THE BATTLE OF HAVANA. WHO -WILT, WIN ?

Otago Witness, Issue 2308, 26 May 1898, Page 24

THE BATTLE OF HAVANA. WHO -WILT, WIN ?

Two m*3D in this rity (is&ys the Sjdney Herald) whose interest in the war developments is mere personal, and more intense consequently than that of the general public, hod widely divergent views as to the prob&blo outcome of the anticipated D&vel battle off Havana. Colonel Bell, the Uuifcd State* consul* is higWj' elated Hi tha turn t-,vcs»ta h&ve ec iar taken. He ascribe the victory of bis eoupfccyjsjen at Manila, mainly tc their naLional character, aad regarding that as; an enormous reserve of strength loofrs forward with confidence to a second trial of strength in Cuban water?. " There is," he ray*. " the old Briiish str&ia still dominant. -Oar people ars a nn-ticn unto themselves ; bufc, like their ancestors, the British, they Lave all the qualities to command success. And then we hay» geuerais. We are uofc going to hurry over the Cuba*.* battle. We can wait and lira tho Spaniards oufr. No one ■will now say that we do nob like to force the fightiDg ; tha,t might have been g*id before our flesfe, far away from its ba?e, carried the war into tbe enemy's camp at the PflilippineSj but nofi now. yet,, too ranch hurry is a dangerous fora of tactics gomefcicces, and if Amerioa can wpiij the Spanish out. at Cab& without loss of life so much the better. Bufc if there is to be a bottle, I feel confident we must win."

Bufc the question" arises : Will .Spain permit itself to be worn out by waiting ? Mr F. B. Fteehill, the Spanish consul here, who is tbe second ot the " tno*t interested men,' 7 thinks.it will not. " Spain has tho better savy," be said yesterday, " an<3 if she meets America on anything like fair terms cs to otLe/r couditions I doubt very mush whether America will beat her. In a grand clash Spain's strength should prevail. It is said that America csn play round, aDd even after the commencement of a battle her fleet can run for Key West to recuperate if the game goes temporarily against her. Now, wben Bpiiinis readj'to begin in earnest in Cuban waters she will force the fighUug in the hope of blowing the American flees to pieces. She musfc fight quickJy because of her dj«tdvantag« in tbe matter of coal supply. As for the American fleet seeking the temporary shelter of Key West, that is more easily said than done, because once the fight commences there will be very little chance of either side getting *wny if ifc is at all weakened — if, iv other words, it* object is to recover strength . No, I do not see a palpable victory for America in a gsrand battle off Cuba."