The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 16, 1898, Page 1

”'d/‘,\“\fs pape! m \ 3 xa\&e"‘ fro ; i bhe * y © ihrary rhe AL e S JME LXXXIII. SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, MAY 16, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS. AMERICAN SQUADRONS HEADING OFF SPANIARDS —_— SAMPSON IS NOW MOVING TOWARD THE WINDWARD PASSAGE Expects to Soon Meet or Intercept the Spanish Fleet in the Waters South of Cuba. Schley’s Flying Squadron Steaming Southward and Will Join the Hunt for the Castilian Warships, Which Are Being Coaled Call Office, Riggs House, | Washington, May 15. | Secretary that Admiral Sampson is steaming rapidly toward the Windward passage, the nar- row channel that separates Hayti from Cuba. His pur-| pose, as the Navy Depart—y! ment understands it, is to:‘ meet the Spanish fleet in the | waters south of Cuba, where it is surmised an attack upon isolated American vessels is| contemplated by the Spanish admiral. Having already covered the distance to Puerto Plata, Hayti, the American com- mander can easily reach his destination ahead of his ad- versary, and should Secre- tary Long’s theory prove cor- rect, the most notable en- gagement of the war may be fought within the next forty- eight hours. The latest re- ports from the Spanish fleet indicate that it is still at Curacoa, off the coast of Venezuela. at that port, and minor re-| pairs to ships may be made, hence the Navy Department will not be surprised should the fleet delay its departure for another day. Cable com- munication with Madrid is possible from Curacoa both by way of the French line to New York and by land lines to Pernambuco, Brazil, and thence by cable to Lisbon. The startling report current here to-day that the auxiliary cruiser Yale had been cap- tured by a Spanish man-of- war was fully discredited this afternoon, when news came direct from St. Thomas that the ocean greyhound had sailed westward from that point to-day. The Secretary of the Navy feels more concern for the Harvard, the Yale’s sister ship. She is now in port at St. Pierre, Martinique, and under the ruling made in her case by the French author- Off YVenezuela. The Navy De- n- several days. |partment was to-day Long believes | formed that the Spanish tor-| pedo-boat Terror had also en- |tered that port, “having broken down.” The Navy Department re- ceived toth good and bad news to-day —the former from Manila and the latter from Havana. Secretary Long in speaking of the advices |the Call correspondent to- {night: | “We were much gratified | to-day to receive a cablegram from Hongkong transmitting la message from Admiral {Dewey stating that he has |everything he wants at Manila, including coal, am- 3 munition and provisions. The city, he says, is at his mercy, | but we assume he will not iattempt to occupy it until his jre-enforcements arrive. The | inhabitants of Manila are re- | duced to a diet of horse flesh {and 5ooo Spaniards are en- | camped on the road between %Cavite and Manila. The in- Coal may be had | surgents have applied to Ad- miral Dewey for permission to attack the city and it has been given with the stipula- tion that no excesses of any kind shall be indulged :in." A dispatch from Hongkong brings the additional informa- tion that Admiral Dewey has captured the Spanish gun- boat Callao near Manila. The Navy Department has no ad- vices as to whether the Charleston ~ convoying the City of Peking sailed to-day, but Secretary Long said to- night he had no doubt the two vessels would be under way by to-morrow morning. The First Regiment of Cali- fornia Volunteers would, he thinks, leave for Manila to- morrow. Less anxiety is felt for the early departure of the expedition to the Philippines, now that it is known that Admiral Dewey is weil fur- nished with war -supplies of every kind. To-day discouraging news ities she may remain there comes from Havana. Reliable from the Philippines said to| | gents. advices state that since the blockade began the treatment of the reconcentrados has been even more inhuman than before, and that at the present time only a remnant of them survive, and these are doomed to an early death by starvation. The President is deeply affected by this in-| formation, as he has alway s cherished the hope that suc- cess would crown the efforts of the American arms in time to render substantial aid to the wretched people in whose behalf the war with Spain was begun. The failure of the steamer |Gussie to land her cargo of arms and provisions was a great disappointment to the President and is emphasized by the latest reports to the effect that Blanco has suc- ceeded in throwing up sev- eral miles of serviceable earthworks along the Cuban coast which will add to the difficulty of landing and com- municating with the insur- The condition of the poor on the island may te judged from the fact that the French Consul at Santiago has wired his Government that he is in need of food, which must be forthcoming at once. % News has also reached the administration that the rainy season in the island of Cuba has set in earlier than usual and that much sickness