The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 27, 1898, Page 1

The =Y 4 VOLUME LXXXIIL.—NO. 178, SAN FRANCISCO, FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS. VIEW OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, LOOKING SEAWARD.| | HAVANA'S DEFENSES ARE SOON TO BE BOMBARDED - s This Shows the Morro Castle on the Left and Socapa Point on the Right, With the Spanish Cruiser Vizeaya and the Torpedo Destroyer Furor in the Foreground and the American Men-of-War in the Distance Watching the Enfrance. HAVANA IS SAMPSON’S OBJECTIVE ON BOARD THE ward, presumably to jeBaReBeReFeRageReReReReRuPeRoRoRoR-RuguRugayay.] That Admiral Sampson should turn back at this seemingly critical juncture indicates that Admiral Cervera has helped our navy out of its dilemma by putting himself Into a neat pocket at | Bantiago de Cuba and handing the key At any rate the | to Commander Schley. most formidable danger yet met by the United States naval forces in this war has apparently come to an end for lack of an object. Admiral Sampson has massed a pow- erful fleet to crush the enemy only to learn that the enemy has kindly crushed himself. The cruise of Samp- son’'s fleet has already occupied six . including the time occupied in getting our ships together. As the sun rose on Monday the wind abated some. T les off Havana early Monday morning a cluster of spars and smoke indicated the whereabouts of the fleet. As the De pproached we could nake out the New York, Indiana and | nearly all the gunboats on the Havana blockading station. The monitors had disappeared. The cruiser Montgomery had come up from Key West and Com- modore Watson had transferred his pennant to her from the Mayflower. After long continued signaling the New York about 11 o'clock turned and head- ed eastward along the coast. The In- diana fell in just behind and then the Mayflower, Newport, Vicksburg and Wilmington Slowly the line of warships steamed along with the Dewey in their warke. Cojimar was passed, then Matanzas and then Cardenas light was given a wide berth to the south. At Cardeyas, a big black cruiser came cracking along from the northwest and joined the pro- cession. It ~roved to be the New Or- leans, just from the north. She was fol- lowed by the gunboat Machias. At last the fleet was off on its mission in the teeth of a gale, which covered the decks with spray. During the night, which was another stormy one, the Dewey lost sight of the fleet. No lights were shown, and we were warned not to come too near. When dawn of Tues- day came not a ship was In sight, but gbout noon the entire fleet was made PATCH BOAT ALBERT F. DEWEY, OLD BAHAMA CHANNEL, May 25 (via Key West, Fla., May 26).—Judging from the recent movements of Admiral Sampson’s fleet the United States naval longer have any anxiety concerning the Spanish Cape Verde squadron. game of hide and seek along the northern coast of Cuba, which consumed several days, the prows of the flagship New York and her consorts are again turned west- perhaps, to take a prominent part in the long-delayed invasion of Cuba. | turned and followed the fleet HERALD-CALL DIS- authorities no After a threaten Havana, or, | gait. During the night the fleet had come up with the monitors Puritan and | Miantonomah, which had been sent | ahead owing to their slow. speed, and the torpedo boats Ericsson and Rod- gers.. This force was soon augmented by the arrival of the cruisers Mont- | gomery and Marblehad, and it began to look Iike a real fleet, bent on real busi- ness. On Tuesday afternoon the big schooner Supply joined the fleet, and veral hours were passed in distribut- ing provisions among the various ships. Night had again fallen when the fleet moved on eastward. Just at dusk the gunboat Wasp came up from the west and delivered dispatches to the admi- ral. As the fleet moved eastward red and white signal lights suddenly flashed from the signal vard of the New York, and all the other vessels immediately answered. As the war- ships rocked gently on the swell of the waves the signal la gracefully ith their strings of con- antly ginz lights. The intense gloom séemed accentuated by the flag- ship’s electric signals and nothing of the vessels could be seen except the waving lanterns. Like fiery specters of the night they moved away on the scout for the Spanish fleet. the lights winked their mysterious message and went out and then there | was left not a trace of the fleet. All Wednesday morning the fleet lopped along to the westward, idly re- tracing its path. The position was at the junction of old Bahama and San- taren channels, and seemed well chosen to intercept an enemy who sought passage to the Atlantic coast of the United States. The morning passed In this manner, the fleet not moving more than five knots an hour. The cruiser New Orleans about noon deserted her place with the flying division and went alongside the New York. After an interchange of signals at close range the New Orleans turned and soon disappeared eastward, going at a sixteen-knot gait. Shortly after the Vesuvius steamed ahead in the di- rection of Key West, after taking some dispatches from the flagship. The mo- notony of the afternoon was broken by the arrival of the monitor Amphitrite in tow of the transport Panther. They stward along the Cuban coast. When the Dewey left the fleet this afternoon it was just off Kay Francis, where it commanded three channels, but it wasJ booy 58 but dead ahead golng along af an easy | slowly moViNg ) feReRaReRaReRaRuReRuRaRaRaRaRaFagegegaFoReRaae] Gradually | MAY_ SdIL. .. ROM C@DIZ TO | NEW YORK, May 26.