Naval History and Heritage Command

United States Consul at Gibraltar Horatio J. Sprague to Lieutenant William S. Sims, United States Naval Attaché in Paris

Confidential.

Gibraltar, 25^th May 1898   

My dear W. Sims

          Yours of the 15^th and 20^th instant duly received.

          The party you name has not presented himself.1

          Beyond the arrival of Spanish troops in this immediate neighborhood with more daily expected, consisting of infantry, artillery, Engineers and Cavalry, part of which is destined to garrison Ceuta, Tarifa, Canary Island &c, with the constant patrolling of torpedo boats and an auxiliary armed cruiser about the Straits, nothing is going on here to call attention.

          On is now anxious to learn regarding the future movements of the Cadiz fleet under the Command of Admiral Camara2 who was lately at Madrid in Consultation with the Spanish government.

          Newspapers from the Capital with private telegrams to the local journals here, seem to believe that the Admiral’s fleet will proceed to Cuba instead of the Philippine Islands, as was first given to suppose, and that the expedition is likely to take its departure at an early date, perhaps accompanied by a detachment of marines.3 I have already wired the Department of States to that effect, but every thing is yet Conjecture.

     It is reasonable to suppose however, that the Spanish government may wish to ascertain first something about the ultimate fate of the fleet under Admiral Cervera,4 before the carrying out of further naval movements from Cadiz -

I am very truly yours.           

Horation J. Sprague.             

P.S. My last was dated the 20^th instant._