has resulted. This information is specially discouraging to the War Department, which is making every preparation to invade Cuba with a big army the moment Sampson dis- poses of the Spanish fleet. Surgeon-General Sternberg takes a cheerful view of the prospect, however, and de- clares that with the precau- tions that will be employed very little is to be feared by the invading army. But on every hand the fervent hope is expressed that Sampson will lose no time in finding and destroying the Spanish ik squadron. L L L T o rd — % 3 ™ AT SCENE OF THE EXPECTED SEd BATTLE. Birdseye View of the West Indies and Adjacent Waters and Coasts, Showing the Telegraphic Cable Lines Connecting With the United States and Europe, With the Positions as Last Reported of the Several American Squadrons and the Spanish Fleet. FLYING SQUADRON IN BATTLE ARRAY ‘Commodore Schley Makes a Very Brief Stop at Receive Orders. =g CHARLESTON, S.C.,May 15.— Commodore Sehley’s flying squadron passed here at 5:30 this afternoon, stopping just long enough to receive orders that were awaiting on board the lighthouse tender Wisteria. The squadron was under full head- way again in fifteen minutes and soon passed out of range to the southward. Nothing could be obtained from the naval district commander as to the destination of the squadron, but the impres- sion prevails that it is bound for Key West. Commodore Schley reported all well. ON BOARD THE FLAGSHIP BROOKLYN of the flying squad- ron off Charleston, S. C., May 15.—The four vessels of war, com- prising the major portion of the flying squadron, arrived off Charleston bar, nine miles from Charleston city, at 4 o'clock this afternoon, after having been at sea three days, and having seen no sign of the Spanish cruisers or tor- pedo boats, said to be in this locality. The pilots were dropped at Cape Henry on Friday night, and the squadron pro- ceeded to sea at a ten-knot squadron speed. At sunset active battle prepara- tions were made. Ports were closed with steel covers, battle hatches cov- ered, the main battleship’s guns loaded and men sent to the guns with instruc- tions for a night watch to be kept. ‘With all lights extinguished, the squad- ron proceeded in a southeasterly direc- tion. Toward morning several heavy fog banks were run into and during one of these intervals the collier Sterling became detached. To wait for her was partly the reason that anchorage was made, although Commodore Schley communicated at once with Washing- ton and the Navy Department. When the collier arrives all the ships will take coal and then proceed to sea again. The only incident of the trip from Hampton Roads was the holding up ot a British steamer that did not display{ its flag. The Scorpion was sent after her and soon overhauled her. She proved to be the British steamer Elsie, with a load of phosphate rock, bound for Norfolk, Va. She was allowed to proceed. There were several ludicrous incidents, mostly enacted at night, and evidently arising from lack of knowledge of the nationality of our ships, no colors or lights being dis- played. On Saturday night a swift merchantman crossed the bows of the Brooklyn. Suddenly the big warship turned on her side lights. Instantly every light on the merchantman went out and she made a run, evidently be- lieving that she had encountered the Spanish. No attempt was made to un- deceive her, and it is expected that she will report having seen a hostile fleet. On Sunday morning a schooner on they zon, bearing north toward the suddenly’ caught sight of the squadron, and, reversing her position, disappeared from view. The fleet had 308308 306 108 101 108 K 0F 108 0F 30F £ 08 308 108 8 G 3% Charleston to | splendid weather and a smooth sea. The squadron has been ordered to Key West, and sails to-night. NEWARK AS FLAGSHIP OF THE BLOCKADERS. | | Has Been Remodeled and Will Be Able to Give a Good Account of Herself. | NEW YORK, May 15.—A Washington : | special to the Herald says: It has been | practically determined to make the Newark the flagship of the blockading squadron in Cuban waters, and as soon as she can possibly leave tl.. Norfolk navy yard, where she will be placed in commission on Saturday next, she will | be sent South. Her commanding offi- | | cer will be Captain A. S. Barker, for- | merly in command of the Oregon and | now a member of the naval war board | and army and navy board. Captain Barker and his subordinate officers | have been directed to report on board | the Newafk next Friday. Captain A. S. Crowninshie..., chief of the bureau of navigation, has succeed- ed in collecting a crew for the vessel, so that she can proceed to sea within a few days after her entrance into active service. As a result -~ the aiterations made*to the Newark, she is considered by naval experts to be the finest of her tonnage and class afloat. She is now armed with a formidable battery of twelve six-inch rapid-fire guns, besides smaller guns, and will be able to give a splendid account of herself in an en- gagement with Spanish men-of-war. As a result of the orders given Cap- tain Barker, the army and navy war board will dissolve, and it is proposed to place authority for drawing up plans of defensive operations of a military and naval character by cfficers on the ground, so that they can take such ac- tion as developments may make neces- sary. ———— SPAIN FORT!FYING THC CANARY ISLANDS. Vigorous Preparations to Meet an Attack by a Fleet of Amer- ican Ships. SOUTHAMPTON, May 15.