Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1898 — SAFE AT SANTIAGO. [ARTICLE]

SAFE AT SANTIAGO.

ARMADA EVADES SAMPSON AND REACHES PORT. Madrid Report Faya Spanish Ships Have Reached Harbor on South Coast of Cuba—Admiral Sampson Joins Schley and His Flying Squadron. Now for a Battle. A report Friday from Santiago de Cuba by the way of Madrid said that the Spanish fleet baa reached that port in safety. While this news might have been given out for the purpose of confusing, it agreed with another dispatch from Kingston, Jamaica, stating that a fleet of warships had been seen from Morant Point, on the east extremity of the island, passing north toward Santiago de Cuha. Cervera could have but two purposes in putting into Santiago de Cube. The first would be to get coal, of which Spain may have a supply there. The second, to relieve the Spanish garrison of 10,000 troops stationed there, who have been practically cu>t off from Blanco and from all supplies since the blockade of Clenfuegos. These troops were dependent on the coasting fleet for thesr supplies, as there is no railroad connection between Santiago and Havana, and the country between is held by the insurgents. It would be a natural move of the Spanish admiral to try to relieve this garrison and supply it, or remove the troops, if he considered that could be done witliout meeting the American fleet, for there has been no blockade at Santiago.. fampaon at Key West. Rear Admiral Sampson, with the division of the North Atlantic squadron under his command which attacked San Juan, Porto Rico, returned to Key West, where he effected a junction with the flying squadron. He has under his orders the battleships lowa, Indiana and Massachusetts, second-class battleship Texas and armored cruisers Brooklyn and New York, which makes him superior by two armorclads to the Spanish fleet.

SAILORS SLAIN. American Seamen Victims to Treachery of Philippine Insurgents. Advices from Manila by way of Hong Kong say that the insurgents are mutually at loggerheads. Some are eager to be freed from Spanish rule, while others resent the appearance of the Americans. It is reported that a party of rebels attacked the Americans near Cavite, killing some of them and driving the others out of the villages. They removed the American flag and replaced it with the Spanish. According to report the insurgent leaders who accompanied Admiral Dewey refused to disembark, apparently fearing that they would be repudiated. Another report says that some Spaniards professing to be insurgents fraternized with the Americans near Cavite and then massacred them. Polo Secures Coaling station. A dispatch from Montreal says Senor Polo y Bernabe has secured, by cable, a coal depot near St. Pierre Miquelon, the French colony off the south coast of Newfoundland, at which the Cadiz squadron will coal previous to attacking the Atlantic seacoast of the United States, while the Cape Verde squadron, commanded by Admiral Cervera, draws off the squadrons commanded by Rear Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley.