Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-14
A COMPLETE CHANGE
Governments Offensive Plans
Temporarily Abandoned.
SENDING OF TROOPS DELAYED
Why schIey Was Ordered
SPAIN'S FLEET TOO CLOSE,
Fo Send IA Landing Force to Cuhu Now
Would Expose the soiue.s t.
Great Peril. Another Ma
val Engagement s:A-
p-cttd Don.
SPA|N'S FLEET TOO CLOSE.
(By Telegraph.)
p-cttd : Don.

WASHINGTON, May ia complete.
change has taken place in the offensive
l'liilis OF the government Th, receipt
OF the news from Sampson ui his at
lack ON the forts at San Juan, and the.
news OF the actual kresence OF the
Spanish flying squadron OFT Martinique,
only 5u0 miles away from Sampson.
anu less thaN LOCO miles from Havana
caused the dispatch to;the lying squad
ron under cotnlnudore Schley, and the
delay OF the invasion OF Cuba 1t is
| 10 The navy that the government again.
looks FOR Il battle that may end llu.
conflict.
The news OF the Spanish fleet re-
Ve;tled 1T once the possibility that !,
quick movement ON the part OF thu.
iiect would cut the line of cummunira-
ton by water between Cuba and Key
West. exposing to great peril amy
American landing force that might, be
caught between Il superior army in
Cuba ana the sea patruilcu by Spanish
cruisers. 1t became necessary, there
fore. To defer The departure OF the ul:l
itary expedition from Florida until I'M.
Spanlsl fleet is met ana crushed ~
driven from West Indian waters The
Navy Department wired Sampson IN
formation of the approach Of th,. span
ash fleet and directions what 10 do and
another order flashed to Schlcy. who
had been eating out his heart at Hnmp-
wi Ae'eiNl" III HIS ttSefNtSS u Scl INTO
the fray. I" start with his vessels at
the earliest possible moment. The
commodore took no oh nee OF Il cancel
lation Of this highly uesira BILE order.
but at 3:45 o'clock had put himself be-
You'd telesraphic recall. What is eN-
Eected of him cannot be disclosed At
the Navy Department. ana naturally is,
purely a matter Of conjecture.
SIMPSONS fleet is strong enough UNI
aided To overcome The Spanish flynn <
squadron if he can ever catch it out of
reach OF Qualifications. His fleet how :
ever is lacking in speed rs compared
to the Spanish vessels, and corporation
on the part OF the lying squadron
would add Very much to the chance of
cornrrins The SpanardS and forcing TIL.
fight, which is believed to be necessary
tn the success of tile Cuban camnai gi.
as now planned.
Much regret is expressed among ma
Val officers at the delays experienced
in communicating With Sampson. ana
it could not be learned ut the Navy De-
partnent whether the Admiral had lc
tually received the important advircs
as to the movements of the Spanish
fleet that have been dispatched to him.
Doubt on this source is founded on tn"
experience the department has al
ready had with the cables received to-
day from the West Indies. 1t was sta
ted positively at the close OF office.
hours liltl no Ntlu usit come during
the day from Admiral Sampson. save
the one telegram sent out this morn
ing telling of the attack on the forts at
San Juan
1t can be stated that there is good
ground for the belief that the admi-
raj has achieved all that was expected
of him or that WAS necessary tn carry
ont the plans of the strategic board
Word came to tfan department during
the afternoon that the injuries sus-
tanned by the Winslow We're of such q
nature that they could be repaired AZ
the Key West naval station. and from
this although no details were given
the department officials inferred that
the damage was not extensive.
II is the opinion Of the naval officials
that the bombardment of San Juan did
not materially dcplete SIMPSONS stock
of ammunition.
In case the fleet should require addi-
tional ammunition. it would have to be
sent from Key West. where the Navy
Department has a large stock in re-