 1898-05-18

 NJ NEWS OF
 THE FLEETS No information Received From Sampson or Schley. SPANISH FLYING SQUADRON Hill Not Be Holested So Long as It Keeps
 Away From Cuba. PLANS FOR THE LAND CAMPAIGN The Departure of Troops for Cuba Will
 Be Hastened. NO APPREHENSION ABOUT DEWEY Washington oaicials Confident That He Is stilI on Top-The Charleston Expected to Leave at Any Time = The
 winslow Badly Crippled.
The Departure of Troops for Cuba Will
 Be Fastened.
NO APPREHENSION ABOUT DEWEY

Washington, May 1.-The official bulletin boards today failed to give any news of the movements of either of the three fleets, Sampson's Schley's and the Spanish flying squadron and there is reason to believe that the department itself has received no information on that point. The department officials are beginning to show a little sen- sitiveness to criticism in the matter of de- lay in bringing the Spanish fleet into ac- tion, conscious as they are that they have made all dispatch compatible with due re- gard for the safety of our own ports as well as of the lives of the crews of our warships. Every day there is talk of a change in the plans brought about by some movement of the Spanish squadron, but what the latest phase of the campaign is, nobody outside of the members of the war board is competent to say.
 The general impression today is that no particular effort is to be made just now to pursue the Spaniards so long as they keep within the confines of the Gulf of. Mexico and the Caribbean sea- but that Sampson and Schley in combination will encircle the island of Cuba, maintain the blockade and convey troops across the Flor ida straits if necessary, meanwhile simply Il squadron to see that it does not do mis- chief either to the American fleet or by es- caping to the Atlantic seaboard cities. By this plan the miliatry and naval officials might hope to silence the rather severe criticisms that are being expressed because Of delays in opening the military campaign in Cuba itself Considerable pressure has come upon the administration from congress sional quarters to have the campaign hast ened and there are thought to be signs of a resumption of the plans of the military leaders for the invasion of Cuba at the point where they were suddenly suspended by the announcement of the arrival of the spanish flying squadron at Martinique. One sign of this was the inclusion in the regular army orders of-S direction to Cap tain Alger to go to Tampa to join General Miles.
 No Sign of Departure
 At army headquarters there was no sign or immediate departure but after all in view that three times at least everything has been prepared for movement to Tam pa, 1t may be presumed that everything is ready for departure at short notice without open manifestation of preparations
 The department professes to feel no ap- prehension that Admiral Dewey or his men are in any wise endangered by their occu- patton of Manila harbor on the present basis, but this cannot be said of the unfor- tunate inhabitants of Manila if the pres ent situation is protracted unduly. It is no small matter to organize and transport an expedition of 12,000 or 13000 soldiers GOOD miles across the sea at short notice. The indications are. that within a week some of the soldiers at least will be on their way from San Francisco, following the Charleston, which is expected to leave at any moment with few supplies most gently needed by the admiral.
 There are indications that the war de- partment has been brought to see the wis., dom and fairness of the suggestion thrown out by Major-General Merritt that his ex- petition should consist of not less than 15,- GOO men, and that at least third of them should be seasoEied troops from the regular army capable of meeting on even terms the veteran Spanish soldiers who garrisoned Manila. To endeavor to overcome the Spanish force with less than half their number of troops would seem to be senseiess proceeding in view of the fact that there is no necessity for such a course. General Merritt took occasion to deny very emphatica1ly the accuracy of certain news paper interviews published this morning which placed him in the position of refus- ing to obey an order to proceed to the Philippines because his force was insufh- cient.
 Too Good a soldierl
 The officials at the department on seeing these publications did not hesitate to ex- press at once the belief that General Mer- ritt was too good Soiuler 10 reiuse to obey a lawful order, although they ad- mitted he might have, as he did today, through Inspector General Hughes, mem- Der of his staff, suggest the propriety of an increase in the number and a better quality of soldiers to be assigned to his command.
 Reports received here from Key West show that the condition of the little tor pedo boat Winslow is much worse than was supposed, and 1t will be necessary in all probability to have her come to Norfolk for repairs. One shot smashed her low pressure starboard cylinder and another traversed one of her boilers. It would be possible to to get along on one engine and reduce the starboard engine from quadruple to triple expansion, but the efficiency of the boat would be very much lowered thereby.
 Following few days late upon the news of the terrific assault on the Winslow and her disablement came though the mails an official report from Commander McCaIla of an engagement the little boat was in ~-~~~------s--