The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-27
CAN CERVERA ESCAPE?
NAVAL sTRATEGIsTs SPECULATE
ON THE SPANISH POSITION.
Wecent NaneUvers az Key west
show that II II impossible to
Pass the blockade.

Washington. May 20 Naval officers are
now turning their attention to inquiries
whether it ~ possible for Admiral Cervera
to get out of Santiago harhor They hold
that this vancouver Is impossible, and,
that being so. the career of the Spanish
admiral s NJ an end so far as 1t con
sttutes q menace against our ships The
'Syi,sh comment that Admiral Hornby In
rsS5 escaped with his entire fleet from
hnrbor under similar conditions aud that
Admiral Ceryera should he able to make
his escape when be gets ready to do so.
is not accepted The naval authorities
view hero Is just the contrary. 1t Is
from an open bay. while Admiral Ceryera
must come through a narrow channel.
about 400 yards wide on which the Ameri-
can search lights will play constantly II
is said this Is not mere opinion, but that
naval mancuvers were carried on at Key
West and Dry Tortugas few months 90
which furnished n positive demonstration
that Admiral Cervern can not make an
exit without being destroyed
An officer who was on board one of he
American ships during the Tortugas move
loats was made on the big battleshps
and Cruiscra The latter we're given no
notice of the projected attack and there
Yves no extra guard such as the American
ships now maintain But every torpedo
boat engaged In the attack was discovered
long before 1t was within striking dis
,ahoe OF he cruisers and battleshlps One
OF the attacking torpedo boats was SO be-
wildered by the search lights that II nearly
ran into n cruiser. The lesson drawn from
this attack was that Il night sally bv an
enemy was impossible owing TO the nodern
methods uf discovering the approach 1t
had shown also that The attacking fleet
coulu not come within range. although they
| hal come Within the range OF The guns
on the ships attacked, II Is said that these
| manenvers at Tor,ugas and Key West rep
resent the situation hefore Santiago. II
! CetVera sent out his torpedo boats as
| scouts they would be detected before they
| could do damage and destroyed by tho
shali Guns OF such cruisers as the Mont.
Sohrry. Tho American ships would have
me advantage Of concentrating their en-
| IRE IRE on one small passage about 500 feet
| wide.
night battle is quite unusual in naval
annals but II has occurred The Con-
stellation fought the Revenge at night. the
engagement continuing six hours In the
! darkness, during which time th, main mast
of the Constellation was carried away ana
| the ship crippled. 1t is believed that II
| Admiral Cervera attempts to vscape he
VIII choose The night for this movement.
| on the other hand. naval officials ere
discussing the means the American com.
mandsr may adopt to make exit impossible
In the blockade at Charleston harges trll
| OF stones were sunk at the channel en-.
| trance, cutting of ingress and egrcss A
| lew old hulks would serve the purposc In
| TIE present case. There Is difficulty IN
getting such old craft and the sinking OF
a d,relict at the proper point in the chan.
nei would be attended with great danger
| II must be tewed to position, subiectins
those in charge to danger OF mines and tor,
pcuoes There are also the guns OF Morr,
! castle to be rrardod against. II is under
STOOD, however that MORO castle has n,
search lights so that a night operation o
this character could not be executed with
out the. Americans were made aware O
IT, Taking everything into account tn,
naval Officers feel that Admiral Ceryer,
committed fatal blunder In being trappe,
at santiago and that there is no fear IN,
trap VIII prove Inadequate 10 hold him.