The Spanish Fleet.

Manawatu Herald, 24 May 1898, Page 2

The Spanish Fleet.

The war news is beginning to get to the point which "no fellah" can understand, if it is true. It is but a week ago we were informed that the Spanish fleet was off Martinique, and as the American Captain Sam« son was then busily employed in knocking Porto Rico about, which island is half-way between Martinique and Cuba it was thought he must have been able to have intercepted it, but the news we get from Mudrid is that the fleet has succeeded in reaching Santiago de Cuba, the former capital of Cuba, which is on the south coast, and has a fortified harbour, with foundries, factories, &c. We were also told that the Spanish fleet only consisted of four large vessels and that Captain Sampsons squadron was a much larger one. While the Spanish squadron was making up to Cuba, and Captain Sampson's ships were shelling Porto Eico, the northern American tquadron had apparently given up the blockade of the north coast of Cuba and put into Charleston, a place a long way off his beat. The orders he received there were to proceed immediately to Key West. Admiral Schley would not have moved off his cruising ground for nothing, and he has been either short of coal, though we should have imagined coal would bave been sent to him, or his ships have received more knocking about lhan is generally known by the forts of the ports of Cuba he has visited. The Spaniards will naturally be elated at the success of their strategy and, if it is again true, that three more armoured oruisers have also been sighted off Martinique, probably Santiago de Cuba was made the place of rendezvous. The Americans have yet a very tough case to handle, as if the Spanish ships meet, they would be quite a match for the united American fleet. Affairs at Manila lock none too bright either for the Americana as the Spaniards have a fleet of twelve vessels sailing f_>r the Phillipines, and there are not many American ships there, nor are the islands in the possession of either the Americans or Spaniards. The more the Spaniards show an equality with the Americans not only will the war be prolonged, but other Powers are bound to be brought into the trouble too.