Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 June 1898 — WAITING FOR NEWS. [ARTICLE]

WAITING FOR NEWS.

Officials at Washington in a State , of Expectancy. NOTHING YET HEARD FROM SCHLEY. With Sampson Now in the Field Interesting and Decisive Event! May Be Expected at Any Moment. * Washington, June 3. —It was plainly noticeable at the navy department Thursday that the officials were expecting news of the first importance, but that they did not look for it immediately. The firmness with w’hich they have insisted that Schley could have had no general engagement with the Spanish forces, ships and forts at Santiago, as was reported, appeared to be based on a full knowledge of the plans under which the commodore is acting, and the greatest concession they I would make towards admitting that a i fight had taken place there Tuesday was to say that Schley had possibly detected some earthworks going up and had razed them with his shells. They were confident he had made no attempt to enter the harbor. It is believed now, however, with Sampson in the field and in command off Santiago with an augmented force, that interesting events : may be looked for. Troops Still at Tampa. These are expected, too, notwithstanding the fact that no troops have yet started for Tampa, as was estab- ; lished by inquiries at the war depart- | ment Thursday afternoon. The insUr-I

gents are known to be in force in the neighborhood of Santiago, and through Capt. Dorst the war department not only has been in communication with them, but has supplied them fully with good weapons and an abundance of ammunition. The headquarters of the best of Cuban generals, Garcia, are distant from Santiago only 75 miles, so that it is possible Sampson feels strong enough with their support to begin the assault by sea upon the Spanish fleet and forts without awaiting the arrival of the United States troops from Tampa. The trend of the news that came to Washington from unofficial sources luring the afternoon all went to support this belief, so there is some ground for the expectation of the officials that important information may be expected shortly. Spain Feeling Her Way. If the queen regent of Spain has instructed Senor Castillo to ask the powers to intervene for peace that movement has not yet taken any form in Washington either at the state depart- ' ment or at any of the foreign embas--1 lies. Among diplomatic officials it is thought to be quite possible that Spain is feeling her way toward securing peacq, but it is not believed this will meet any active assistance from the 1 great powers. I From n Foreign Observer. Washington, June 3.—Mr. Henry Norman, editor of the London Daily Chronicle, on Thursday night cabled his pa--1 per as follows: I "The navy department is still without 1 news of the alleged fight at Santiago, al- ; though the papers continue to supply fresh details. The probability Is that Commoddre Schley took active measures either ! to stop the Spaniards erecting earthworks, or because a Spanish ship showed herself, but that the affair has been grossly exaggerated. Whether the troops have sailed from Tampa is equally uncertain, it being asserted and denied here with equal confidence. ( • "All these details, however, are In reality unimportant. The main outlines of the situation are perfectly clear and are not likely to change. When Admiral Cervera’s whereabouts were definitely settled a few days ago, a forward movement was ordered Instantly, and Gen. Mlles left for the front the same night. If the transports are not already at sea. their departure cannot be delayed much longer. Admiral Sampson, with two squadrons under him. has an overwhelming force off Santiago. Through the indiscretion of a member of the house of representatives, the whole world now knows that 15,000 tnen are the force to be immediately dispatched. Puerto Rico will be occupied, while a combined land and sea attack will reduce Santiago, Admiral Cervera’s fa-te Is sealed with absolute certainty., Marshal Blanco will be left for another two months to •teW tn his own juice. The first transports are due at Honolulu to-day. The rapture of Manila Is a mere matter of time. Spain Should Seek Pence. “Under these circumstances. It la Incomprehensible that Spain does not make peace overtures. By no conceivable chance, short of a cyclone sending the whole Amercan navy to the bottom of the sea. can her chances be Improved, while every lay a bigger bill Is piling up against her. She must lose Cuba and Puerto Rico, but It I* within the bounds of possibility that

she may ultimately regain the Philippines by a prompt capitulation. I fancy that nobody is more surprised at her Inability or refusal to recognize the inevitable than President McKinley himself. If she procrastinates much longer, she may bld farewell to the Philippines also, but this is the only respect in which an immediate cessation or the indefinite prolongation of the war will make any difference. ‘‘The above is not a personal opinion, it is a series of facts well known to every well-informed person here. It is not only the truth, but the whole truth, and nothing will occur to alter it.” Over 124,000 Volunteers. Washington, June 3. —A few odds and ends of the mustering of the first volunteers called for by the president remain yet to be caught up, but to all intents and purposes the work has been completed. Adjt. Gen. Corbin announced Thursday- night that a few over 124,000 men had been mustered. More Transports Secured. Washington, June 3.—Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn, of the w-ar department, has secured additional transports of capacity of approximately 5,000 men for the Cuban army of invasion. This swells the total number of available vessels to over 30 with a carrying capacity of nearly 30,000 men. The ships secured Thursday will be sent to Florida ports, chiefly Tampa, as fast as practicable and*prepared for service. The chartering of the additional ships at this time is taken as an indication of the promptness with which the war department proposes to undertake the offensive operations against the Spanish in the West Indies, and of the Intention to carry out the plan indicated by Secretary Alger in his letter to the house asking for more money to be immediately available. No News at Key- West. Key West, Fla., June 3.—The latest news at Key West is, of course, that a battle has been fought at Santiago, but this information comes from New York. Every boat, whether battleship, cruis-

er, monitor, gunboat, torpedo boat, rnout or tug, is “held up” by the newspaper launches immediately after it enters the harbor. All vessels that arrived Thursday were eagerly questioned for news, but none was able to give any. The newspapers have left the Havana blockade almost uncovered, it being understood that nothing of any importance is likely to happen along the north coast for some time.