Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-12

washington, May 1.-THE Navy
Department is in almost hourly eX-
pectation of advices from Admiral
Sampson. What the character of
these advices will be the officials
do not intimate, but they expect in
teresting and important news. 1t is
rather matter of surprise to them
that the press had not already re-
ceived information from the squad
ron via st. Thomas, and the fleet
dispatch boats which accompany
SIMPSONS squadron. Notwith-
standing the cable advices to the
effect that the Spanish flying
squadron has rejoinedy the Spanish
home squadron at Cadiz, the naval
strategy board is by no means as
sured on this point, and it is believ-
ed that while Admiral Sampson has
been placed in possession of the ca
BILE reports he has been warned not
to accept them as absolutely con-
elusive as yet. In this state of af-
fairs the only prudent course of ac-
ton by the department would seem
to be to confer upon Admiral Samp-
son full authority to exercise his
own discretion in his movements,
and it is believed that this has been
done. A possible limitation was a
request that he hold himself in
readiness to furnish an armed con-
voy for troops for Cuba.
The strategy board is carefully
preparing its plans for an assault
upon Havana by sea in connection
with the regular army movement
by land, the work being rather of a
preparatory nature and not COM
hitting the department in any way
to final adoption of this plan. 1t
has been represented that the fleet
with safety might assemble to the
extreme east Of the Spanish fortifi-
cations at the entrance of the har-
bor In that position it would be
exposed to attack by only one bat
terry at the end of the line. The
entire feet could enfilade this bat
terry and destroy it in short order.
The attack would be followed down
the line of shore, taking one bat
terry at a time and thus reducing to
a minimum the exposure of the
ships while bringing a terrible con-
centration of fire upon the batteries
in turn. One naval officer who was
consulted upon the subject guaran-
- L, .1-
all of the Notifications one after an
other within two hours. 'It would
look like knocking down 2xow Of
bricks said he
The army movement on Cuba is
now fairly launched and to-day's
news developed a concerted effort
all along the line to begin agrees
sive operations on big scale for
the ejectment of the Spanish troops
and government from the Pearl of
the Antilles.
An order given this afternoon by
the War Department for the pur-
chase of 100000 ratiOns is an
earnest of the scale on which pre-
parations are making for invasion
of SPANS territory.
Of this vast quantity, One-fOurth
is to go to the Philippines by way
of San Francisco, and the remain
der to Cuba.
1t was again announced to-day
that the commanding general with
numerous staff would leave Wash
ington tomorrow directly for
Tampa. To-day's news in connec-
ton with the renewal of General
Miles orders to Tampa is pretty
substantial evidence of very early
movement of troops in strong force
to Cuba, while the Philippine pro-
gramme of course has been defin-
itely fixed for some days.
Contrary to expectati&s the day
again passed at the Navy Depart
ment without news from Admiral
Sampson. Notwithstanding what
appear to be confrmatory news
paper advices relative to the pres
ence of the Spanish Cape Verde
fleet at Cadiz, the Navy Depart
ment officials are beginning to en-
terrain strong doubts of the accur-
acy of the report. 1t was not pos
sible during the course of the day
to obtain anything like an official
confirmation of the official report
received yesterday, but this is not
success which the Spanish govern
ment has so far met with in keep
ing secret the movements of its
naval ships. Until news comes