The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-27

general the tenders he desires for landing
the heavier supplies of the army and the
siege train. He has just secured several
golfers at Key West which, en- account OF
their light draft, will serve admirably as
tenders. These have been ordered to steam
with all speed for Baiquiri. They should
reach there by wednesday. They are not
fitted with heavy derricks, such as the ten
ders carry, but have material aboard which
will enable SIMPSONS sailors to convert
them speedily into powerful lifting ma
chimes capable Of handling the heavier can
non carried by the expedition.
The story printed by an English newspa-
per of the killing of Captain Bob" Evans
ard some of his men in the coming tower
OF the Iowa by shell of the Spanish cruiser
Vizcaya is pronounced at the Navy Depart
ment to be cruel canard. No word has
been received from Sampson to-day, and
with cable line near him it is not imag
ined for moment that he would fail to
report Immediately an occurrence of such
gravity. Probably the sole foundation for
this story was the attack made about a
week ago by Sampson on the forts at the
entrance of Santiago harbor In which the
Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes was sunk
and one of the Spanish torpedo boats dis
source, and the officials of both the war
and navy departments are expecting that
numbers of such canards will be put afloat
throughout the campaign.
The Spaniards proved their alertness at
this work yesterday The War Department,
following the satisfactory example set by
the Navy Department, has instituted sys-
TEN of bulletins for the benefit of the pub
lie, giving quick and concise information of
important happenings. The first Of these
bulletins made their appearance yesterday
giving Skaters brief account of the driving
in of the Spanish OutpoStS. The newspapers
had scarcely received this information be-
fore the SpaniardS got out a bulletin from
Captain General Blanco, announcing the re-
pulse of the American forces. The war
Department officials are somewhat discour-
aged at the prospect of having to meet this
sort of bulletin service with simple re-
Through its agents in the West Indies the
State Department has discovered sus-
picious craft lying at Fort de France,
ably is trying to convey coal either to
Cervera at Santiago or to Blanco at Ha-
vana via the Isle of Pines and Batabano
Captain Sigsbee, of the ST. Paul, and some
of the other commanders of the American
scouting. vessels. have been notified and are
expected to defeat this purpose. Captain
Sigsbee yesterday warned a British ship
from seeking to enter the harbor OF san
Juan de Puerto Rico on the ground that it
was blockaded. No formal notice has yet
been given of the blockade of this port, but
the captains action is in line with the con-
struction of international law published yes
terday by the Navy Department, namely
that blockade may be initiated without
formal notice by a simple warning from
naval commander. 1t is fully expected that
this construction will be combatted If the
Spanish government can interest any or the
European powers to do so, but the Navy
Department is sure of its ground having
had the aid of the best minds in the de-
partment in framing the blockade regula-
tons.
The notice from Spain that the govern
ment OF that country has succeeded in pur-
chasing three powerful armored cruisers
gains not the slightest credence here. No
European nation possessing such vessels
dare be guilty of the violation of neutrality
involved in the making of such sale. If
any vessels have been got it is probable
they were only merchantmen, bought with
a purpose to convert them into armored
transports by the addition of few guns.