The record-union., 1898-05-29
The Power Of Mischief by the Form
er'S Fleet Is at an End.
Only Fear Of Failure to Keep the Spaaiards
Penned Up is the Possibility Of Cy-
ClOniC Storms Which Are Due at
This Season of the Year.

" ~ O@N, May 30 AiC ANcN
Department received information. to-
day which for the first time relieved
officials of the anxiety and doubt that
they have felt for the last few days,
first, that the American fleet under
Commodore Schley was outside Santi-
ago harbor, and, second, that Admiral
Ceryera's Spanish fleet is inside that
harbor. This Information came from
private sources, which naval officers re-
gard as thoroughly reliable-from the
same source that gave the Navy De-
partment the first information almost
week ago that the Spanish squadron
was inside of Santiago harbor. This
source of information has proved itself
reliable thus far, and for that reason
the news received to-day was accepted
as positive. 1t did not come from any
naval or State Department officials.
There is little doubt, however, that
it will be supplemented by official ad-
vices from Admiral Schley, if, indeed,
such advices have not already been re-
ceived, though up to the. close of office
hours the Navy Department had not
bulletined anything from Schley. The
officials were in a state of expectancy,
having learned from the press dis
patches from Kingston that the scout
ing vessel Harvard was there with re-
ports. Secretary Long went to the re-
view at Camp Alger during the after
noon, and in his absence no information
was made public.
Relying on the advices received, ma
val officials feel that the entire mill
tary situation is simplified. With the
Spaniards inside and the Americans
outside of Santiago karbor, it is said
that the power of mischief by the
Spanish fleet is at an end. One dis
tinguished officer remarked that as a
result of the information received. he
felt ten years younger since yesterday.
He said Commodore Schley could now
spare several ships from his squadron,
to permit them to join in offensive dem
onstrations elsewhere. All Schiey needs,
it is pointed out is a small force to
watch the entrance of Santiago harbor.
Two battleships and two cruisers would
be ample for this service, as such a
force would largely overmatch the four
armored cruisers in the Spanish squad
ron. In this way Cervera's fleet can be
pocketed without keeping large num-
ber of American ships out of active
service at other needed points.
In calculating upon keeping the Span
iards penned up in this fashion, the
officials have taken into account the
possibility of the dispersion of the
American blockading fleet by one of
the tropical cyclones that are almost
due at this season. The American fleet
in such a case would be obliged to cut
and run for some neutral port, or to
make its way by force into one of the
Cuban ports for shelter. In either case
there might be an opportunity for the
Spanish fleet to make its escape, pro-
vding the commanding officers are
willing to take the desperate chances
of going out in weather heavy enough
to compel the big American ironclads
to seek shelter, unless we block the
harbor by scuttling barges in the chan
mel.
On her way to this country the Viz
caya passed through some very heavy
weather, almost approaching the CYCLIC
mic, and proved that her class are able
to withstand such storms with perfect
safety
The probability that the balloon can
be made a useful adjunct of the war
is. suggested by the problem that con-
fronts Commodore Schley, if Admiral
Cervera is really bottled" up in San
tiago harbor. A practical way of as
was suggested to-day. 1t would be to
send up balloon from one of the war
ships which are supposed to be at the
mouth of the harbor on tour of OBJ
servation. This. it is believed. could
readily be done without any great risk
to the persons in the airship. From the
experience of the past there would be
no trouble in Initiating balloon which,
soaring at an elevation of 1000 feet
or more, could have ample opportunity
of observing the entire stretch of coun-
try surrounding Santiago harbor or, of
detecting the strength of the Spanish
squadron, and of noting with consider