The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-25


speaking, If Spain is foolhardy enough
to send the Cadiz fleet through the Suez
| canal to attack Dewey in the Philip
| pines. 1t is announced on good author
ity that before the last Spanish vessel
has passed through the canal an Amer
| lean squadron will be steaming at full
| speed across the Atlantic straight for
| the coast of Spain, to bring the war
home to the Spanish people. There is
no doubt that Dewey can take care OF
| himself against this Cadiz feet since
| his own squadron will be reinforced by
ironclads long before Camara's ships
sight the bay of Manila. and he will
have the shore batteries with him in
stead of against him. in the struggle.
/ But II has been concluded by the ad-
| ministratiou that nothing save the most
severe measures will suffice to bring the
the hopelessness of the continuance OF
the present war. and even kindness. It
Is held. will dictate such blow as that
which IL is proposed TO administer II the
Spanish persist i'm this last project.
After the fall of Santiago and the
capture or destruction of Cervera' s
squadron. Sampson will have an abund-
ance % vessels 10 spare for the task set
forth. Probably he will constitute the
attacking fleet in two squadrons. the
first a flying squadron, to be composed
Of the swiftest vessels Of the fleet. such
he C,nInr, 10 I'D
Yale, st. Louis. st. Paul New Orleans
and such craft. This will be followed
by another command, either under
Sampson or Schley, by the battleships,
which the oregon has shown can cas-
fly be counted on for the voyage across
Indiana. Massachusetts and Texas. all
battleships, supplementing the New
York and Brooklyn. armored cruisers
and the less powerful vessels of the
flying squadron, the Spanish coast
would be speedily swept clear of all
commerce. all Spanish shipping would
be destroyed and some of the best
ports blockaded of bombarded.
No official news came to the war de-
partment during office hours from our
army near Santiago. This was a
cause for mild surprise at the depart
ment. as General Shafter has a cable
at his command. and ii was expected
he would report the measure of success
he has attained in the debarkation Of
his army on Cuban soil, and the be-
ginning of operations against Santiago.
However. the general has the reputa-
tion here as being man of deeds rath-
er than of words, and of not being Civ
en- to over many official reports Not
hearing from him, the officials Were OBJ
liged to rely upon press reports entire
ly for information. They found these
highly satisfactory. Secretary Alger
expressed particular qualification at the
news that the troops had reached a
point within seven miles of MORO cas-
tie without encountering serious resist
ance. The direction taken by the
the troops after their landing at Bal
quiri. trending generally westward, is
taken in some quarters here to indicate
a purpose to unite with SIMPSONS fleet
in an attack on MORO castle and the
other forts at the entrance of Santiago
harbor before turning their attention to
the town itself. once the forts are
captured. Sampson with small boats
could reach the mines. and IL. as report
ed the Merrimac does not completely
obstruct the channel, some of the bat
tleships may be sent in to deal with
Cervera' squadron in its last resort.
Something of this kind is believed to be
necessary in order TO relieve our troops
of the fire of the Spanish fleet when they
attack Santiago directly. one or Two
of the big battleships, supplemented by
a few torpedo boats. could be relied on
TO keep Cervera's squadron so fully oc-
cupied that he would have no time to
get TO the troops attacking Santiago
from the rear.
For the first time to-day there was a
reliable announcement of the intention
Of General Miles TO go TO Cuba to par
ticipate in the operations there before
the campaign is extended to Porto REQ.
The time Of his departure is yet unset
tied.
With great satisfaction the navy de-
partment to-day published SIMPSONS
statement that Hobson and his men
are well and not in the line Of fire. Il
was also noted that Sampson finds no
difficulty in having his flag of truce re-
spected. which is gratifying. in view of
the statement coming from Havana
some days ago that there was TO be
lapse into barbarism through the re-
fusal Of the Spaniards TO recognize flags