PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 125, 28 May 1898, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

The American authorities, although still . somewhat dilatory in their operations against i the Spanish, appear to be steadily closing iv ■ ion Cuba and the fl^et under Admiral . Cerveras*. The President, after consultal ; tion with the Naval Board and the welli j known expert Captain Mahan, has decided; tit is reported, to expedite the Americac l ■ advance. Admiral JSehley, who is in coini ■ mand of the squadron co-operating witli Admiral Sampson,, reports that Cerveras's ; fleet is. blocked, in Santiago dc Cuba. Ad miral Sauipson has been qrdered to Havana , and the Oregou, wh ich has*t last come v p the coast of South America without encounteri ing a hostile squadron, is to join his command i Thus it would seem that a close blockade is i to be made both of Havana and of the Spanish fleet. If the American Admiral can capture or destroy Cerveras' fleet, Cubs i will be entirely open to American troops i aud the war must iuevitably end soon, i The desperate straits to which the Spanist Government is reduced is seen by its impressing as cruisers all steamers over 100 C tons. This looks like abandoning th< i "pitched" naval battle for the isolated cutting off of American shipping bj i merchantmen, armed and fitted as Govern ment warships. Since privateering ii . not to be allowed, the Government a: , a substitute is impressing merchantmen foi

'. it? own service. Another sign of Spain's r> coming collapse is the division in the c Cabiuei, which prevents the Treasury from ' s increasing the war fund. The tale, too, told 1 at Hongkong by the captain of the Don , Juan de Austria about the utter unprepared2 ness of Admiral Montiojo's fleet at Manila, - leads to the inference that after all Spain is s no better prepared for war than the United / Slates. Her only hope lay in striking hard t early in the contest before the Americans r were ready, but the opportune moment has ' s passed,aud the upshot of the war is now a fore3 gone conclusion. The most interesting part i of the problem now is, what is to be done when 3 the Avar is practically over ? The New York f correspondent of The Times infers from the 1 President's call for volunteers that his r Government intends to hold Cuba, Puerto I Bico, qnd the Philippines. •It is most unl likely that the European Powors would \ submit to American aggrandisement to this ) extent without serious protests, and the ) United States will undoubtedly be forced to ! fall back upon British sympathy if they * really intend to annex the whole or part of ' Spain's dlouial empire. • ■ » — — —