—The Brit- ish steamer Gault, from Table Bay on April 23 for this port, via Teneriffe, Canary Islands, arri d here to-day. She left Teneriffe on May 9, and on that day martlal law was declared on the island. Captain O’Donoghue, one of the pas- sengers on board, who is on his way to Jjoin the United States arn -. said there were several thousand troops at Ten- eriffe, of which num>.er 1000 were artil- lerymen. He added that 800 engineers and 6000 men were working day and night, throwing up breastworks and bastions to double the strength of the fortifications at all vulnerable points. The captain said it would take a strong fleet to take the island. He believed the waters of the harbor were not mined and said the Spanish soldiers were of excellent physique and a. fine a body of mien as he had ever seen %% K % % * FH K K K KRR K K KKK KK KK PLANS TO CRUSH CERVERA’S FLEET But Sampson’s Task Will Be Enemy i NEW YORK, May 15.— The Herald’s Washington correspondent telegraphs: How to ‘“capture or destroy” the Spanish fleet now in the Caribbean Sea is the great war question of the hour. Offi- cial information was received by the State Department this afternoon from Consul Smith at Curacoa that the Spanish squadron intended to leave there to-day, and it is the be- lief ‘of the Naval Board that it is now or soon will be on its way to a point where its colliers are lying. Our fight- ing and flying squadrons are in quest of the enemy. They are maneuvering for desir- able positions, while the Naval War _oard is the di- recting power. This is the situation to-night, a situation liable to great change with- in the next twenty-four hours. It is improving every moment of time given it, as a result of the present location of the Spanish men-of-war. The Naval War Board was in session to-day, and when it adjourned at a late hour the members were confident that they had taken every precaution that their naval experience and best judgment dictated to defend their country and bring an early defeat to the enemy’s force. On account of the lack of reliable information concerning the Spanish fleet, the Naval War Board has been greatly handicapped in its work of preparing the plan for encompassing its destruction. As the Herald has stated, it was informed some days ago from an English source that col- liers carrying coal had left England before that Government declared neu- trality for the coast of Vene- zuela. It develops to-day that in- stead of two colliers, as has been be- lieved, there were four of these ves- sels, carrying about 8000 tons of coal, sufficient to recoal every ship of the Spanish squadron. It is believed by members of the board that the arrival of the Spanish squadron at Curacoa was due to the. n sity of communi- cating with the colliers in order to appoint a rendezvous along the Vene- zuelan coast, where the coal can be taken aboard without interruption from American ships or heavy sea. It is estimated by naval experts that the enemy’s men-of-war have practically exhausted their supply of fuel, and that before making any other point they must recoal. This operation, it is expected, will occupy at least two days, so that after the men-of-war leave Curacoa it is not . oA K K N K W N KR K MW B KRR KKK KKK Most Difficult to Engage the n Battle. expected that they will be again | heard from before the middle of the | week. Official advices are to the effect that seven Spanish men-of-war are off Curacoa. This number is some- what surprising, in view £ the fact that the fleet when it left Cape Verde consisted of seven ships, and one of this number, the Terror, is at Fort de France, Martinique. It is believed in naval circles that the place of the Terror has been taken by one of the small gun vessels which fled from Cuban or Porto Rico waters upon the approach of the American squadron. Taking advantage of the little light thrown on the movements of the Spanish fleet by their appearance off Curacoa, the authorities are mak- ittt B ADVERTISEMENTS. i The newly | wedded couple step through the door of the fu- ture. They pass from the happy, thoughtless present into an H |l avenue of possi- ! bilities. The fu- ture is what they make it— what their health makes it —happy or mis- erable —a suc- cess or failure— full of the love and brightness and joyfulness of mutual love and heipfuiness, and healthy, rosy, rollicking children, or, tortured with pain and sickness and mutnal fault-finding and dependence, and lacking the binding tie of henlthr happy offspring. A world depends upon Mhe young wife. If she has taken proper care of herself and is healthy in a womarly way, the probabilities are all in fa- vor of a happy home flled with the music of childish langhter. 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