Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1899-01-13
s.er., ofth. war.

One well.k-pt secret OF the war
even the President does not know.
Probably it never will he told. Meth
er the President nor Secretary AlHer
will insist upon the revelation. That
will leave the information in the pos
session OF two or possibly three men.
aud they seem to be clearly impressed
with the propriety ~ maintaining the
confidence which proved so important
during Tie VA.
On the 10Th OF May General Gree
ly, the head Of the signal service Of
the army. carried to the war room Of
the White House the Information that
Admiral Cervera had entered SantI
ago harbur. This information WIS
positive. 1t was also Il great eur-
prise. The theory OF tie War BIO uu
was that, after leaving Trinidad the
Spanish Admiral, with his swift war
ships. would attempt to relieve Ha-
vana, either by forcing the blockade
1 front Of the city, or by entering
Cientuegns on the south side Of the
island and establishing communica-
ton witt Blanco by rail. Sampson
and Schle, disposed their ships to
meet such probable movements, md
also the possible attempt at u dash
upon the South Atlantic Coast. But
the most remote contingency was
Thought to be the choice by the Span.
ish Admiral Of Santiago re destina.
ton. Yet Cervera went to Santiago.
aud the very day he arrived there
General Greedy presented the intor-
nation to the President and the Sec
etaries Of War and the Navy. An
immediate conference took place, and
messages were sent to tie naval
commanders telling them the start.
ling news. General Greely's inror-
nation WIS so inconsistent with the
the cries Of the navy that it n re-
ceived with incredulity. Neither
Sampson nor Schley acted promptly
upon it. AZ the official Dispatches
recently made public show, repeated
inaisncuo;us vera snbt froiu Wash.
iDgton for investigation OF the report.
Here, i'll Washington, General Grr,ly
stood ont siouily Tor the reliability
OF his authoritN. Al length peremp-
tory orders took Schley To Santiago
On the 10Th Of May, ten days after
Cervera he'd entered the harbor, and
the asme length Of time after the sig
nal service had reported the fact, the
navy confirmed the uews, and estab.
lished Il blockade. General Greedy
AID the signal service we're hand
somely indicated. There is rard to
have been II rather interesting eitua-
ton when the official but tardy dis
patch came from Schlpy confirming
the signal service dispatch. The
doubling Thomases Of the navy
owned up to their mistake. Some u
them hal gone 20 far as to express
emphatic disbelief OF the earlier in
formation. Naturally there was
great curiosity to know show General
Greeley had done IT. To this day
that remains n secret, and there il no
inteDtiOn OF telling tue whole story.
Some facts, however. may be given,
with the reservation OF two or three
Nance, the publication OF which, len
eral Greedy says, won!d do no good
beyonu the satisfaction Of mere curl
osity, and might do harm to the per.
o who wonid be identified.
There Is u story current in inner
circles OF the War Department that
after the accuracy OF General Gree
ly's information had been shown in
the Ceryera matter. the Presi I, nj
himself inquired from whom che neas
came. GeLeral Greedy. 50 the story
goes, replied that unltss the Prrsi.
dent insisted, he would refer not to
mention names. The President rec
oVniZed at once that the chief OF the
signal service had II good reason for
his ~retice"ce; and he never pressed
the Question, and does not know how
one OF the most important pieces OF
information Of tho whole war was
obtained.-Globe Democrat.
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