The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-27
mo AUTHENTIC NEWS
NAVY Officials Say They Know
Nothing Of the Fleets.
THEY THINK CERVERA IS BOTTLED uP
However, They Appear to Be Anxious
to Hear Definitely.
no START MADE FOR CUBA.
Officers Afraid to Risk Move un'
til After the NaS' Fight
IMPORTANT CONFERENCE WAS HELD.
no START MADE FOR CUBA
IMPORTANT CONFERENCE WAS HELD.
Secretaries Long and Ager ana
General Miles and the War board
Meet at the White House.

Washington, NAV 26.-SecretaTy Long
said at the close of office hours today that
no word had come from any OF the SCOUT
ing vessels so numerous in the West In
dian waters concerning the Spanish hylns
squadron, wherefore he concluded that Ger
vera was still IN Santiago harbor. sup
posedy Schley is lying outside watching
the entrance to prevent the egress Of the
Spanish vessels but while there is evil
dence of certain kind on that fact there
has been no official confirmation Of 1t. rms
is a little remarkable in view OF the tact
that 1t is only days run for one oil
Sohley's swift torpedo boats from Santiago
to cable port in Hayti. There is also
a curious lack of information from the
newspaper dispatch boats on this point.
1t was supposed that the cersors might
have expurged from the dispatches OF the
newspapermen any references to the fleets.
but this would apply, according 10 the
statement Of the navy department officials,
| only to that part of the dispatch that might
relate to the movement AMI Whereabouts
OF the United states forces and the censor's
| rules WOULD DOl eNCluue reteltHCS W tue
Spanish squadron
notwithstanding the officials profess tn.
shaken confidence in their original belief
| that the Spanish squadron is securely bot
tied up III Santiago harbor. there is no
concealment by them of an intense desire
to secure some absolutely trustworthy in
formation on that point. 1t is not to be
| doubted that with the question still open
| that the beginning Of military operations
| is retarded, for as long as there exists a
possibility OF The Spanish naval force be-
| ing at large, there Is an ndisposition to
start the troop ships for Cuba. Probably
this induced the president to call a con
| sutaton at the White House today be-
| tween Secretaries Alger and Long, Gem
eral Miles and the military and nayai board.
| 1t was stated by some of the members OF
the conference that the purpose was to go
| over the whole situation from the Philip
pines to Cuba and Porto Rico and decide
| just how far the plans already laid should
| be modified to meet existing conditions.
This invested discussion with such points
as the propriety of the immediate advance
of the military forces on Cuba. The uredi-
bllty OF the adViCes SO far had touching
the location OF the Spanish squadron, the
accompanying the Cuban expedition by one
directed against Porto Rico, the troops to
be sent to Manila, etc. The proceedings
We're rather in the nature of consultation
than of war council, where full decision
Is demanded at once, SO 1t Is not probable
that these Important questions will be dis
posed of at the council. None of The mem
hers Of the conference felt authorized to
tell what took place at the conference,
There was a lack of news today from
Admiral Dewey and this convinced the
tlauN ~, ~
tie credence placed in the Madrid report
of an accident to the Baltimore
In the rush of military preparations the
war department officials have not boen
able to give much attention to the regula-
lions for the procurement of the 5000
additional volunteers called for yesterday.
1t is still uncertain Just how far the Ma
| tional authorities Will so toward recruiting
these forces themselves nor is 1t known
whether independent organizations, ETC..
| raised by individuals will be accepted en-
bloc, as by so doing the department is le-
| quired to accept the officers with the men
Indeed, it is questioned whether under the
law the department could, IL il would ac-
cept the services under such conditions.
| as the governors of the States appear to
be the only persons authorized TO issue
COMMISSIONS below the regimental grades.
There are many other questions to be SET
tied before the regulations can be met
Fortunately, In the Judgment OF the de-
partment officials, due notice having be N
| gwen to the people of a decree for more
troops by the governors there is no oc-
casion for haste in deciding upon details
IN view of the fact that the full draft Of
men called for under the first proclamation
had been secured
The department officials were engaged
today largely with the examination of
law providing for the organization OF GER
tain independent forces with the rasr,t
that 1t was unable to announce regula-
tons governing the examination of an
plieants for commissions In the engineer
regiments and organization for the i'm
mune regiments
GENERAL LEE At TAMPA.