—A Washing- ton special to the Herald says: Spain’s Embassador at Paris has informed the French Minister for Foreign Affairs that Manila is the prospective destina- tion of the squadron mobilizing at Ca- diz. From an official source in France this report was received by the au- thorities to-d. The statement was coupled with the announcement, how- ever, that the information was laid be- fore the French Minister by the Spanish | Embassador under instruction from the Ministry which recently went out of office, and that as the new Mihistry was leveling considerable criticisms at | the work of its predecessor, the plan as he authorities here were informed may | have been changed. In any event, according to informa- tion received, it is extremely doubtful if the fleet can be got in a conditfon to sail under another week, and probably | longer time will be necessary to put it | in satistactory condition. The machinery of several vessels is reported to be out of order on account of lack of skilled men. The battery of { the armored cruiser Carlos V is also not | in satisfactory condition. Workmen are | employed day and night in making the necessary repairs, and every effort is being made to get the ships away from Cadiz as quickly as possible. Naturally the report that the Spanish Government h.d informed France that the destination of its fleet was Manila was the cause of some comment in of- ficial circles, but until further informa- tion comes regarding the decision of the new Ministry the authorities do not propose to waste very much time in worrving over the matter. In view of the bottling up of the | Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago | de Cuba the authorities say -that it | would be absurd for the .paniards to send their reserve squadron to the far east and they believ: their plans will | not be carried out notwithstanding the | information was given to the French | Government. The action of Spain in | keeping France informed of the move- | ments of her fleet aroused a good deal of suspicion, and it is believed to be indicative of good relations existing be- tween the two governments. ‘With the Monterey and the Charles- ton attached to his fleet, Rear Admiral Dewey, it is believed, will be able to take care of the Spanish squadron if sent against him, and meantime the POVVPPPPPPPOOOOPOSOPOOS® MANILA authorities will send a naval expedi- | tion to bombard the Spanish town. Within the next few days it is ex- pected that an effective move will be taken to drive the cork into the bottle in which Cervera’s men-of-war are lo- cated and whose mouth {5 being | sharply watched by Schley, and the | taking of such action will result in/ placing at the disposal of our Govern- ment a fleet of armor-clads which could ‘ be dispatched to Spain before the Cadiz squadron could get through the | Suez canal. GIBRALTAR, May 28.—The warships | at Cadiz, forming Spain's resgerve squadron, under command of Admiral Camara, are busy testing their guns | and machinery preparatory to their de- parture from that port. Their destina- | tion cannot be ascertalned Larg: quantities of coal continue to arrive at | Cadiz. MADRID, May 26.—It is currently re- ported here this afternoon that the Spanish Government has ordered all the steamers of 1000 tons up, capable | of making a minimum of twelve knots | an hour, to be impressed as auxillary cruisers. The Spanish Commissioners at the varfous points, it is added, have been instructed to take charge of such | steamers, whether mailboats or other- | wise. PROHIBITS THE EXPORTATION OF ARMS Copyrighted, 1898, by James Gordon Bennett. HONGKONG, May 26.—Acting for the British Government, Governor Sir Hen- ry A. Blake issued to-day in the Ga- zette an extraordinary decree prohibit- ing for six months, from May 28, the exportation from the colony of arms, ammunition, gun powder or naval and military stores, unless by special per- mission, granted under local ordinance. This s d continuation of the procla- mation issued on November 25, last, owing to the importation into China of supplies from Hongkong for secret so- cleties. It has no special significance in regard to the Spanish war, but it will hamper the Philippine insurgents in obtaining supplies. - No Action on Spain’s Note. NEW YORK, May 26.—A dispatch from London says: The powers have decided that no action shall be taken on Spain’s recent note requesting them to protest jointly against the Cuban blockade. Copyrighted, 1898, by James Gordon Bennett, KEY WEST, May 26.