SECOND EDITION. PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 102, 2 May 1898, Page 6

SECOND EDITION. PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Neither Spain nor the United Slntes has 33 r eb shown any groat eagerness to commence hostilities in real earnest. Spain, as we liavo already pointed out, is more or less aotiug on the defensive, and so naturally waiting for her opponents to make the attack. The United Stales must now be realising their total unpreparedness for war, since they hesitate to come to close quarters with a second-rate and almost bankrupt Power like Spain. It is not that ouv American cousins lack patriotism or energy — the contrary is proved by the enormous contingent of 700,000 volunteers who have already offered their services — but the Federal Government has never felt the necessity of putting its coasts into a secure condition of defence. Now that the country has an offensive war on its hands the deficiencies of its military and naval arrangements are only too apparent, and if the present struggle teaches the United States nothing more ifc will at lejist show them that the choice lies between a self-contained abstention from all international complications, and a more careful provision for warlike emergencies. As for the Western theatre of war, we lparn on the authority of the Sydney Sunday Times London correspondent that a, body of insurgents, supported by Americans who landed during the week, has succeeded in an assault upon the town of Manzauillo, in the south-east of Cuba, while the United States ships have bombarded the port of Cabanas, some 37 miles west of Havana. The American and Spanish accounts of the damage done show a wide discrepancy. The attacking vessels declare that they destroyed the forts at Cabanas, whereas the Spaniards maintain that no damage was done by the bombardment. Such conflicting evidence is quite usual in war time, and for the present the only fact fairly proved is that an attempt, whether successful or not, has been made to bombard Cabanas. As we had conjectured, the South Americans are very sympathetic with Spain in her struggle against the Anglo-Saxon Republic, and have given concrete evidence of their sympathies by the landing of 3000 volunteers in Cuba. So far, the United States have accomplished little in the direction of driving the Spaniards out of Cuba, and it is more than ever apparent that the Avar must be decided at sea. Both east and west the hostile fleets are drawing to closer quarters, and before long it is almost inevitable that i we should receive news of naval engagements in the Pacific and Atlantic. It would be premature to speculate with the information to baud on the probable results of these battles, but it must be borne in mind that the Spanish squadrons are powerful of their kind, and said to be well manned, munitioned, and equipped. The Americans, therefore, must not expect the " walk over " that their Jingoes have been so ready to bolieve possible. The movements of the belligerent fleets in the Atlantic are not very clear, but the Americans would seem to have despatched a flying squadron to co-operate with their North Atlantic fleet in opposing the Spanish ships from St. Vincent. Presumably the St. Vincent Spanish Squadron is the same as that sometimes sfcyled in the cablegrams the Cape Verde Squadron. In the Philippines the two fleets are within 00 miles of one another off Cavite, a port near Manila. A London cablegram states that Spain is well supplied with coal, having obtained delivery of 170,000 tons before the commencement of the war. Should this be the cuse there must have been some error about the shortage reported in earlier advices. Among other news connected with the war is the passage through the Lower House of Congress of a War Revenue Bill for raising £20,000,000, and also o£ a Bill for raising tlae tonnage dues on foreign shipping. The latter, as can easily be understood, is strongly protested against by foreign Powers. Great Britain still preserves the strictest neutrality, and has seized contraband of war on the point of leaving the United Kingdom. It is only a strict adherence to the rules of neutrality which will save general complications, and it is to be hopeu that other European Powers will refrain from following the example set by the Emperor of Austria.