The Taney County republican., 1898-06-09
Neutrality-suspicious..
The Navy Department Looking Tor
Important News from the
Fleets at Santiago.
ATTACK BY LAND AND SEA LOOKED FOR.

ATTACK BY LAND AND SEA LOOKED Fur.
Sampson Feels Strong Enough. by the Aid
Of the Insurgents. to Make an Attack
without Waiting for Troops from Tam
pa-A Spanish Protest Ignored by the
Canadian Authorities.
WASHINGTON, June 3.-It was plainly
noticeable at the navy department-yes-
terday that the officials were expecting
news of the first Importance, but that
they did not look for it Immediately.
The 6rmness with which they have in
sisted that Schley could have had no
general engagement with Spanish
forces, ships and forts at Santiago, as
was reported, appeared to be based on
full knowledge of the plans under
which the commodore is acting, and
the greatest concessions that they
would make towards admitting that u
fight had taken place there tuesday
was to say that possibly Schley had
detected some earthworks going up
and had razed them with his shells.
They were confident he made no
attempt to enter the harbor. 1t is
believed, however, with Sampson i'll
the field and in command off Santiago
with an augmented force, that inter-
esting events may be looked for.
These are expected, too, notwithstand
Ing the fact that no troops have yet
started from Tampa, as was estab-
lished by inquiry at the war depart
ment Yesterday afternoon.
Tho m hp n,
force in the neighborhood of Santiago,
and through Capt. Dorst the war de.
partment not only has been in com.
munication with them, but has sup.
piled them fully with good weapons
and an abundance of ammunition.
The headquarters of the best of the
Cuban generals, Garcia, are distant
from Santiago only rs miles, SO that it
is possible Sampson feels strong enough
with their support to begin the assault
by sea upon the doomed Spanish feet
and forts without awaiting the arrival
of the United States troops from
Tampa.
The trend of the news that came to
Washington from unofficial sources
during the afternoon all went to sup
port this belief, SO there is some ground
for the expectation of the officials that
important information may be ex-
pected shortly. The Spanish govern
ment has made a protest to the British
authorities against the shipping of
Canadian coal from British North
America to San Francisco for the re-
lief of the ships of Admiral Dewey's
fleet at Manila. and also against the
shipping of coal from Nova Scotia to
Atlantic ports for use by the United
States war ships operating in the West
Indies.
In view of the ruling by the British
government that coal was cOntraband
of war, this protest by Spain might
have causel cOnsiderab BILE embarrass-
ment, as the Canadian coal is consid-
cred by the naval authorities to be a
superior article for the use of our ships.
1t is only short distance from
the British North American coal
fields to San Francisco and the Nova
ScOtian coal fields are easily accessible
to Atlantic ports. 1t is understood
however, that Spain's protest has not
proved of any avail. The subject was
referred to the Canadian authorities,
who, upon investigation, learned that
che coal shipments, both from British
North America and from Nova Scotia,
were in the ordinary course OF
commercial transaction. They were
made by private parties in
Canada to private parties in the United
States. Whether the coal subsequently
passed into the hands of the United
States government for use by the
American navy was held to be outside
of the province of the British and Can
adian authorities. 1t is probable that
any direct sales to the navy depart.
| ment would have been stopped, as
these would have been manifestly a
breach of the neutral attitude main
tanned by the British government and
its colonies, including its North Amer.
lean Possession.
If the queen regent of Spain has in
structed Senor Castillo to ask the pow
ers to intervene for peace, that move
ment has not yet taken any form in
Washington, either at the state de-
partment or at any of the foreign en-
bassies. Among the diplomatic Off
Gals it is thought to be quite possible
that Spain is feeling her way toward
securing peace. but it is not believed
this will meet any active assistance
from the great powers.
AS one leading diplomatic official
said yesterday, Spain finds herself in
the same condition of isolation that
France was in 1s7O-7l. At that time NJ.
Theirs. afterward president, went from
capital to capital seeking to secure the
cooperation of Europe with France,
but his mission was a failure. The
mission of Castillo is said to be like
that of Theirs, and the diplomatic
officials believe it will meet with
the same fate. 1t is known that Spain
has counted most on arousing the ac-
tive interest of France, but has been
unsuccessful, as France does not care
to act alone.
Dreadful DestitutiOn at Santiago.
CAPE HAYTIEy, Hayti June 3-N,;