—Five ships of Commodore Schley’s. squadron entered the har- bor of Clenfuegos on Tuesday and steamed all around it without drawing the fire of any Spanish battery. Then the warships filled their bunkers with coal. This news was brought here by a torpedo-boat, which came to Key West from Clenfuegos at full speed, bringing dispatches from the Commodore. tering Clenfuegos harbor the fleet established communication with the Insurgents, for whose use 30,000 rounds of ammunition were landed. The Insurgents were found in need >4 of shoes, and thirty pairs were contributed to them by the American sallors. ,0_0_6:0,3_3_0_;00_,0,:9‘.0.2_0_)& 9000090000090 000000000000000¢000000000¢ BATTLE-SHIP OREGON ~ WILL FIRE TRE FIRST ' SHOT AT OLD MORRO While Schley Holds Cervera’s Fleet in Check Sampson Will Begin Active Hostilities. 0000 A dispatch was recelved to-day from Hayti, stating that the Spanish fleet had left Santiago and had gone to Cienfuegos. It was reported in Wash- ington that the War Board was sum- moned to the White House immedi- ately upon the receipt of this cable- gram, and that our naval plans were completely upset. It was very apparent that important news of some kind had been received from the West Indies, for General Miles and the War Board were hur- riedly summoned by telephone. It is said to-night, however, that if there was at any time to-day a disposition at the Navy Department to credit the Haytian report later advices must have been received, for this evening there is the same confidence manifested that there was yesterday. Naval experts | declare that it would have been impos- sible for Cervera’s vessels to have elud- ed Schley, and that they could not have sailed before his vessels arrived before the harbor without being observed by | our scouting cruisers, three or four of which were patroling the south coast of Cuba, between Cienfuegos and San- tiago. The War Board's confldence that Cervera is imprisoned in the harbor is | best shown by the fact that at the White House conference to-day a hydrographic chart of Santiago har- bor was exhibited. This showed that the narrowest point in the channel, near the harbor's mouth, is less than one-sixteenth of a mile in width, while there are only flve fathoms (thirty feet) of water, there being barely a sufficient depth to accommodate the passage of a modern man of war draw- ing 27 feet. This is between Estrella battery on the east side of the harbor and Canovas Point on the west side, and is only a half mile from the open sea. It would, therefore, be possible for one or two of our battle-ships standing out to sea to prevent the en- 's egress. en';'sk'lls hfvlng been settled to the satis- faction of all present it was decided to push the Cuban military expedition. Different reports seemingly reliable have for the last day or two located Admiral Sampson’s squadron off Ha- vana and before Santiago; but the truth probably is about half way be- tween these e: tremes. He was known to have sailed east from Havana on Monday morning and the supposition was that he sailed south through the Windward Passage and joined Schley at Santiago. It appears now that he has been cruising in the old Bahama channel, off the northeastern coast of Cuba, where he could be within easy sailing dis- tance of either Havana or Santiago and at the same time intercept Cer- vera’s squadron should it by any pos- 0000600000006 600000000000000606000006060060660600000600600606250¢ SCHLEY'S SHIPS IN CIENFUEGOS HARBOR. On the day before en- P00 P0000900000000060606¢ S (4] |2 that the Administration g [ (4 [} 3 of Havana. © [+] [x] [ ° end to the siege. o o [x] CALL OFFICE, RIGGS HOUSE, WASHINGTON, May 26.—Now is fully convinced Schley is in a position to keep Cervera’s fleet locked up or to destroy it, Admiral Sampson is to be directed to begin at once the bombardment of the fortifications that protect the harbor Simultaneously a force of 25,000 or 30,000 men will make a land attack upon the Cuban capital. of the Cuban capital, either by surrender or reduction, will put an These details of a new plan of campaign were decided upon to-day at the White House during a council of war, in which the members of the Naval War Board, Secretary Alger, Secretary Long and General Miles participated. sfble means elude Schley and strike | for our Atlantic seaboard. But now that Schley has| the hostile fleet locked up, | Sampson will return to Ha- vana and immediately com- mence the bombardment of | Santa Clara and Morro Cas- tle batteries. By the time| they arereduced the 25,000 | or 30,000 troops now ready | for embarkation will be landed in Cuba. It is believed there will be no im- mediate invasion of Porto Rico. It was at first suggested that Sampson while | in the Bahama channel should be di- | rected to return to San Juan and com- plete the work he was engaged in when | the presence of Cervera's fleet in West Indian waters called him hurriedly home to mobilize. | It was argued that Spain would not | send her reserve fleet across the At-| lantic with Cervera’s locked up and her | only remaining base of supplies (San Juan) destroyed. This plan may yet be adopted, although at the White | House conference to-day it was agreed that it would be better to mobilize as large an army as possible in