The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-06-11
Compiled Daily from the Government and
Press Dispatches.

Press Dispatches.
On the theory that Admiral Cervera and
his feet were in the harbor of Santiago, com
modore Sampson had the Merrimac, loaded
with 600 tons of coal, sunk across the chan
mel at the mouth of the bay. The city lies
five miles from the sea, and the channel lead
ing into the bay is very narrow. In order to
bottle up Cervera fleet the scheme of sink
ing the Merrimac was conceived. As matters
stood, because the bay is mined, it was dang
erous for the American ships to go in and
attack the Spanish fleet. The men who sunk
the Merrmac were fired upon, so they rowed
toward the Spanish vessels and were captured.
1t was hazardous undertaking as the Merri
mac was in danger of being blown up by tor
pedOes.
On Tuesday it unsupported that the Amer
standing it had been completely blocked"
by the sinking of the Merrimac, thus shutting
in the Spanish fleet and shutting out the
American.
Wednesdays news from Manila says that
Aguinaldo, the insurgent leader, has been
pursuing a campaign of brilliant success.
The latest developments there are that he has
captured Jmus, the principal interior town OF
Cavite province which is important because
it will form highly advantageous base of
supplies for the rebels. There has been hot
fighting, in which the insurgents have shown
great bravery Since he landed at Cavite,
about two weeks ago, Aguinaldo has captured
1000 Spanish prisoners and has subjugated
the entire province of Cavite His men are
now well armed.
American naval men returning from Ma
Mia say that Admiral Dewey has that city
under complete control and can lay it in ruins
at any time. Subjugaton of the Spanish
forces in the Philippines. they say, will be
easy.
The monitor Monterey in tow of the tug
Brutus, left San Francisco Tuesday for the
Philippines.
Admiral Sampson sent dispatch to the
Navy Department in Washington Tuesday
night. stating that he had bombarded the for
tifcatoms at Santiago de Cuba Monday morn
ing and ''entirely silenced them. A DIS
patch from Admiral Cervera was received IN
Madrid stating that the damage inflicted upon
tie batteries Of La Zocapa and MORO Castle,
Santiago, was unimpOrtant, but that the bar
RACKS at MORO suffered damage. The Span
ish Admiral admits that his side loss
killed and "a wounded.
Unofficial reports state that the American
forces landed troops near Santiago ana that
these troops repused the SpanardS. who
tried to dislodge them.
1t is reported at Cape Hayden that the
first-class armored cruiser Maria Teresa was
sunk on Monday by the fire of the American
ships.
The steamer BeIgic, at San Francisco Tues
day from the Orient, via Honolulu. reports
having sighted the feet of transports bound
for Manila about 125 miles east of Honolulu.
The cruiser Charleston had arrived there May
40 4 1 al ~ thn coil
ing of the Belgc, on June |.
Brgader General Greene is to command
the second Philippine expedition.
The Astor mountain battery left New York
Wednesday for San Francisco, on the way to
the Philippines.
The monitor Monterey and collier Brntus
sailed Wedmeyday from San Francisco to JON
Admiral Dewey squadron, at Manila.
The Fourteenth Pennsylvania Regiment
has been assigned to duty at Fort Mott, New
jersey and to Fort Delaware; the Fifteenth
PENNSYLVANIA Regiment to Sheridan Point,
Virginia, and to Fort Washington, Maryland,
and the Eighteenth Pennsylvania regiment
to Delaware City and Alliance, Ohio, to guard
the gun works.
CAPTAIN General Banco has cabled to Mad
rid that the blockade of Havana has been so
relaxed that merchant vessels are entering
and leaving Havana and other ports quite
easily" On the strength of this the Spanish
Cabinet has decided that no effective block
AIDE exists, and will so notify the Powers.
Thursdays papers say that it is reported
that five American war ships forced the en-
trance to the Bay of Guantanamo, early Tues
day morning, and opened fire on the tortifca
tons of Caimanera The Spanish were forced
to retreat to the town proper, and it is sup
posed that later they fled from that position.
The Spaniards have been ordered to burn
Caimanecra before yielding ii. lt;was feared
the Americans would make an effort to land
forces. AT last advices the fleet was still
maintaining its position.
A dispatch from Cape Haytien says the
Americans and insurgents have formed june
ton near Santiago, and that land attack on
that city is momentarily expected.
Dispatches received i'll Madrid from Cap |
tain General August showed the hopelessness /
OF the Spanish situation in the Philippines. |
The Captain General reports that he is cut off .
from communication with the provinces /
that Cavte has completely rebelled; that |
the insurgent natives have entered Manila /
Province. and that the capital will be |
attacked by land and sea. A member
of the Madrid Government said yesterday:
''We could send 5000 troops to the Philip |
pines, but if the natives are against us such
a force would be inadequate
One object of Admiral SIMPSONS attack
on Santiago to prevent the Spanards
from making a successful attempt to remove
the obstruction of the channel caused by the
wrecking of the Merrimac Now that the
batteries are slenced, one or more ships can
be placed close to the entrance to the harbor.
A semi official note published in Madrid,
to give an account Of the bonn
bardment at Santiago, admits the sinking of
the cruiser Reina Mercedes.
The Spanish cruiser EiZcaya and the tor
pedo boat destroyer Furor are reported to
have been badly damaged during the bonn
bardment at Santiago on Monday.
Thursday kilograms say that General
Shafer has already embarked $4,000 men at
Tampa, Fla, and that another expedition
will leave on Friday. 1t is likely that these
expeditions will be delayed at Key West to
await convoy of strong naval vessels, as
there are rumors that several unknown Span
ish warships are lowering around the coast OF
Cuba.
A chart of Santiago harbor. furnished by
the insurgents, shows Admiral Cervera's ships
close under the guns of a shore battery.
Admiral Sampson has personally COM
mended for bravery Ensign Leigh G. Palmer
of Missouri who, while on tour of inspec-
ton, approached within one hundred yards
of the Spanish guns at Santiago under a hot
fire.
A special cablegram from Cadiz, sent by
way of Gibraltar to avoid Spanish censorship,
states that the Cadiz feet has steam up and
will be kept ready to sail at moments notice.
t is said that the fleet may not sail at all,
because of political considerations.
A report that several Spanish warships
lave forced their way into Havana harbor
las been received at Key West.
There is strong probability that the aux
liary cruiser Dixie, which is manned by
Naval Militia, will be sent to San
iago.