The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-22

waste his ammunition or endanger his
vessels in a useless engagement.
On Friday the situation, as one looks
back, was settled in all Its main ele-
ments. The smaller vessels under Wat
son, according to the smuggled Key
West story, had sailed away Wednes-
day evening on a mysterious mission.
but Schley and Sampson were at Key
West and Cervera was at Santiago de
Cuba, the hostile fleets being about $50
| miles apart. OnThursday all of this
would have been sensational, but the
censor stood In the way of it's reaching
the public. Today it Is interesting as
history and as a basis upon which to
found conjecture as to the present
status. For there has been another
sudden shift in the Kaleidoscope naval
story. making in the West Tndies
PRESENT POSITIONS.
In guessing at present conditions, for
only q guess is possible, two things
can safely be assumed as facts Ger
vera has sailed from Santiago, this be-
ing subject to the reservation attach
ing to news from Madrid, and Schley
and Sampson left Key West on Friday.
The arrangement Of their respective
fleets Is uncertain, but 1t Is probable
that the changes suggested as possible
in The G o b g 8 dispatches last night
have been made. AS much Is intimated
in the talk in official circles today
though no details are given.
Changes, if they have been made, are
along lines to give Schley a real flying
squadron and to concentrate under
Sampson the more active Of the heavy
monitors to maintain the blockade and
to look after any fighting that may be
necessary in the Florida straits.
PROBABLE PLAN.
Under this arrangement a reasonable
movement would have been a dash by
Schley around the north coast Of Cuba
past Havana and Matanzas to inter-
cept any attempt at escape by the
Spanish through the windward passage.
Such a move would have left Sampson
free to move along the southern coast,
with his scouts we'll out in the Carib-
bean sea ready to intercept Cervera or
to hold him in the harbor Of Glen
fuegos providing that port Is his desti-
nation. '~'
The only apparent danger in such a
plan Of operations would be that the
Spanish fleet might escape Sampson by
hugging the South American coast and
come on through the Yucatan channel
for dart into Havana or an attack
on the blockading fleet. The presence
Of the heavy monitors in the Florida
straits would tend to render such a
move Ineffective and might entirely
break it's force.
Assuming that Schley and Sampson
each took the routes indicated, Schley
tonight should be well down the Cuban
coast, somewhere in the Vicinity of
Nuevatis, while Sampson with his
slower-going feet, would have had
ample time to come up In the vicinity
Of Ctenfuegos. r. r." e., ~
Watson, with such, vessels as have
been left with him Is doubtless near Ha-
vana, while the Vesuvius and the Gin
cinnati, as last reported, are scouting
in the Yucatan channel.
With the best estimate Of the situa-
tion permitted by the careful guard Of
the Key West censor, Cervera has
reached stage where, within a day Or
two at most, he must fight unless he
has adopted the better part Of valor
and is making the best of his way to
the open sea.
MUST BE FOUND.
Whatever may be the details Of the
American naval programme, one thing,
even in the present uncertainty, Is fixed
as fact That is that the Spanish
squadron must be cornered and caught
if 1T is to be beaten, for the Spanish
admiral has no intention Of meeting
Sampson or Schley for a square fight.
He has had plenty of chances, and has
declined them all. What his plans
are can only be imagined, but it is
if he can help 1t.
The escape of Cervera's ships, and
1t must be admitted that there is a
possibility they may escape, would be
great misfortune. They would prob
ably not come back within striking
distance Of the American fleets or
coast, but SO long as they were free to
roam the ocean and prey upon our
commerce Spain would refuse to sign
a treaty of peace.
That sort of behavior has been ha-
bitual with her in her wars. In all
probability the United States would
have to fit out and send to her coast
fleetstrong enough to compel her to
make peace.
That would take more time than the
country should want to devote to such
an old carcass of country as Spain
but there might be no choice.
ATTEMPT AT ESCAPE.
Any attempt of the Spanish admiral
to escape from the Caribbean through
any of the passages of the Wtndward
islands or by way of Porto Rico would
be Immediately reported to the navy
department at Washington. 1t would
| then be too late, if Sampson or Schlay
| were not already on the ground, to
capture Cervera, but just time to re-
mind Bfanco that we have not for
gotten him. Meanwhile the patroling
Of the waters off the northern coast
line and the holding Of flying SQUAD
ron in readiness for defense would
again become necessary features of
| our tactics.
In only one respect would Ceryera's
withdrawal to the open sea be of ad-
vantage to the United States, and that
would be in it's effect on the Spanish
| people at home. Such course would
be at variance with the extremely Wig
orous war policy that has been pro-
claimed in Madrid by the new cabinet
1t would clearly show that the admiral
was afraid, afraid of those "pigs" of
A