Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-06-02
WAR !!


to be expected, we would scarcely
know the country was in great strug-
gle. None would have the hardihood
to believe it. but for the fact that Ad-
miral Dewey in the far Pacific began
the performance with an impressive
lesson some weeks ago, but here near
the real seat of the supposed conflict
everything has been as quiet as a May
morning, and a most ploodless conflict
has been waging with the strategic
board at Washington on the one hand,
and their coadjutors the daily papers
on the other. The President startled
the public last week by calling for
rs, 900 more troops, and the war expen-
ses on last Thursday ran up to $5,OOo,-
900 for that day, so it is presumed that
the treasury will be raided and cap
tured whether Havana or Porto REQ
are or not.
The call for addition al troops is be-
| ing responded to, and it will consist OF
men who volunteer for the occasion in
preference tothe established military
Organizations, as the President seems
a little weary of the manner in which
some OF these have behaved.
| Admiral Sampson and Commodore
SchleY have been reported to be look
ing for the Spanish fleet, but that par
ticular piece of Spanish property has
way of disappearing which reminds
one of the ancient tales of phantom
pirate fleets, and now the country
| begins to wonder whether Spain ever
had fleet. and whether or not her
mendacity in this regard was not as
great as in many other respects. The
torpedo boat, the Terror, was known
to be coaling at Port de France, and
some of our ships awaited her coming
out of the harbor. But if she ever
came she was one of those ''ships that
passed in the night for they have
never seen her since.
It was also reported that the Span
| ish fleet under Admiral Cervera was
bottled up in the port of Santiago.
The hills are very high about the
mouth of the harbor and it was i'm
possible to see through them or over
them, but somehow it seemed certain
that the Spaniards were in that harbor
bottled up and.the cork in the bottle.
1t now seems that the Spaniards had
a cork screw aboard and have used it
and have successfully drawn this
much talked of cork and are no longer
in the bottle, but are sailing the deep
blue sea where neither the powerful
Sampson, nor the foxy Schley can dc
them harm. 1t has also been stated
that in little while the Spanish bat.
tie ships would be found sitting about
the ocean like ducks with cholera
unable to move because their coal sup
ply was exhausted and they had nc
place to replensih.
But the lame or sick ducks have moi
been numerous, in fact the first one il
yet to be picked up. 1t was also
thought in many quarters that as soor
as the Spaniards knew our ships were
on the sea they would do like Davy
Orockett's coon, come down and give
up, and that as soon as they herd o
our army MODELLING they Eoaic SEM
il flag Of truce and surrender. unless
| they had ali ia the mean time died Of
starvation owing to our blockade q
Havana. But this has not come to
pass, and instead, we fnd our CUR
boats growing more shy and the coasi
OF Cuba lined with Castilians wherevel
we approach it. The Queen has not
been assasinated nor has she fled TIE
country, and the bread riots, and the
uprising of the Carlists have not Gu
tirely overthrow the home govern
ment. Our armies have not dared put
a foot on the pride of the Antilles and
notwithstanding the indomitable crav
ing of the Yankee to delve into every
thing and create unrest and disquiet
everywhere the bones of christopher
| Columbus have not yet been disturb.
ed.
The first exchange of prisoners took
place last week when Hayden Jones
and Charles Thrall, the newspaper
correspondents captured by the Span
iards in Cuba were exchanged for
Lieut.. Col. Vicente de Cortijo, and
Surgeon Major Julian and two SER
wants, captured by the United States
fleet on board the prize steamer Argo-
nauta at the outbreak of the hostili-
| ties.
Spanish spies about Key West have
been very active during the week and
additional precautions against them
b ave been taken.
There is~still some doubt about the
annexation of Hawaii. 1t would seem
measure, but there is both Republican
and Democratic opposition to it.
Speaker Reed is opposed to it and
carries Of course large following with
him. The President Is said to be anx-
ious for the annexation to take place,
and if it is not done by Congress he
Will seize it IS war measure, a right
said to be guaranteed him by all act
of 1856.
The very latest reports are that any
doubt remaining as to the exact Ioca-
ton of Admiral Cerveras fleet was re-
moved by reports brought in by naval
scoutships and forwarded in the As
ISOLATED Press dispatches of Saturday
night.
The Spanish squadron is anchored
in the harbor of Santiago, and the
problem remains for the commanders
of the American fleet to dispose of the
enemy, either by corking up the bottle
or by forcing the long, narrow passage
and smashing the strong Spanish
squadron at the anchorage its coM-
mander has chosen.
1t has been the opinion of Admiral
Sampson that Admiral Cervera would
seek either Santiago or Cienfuegos as
q naval rof.1Oa and base and the