Cuba with- out sparing any troops for Porto Rico at this time. This would leave San Juan open for the reception of Spain’s reserve fleet, and it was argued it, too, | might possibly be locked up. | A naval officer said to-night: “It| would be strange indeed if after an- | nihilating Montijo's fleet at Manila and bottling up Cervera in Santiago we should succeed in imprisoning Admiral Camara also.” A report reached Washington to- night from Key West that a vessel ar- riving there had heard heavy firing in the vicinity of Havana. It is not prob- able that our blockading vessels would begin a bombardment until Admiral Sampson returns. Besides it is understood here that the Oregon will be allowed to fire the First shot at Morro Castle when the bombardment begins as a reward for her gallant cruise around the Horn. At last accounts the big battleship | had arrived at Key West from Jupiter | Inlet, Fla. —_———— ADMIRAL CERVERA IS SURELY TRAPPED There is No Possibility of the Es- cape of the Fleet From Santiago. ‘WASHINGTON, May 26.—Naval ofi- cers are now turning their attention to inquiries whether it is possible for Ad- miral Cervera to get out of Santiago harbor. They hold that this maneuver is impossible, and being so, the career of the Spanish admiral is at an end, so far as it constitutes a menace against our ships. The British com- ment that Admiral Hornby, in 1855, had escaped with his entire fleet from a har- bor under similar conditions, and that Admiral Cervera should bz able to inake his escape when he gets ready to o s9, is not accepted. The naval view here is just the contrary. It is pointed out that Admiral Hornby escaped from an open bay, while Admiral Cervera must come through & channel about 300 yards wide, on which the American | guards such as that Commodore Only the capture Q0000000000000 C0C00N0000C0CO searchlights will play constantly. Tt is said that this is not mere conjecture, but that naval maneuvers were car ried on at Key West and Tortugas a few months ago which furnish a posi~ tive demonstration that Admiral Cer- vera cannot make an exit without be- ing discovered. An officer who was on board one of the American ships during the Tortu- gas movement says a sham night ate tack of torpedo-boats was made upon the big battle-ships and cruisers. The latter were given no notice of the pro- Jected attack and there were no extra the American ships now maintain. But every torpedo-boat engaged in the attack w discovered long before it was within striking dis- tance of the cruisers and battle-ships. One of the attacking torpedo-boats was so bewildered by the searchlights that it nearly ran into a cruiser. The lesson drawn from this attack | was that a sally by the enemy was im- | possible, owing to the modern methods | of discovering an approach It had shown also that the attacking fleet | could not get within range, although | they had come with the range of the guns of the ships attacked. It is said that these maneuvers at Tortugas and Key West practically represent the sit- | uation before Santiago. If Cervera sent out his torpedo-boats as scouts they would be detected before they had done any damage and destroyed by the small gunboats. The American ships would have the advantage of concen- | trating their entire fire upon one small | passage. e A night battle is quite unusual in naval annals, but it has occurred. The Constellation fought the Revenge at night, the engagement continuing for six hours in the darkness, during which the main mast of the Constellation was carried away and the ship crippled. It is believed that if Admiral Cervera at- tempts to escape he will choose the night for this movement. On the other hand naval officials are discussing the means the American commander may adopt to make exit im- possible. In the blockade of Charleston barges full of stones were sunk at the channel entrance, cutting off ingress and egress. A few old hulks would serve the same purpose in the present case. There is difficulty in getting such - old craft and the sinking of derelicts at proper points in the cnannel would be attended with great danger. They must be towed to position, subjecting those in charge to the danger of mines and torpedoes. There is also the guns of Morro Castle to be guarded against. It is understood, however, that Morro Castle has no searchlights, so that a night operation of this character could be executed without the Spaniards be- ing made aware of it. Taking every- thing into account naval officers feel that Admiral Cervera committed a fatal blunder in being trapped at San- tiago and that there is no fear the trap will prove inadequate to hold the Span- ish warships. AMERICANS MUST 'HAVE PATIENCE If They Desire a Naval Battle Before Invading Cuba, So Says Sagasta. NEW YORK, May 26.—A Madrid dis- patch states that Sagasta says there will be no fight at Santiago unless Cer- vera desires it. The Americans will find the Santiago forts and ships very different from those destroyed at Ma- nila. If the Americans are waiting for a naval battle before attempting to in- vade Cuba they will need, he says, con- giderable patience.