The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-17

De caile0 TO account in the most en-
phatic manner, and while the evidences
OF French sympathy for Spain are only
too numerous, it is not believed that
actual support woul go to this extent.
Admiral Sampson, also, Is fully sup
piled with coal. He has less ammuni-
ton than when he started from the
Cuban coast, for the three hours bonn
bardment Of San Juan depleted his
magazines. At the same time supply
boats are at hand, and there Is every
reason to believe hat he has sufficient
to blow the Spanish fleet out of the
water. So little anxiety is felt on this
accou t that no effort has been made
to Sc i him fresh supplies from the
stores at Key West.
Fleet for fleet, Sampson has the best
ships. His two monitors, the Puritan
and Amphitrite, two b~attleships. Iowa
and Indiana, and two cruisers, New
York and Detroit, are much more effec-
tive, taken as a whole. than the four
cruisers of the Spaniards, even though
the latter are armored. while the tor
pedo boat destroyers would soon be
pierced and rendered hors de combat.
II the fight takes place off San Juan,
therefore, there need be little fear of
the result
THREATENING THE SOUTHERN
COAST.
But the Spanish fleet may not go to
San Juan. 1t nay steam rapidly along
the southern coast of Haiti and Cuba,
keeping steadily westward, and appear
again opposite Cienfuegos, the largest
port On the southern side of the latter
island. This point would make an ex-
cellent base of supplies for it's future
and it can be reached with
out opposition. It is now by
a few of the smaller vessels of the ma
wy, Of which the gunboats Helena and
Nashville ara fho most fnrn,ida hIo
and even this small force will be with
draw as quickly as the dispatches
which were sent from Key West last
night can be to the
| ships. If the Spanish fleet is destined
for Cienfuegos it may place our YES
sells in grave danger, for they have no
knowledge whatever Of the approach Of
the enemy.
SCHLEY DESTINED FOR HAVANA.
On the supposition that Havana is
the destination of the enemy, it will
be easy for it to reach that port before
Commodore Schley can get there. It
is about 1000 miles from Martinique
to Havana, but one days steaming Of
this distance has already been ravers-
ed, this advantage having been gained
by the delay in the transmission of the
advices to the navy department. a
delay which is a seperate story. Schley
cannot reach Havana from Hampton
Roads in less than three days, even if
he proceeded direct, so that when he
arrived he would probably. find the
Spanish fleet safe in harbor. The
cruisers which are now doing block
aiding duty would be powerless to keep
it outside.
Once inside the harbor, the fleet
would be reinforced by the fortifca-
| tons Of Havana-which haven not yet
| been reduced, although they might long
4 rs~oo hoxy0 hoo~ o~I - I~@A-
could sally forth at night and prove
| very harassing to the American men
of-war. There is, however, a possibili-
ty that Admiral Sampson may check
mate this Spanish move. Late dis
! patches indicate that his fleet is head
ing for Key West, n while these are
unofficial they may be true. If he is
returning from San Juan, where he
does not seem to have accomplished
the complete reduction of the enemy's
batteries, he may be in time to inter-
cept the Spanish fleet and destroy it
before it a enter Havana harbor.
THE SITUATION OF THE OREGON.
It is not beyond reason to fear that
the fleet has one to meet the Oregon.
1t is a possibility which is not over
looked. The is still far to the south,
having little more than passed the
Brazilian coast, and there is no way
IL "llSl SIX d NC VI liz
presence of the fleet. laval experts,
in their speculations, do not regard the
Oregon as in danger, but they have
| no other foundation for the belief than
the exercise of judgment. In short,
they cannot tell where the fleet will
next be heard from. It's movements
! were just as much shrouded in mys-
terry last night as when it was out on
/ the eastern Atlantic.
| If the Spanish commander has heard
! that Admira SIMPSONS attack on
] San Juan was Notwithstanding
| more, in fact, han a punishment-and
| if he knows that Sampson has left. he
| will undoubtedly make direct for that
port. There he will find supplies I'M
touched, the much-desired coal pile
still intact, n no one to stand in his
way. The cable at San Juan, hOWev-
er, is Spanish. and it will be very easy
for the fleet to be safe in the harbor,
and no word of it's arrival to reach the
outside world. The Spanish have a
way of doing this sort of thing, and it
| would not be difficult for them to worry
the naval authorities here in the belief
that the fleet had gone after the Ore
! gon when it might be in San uan har-
Dor. This contingency has presented
itself to the naval board of strategy,
and every effort will be made to get
the information, despite the efforts of
| the Spanish to keep it secret.
DID THE FRENCH DELAY AID
VICES?
An international diplomatic compli-
cation nay arise out of the appearance
of the Spanish fleet. It was stated
at the navy department yesterday that
the cipher cablegram from Captain
Cotton conveying the information of
the appearance of the fleet at Marti-
nique seemed to have been delayed in
transmission. The effect of this was
to give the enemy about twenty-four
hours advantage. The cable is owned
by a French company, and the delay.
If it can be proved to be SUCH, would
afford ample ground for a protest from
this government. 1t is said at the
state department that under the condi-
lions which secured the privilege of
landing the French cable on the shores
of the United States, government dis
patches have the right of way. If