The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-21

AAeNS w
Washington, May 20.-All of the
news given out to-day at the navy de-
partment was comprised in the one
short bulletin posted at the close of
the day as follows:
1.-THE department has information which
is believed to be authentic that the Span
ish squadron under Admiral Seryera is at
Santiago de Cuba"
Accepting this statement as correct,
it indicates that there Is little prob
ability of a hostile meeting between
Sampson or Schley and Cervera imme-
diately. Looking over the charts of
Santiago harbor, the experts soon dis
covered that the place would be a ver-
table rat trap for the Spaniards with
its narrow entrance, in which single
whole Spanish fleet.
The naval startegy board re-christ-
ened the late war board, is to lose one
of it's most active and valuable mem
bers in the person of Captain Barker.
He leaves Washington tomorrow for
Hampton Roads to take command Of
the fine protected cruiser Newark,
which has just been extensively re-
paired. 1t is expected that the New
ark will join SIMPSONS squadron in
the West Indies as soon as she can get
there. 1t has not been determined who
will succeed Saptain Barker though
L. fox HI of
the name Of Admiral Ramsay, retired,
in that connection.
Another loss to the department will
occur tomorrow when Lieutenant Glib
bons leaves to serve as one of Captain
Barker's officers on the Newark. This
officer has displayed the greatest en-
ergy in securing for the service of the
navy the various naval militia organi-
cations of the states. He was obliged
to put forth his best efforts to secure
the formation of new organizations
where none existed and additional bat
talions in the states that already pos
sessed naval militia The great value
Of this work is shown by the fact that
many vessels of the auxiliary navy and
most of the old monitors that have
been commissioned for coast defense
purposes are manned almost altogether
by the naval n1ilitiamen.
Key West, Fla, May 20-7 p. m.-
The prologue has been spoken and the
curtain is about to rise on the first act
of the drama. This is the unwavering
opinion of naval men here. Dewey s
- of ie
garded as separate episode. San Juan
is already memory and the sparodic
encounters along the Cuban coast are
accepted as merely preliminary skir-
mishes, tentative rather than decisive.
The meeting of the two hostile fleets Is
the pivot upon which the situation
turns; and that few days, perhaps
hours, will bring them together, is the
universal view here at the base of OPP
erations.
This view is confirmed by the news
that Admiral Cervera's squadron has
reached Santiago de Cuba. The intelli-
gence came to-day, and if it did not
affect the situation, it was a singular
coincidence that the activity among
our ships was perceptibly heightened
and the work of coaling and provision
ing those in the harbor was rushed
with more than usual haste The ships
were surreptitiously creeping toward
the open sea as the day waned and the
ranks of naval men ashore were con-
stantly thinning, until, at dusk, there
was scarcely one to be seen. The
newspaper dispatch boats have nearly
oil deDprted with particII1ar care NOT
to lose sight of the United States war
ships.