code: public final static int skipSpaces(final String in, final int start)
      {
          int pos = start;
          while (pos < in.length() && (in.charAt(pos) == ' ' || in.charAt(pos) == '\n'))
          {
              pos++;
          }
          return pos < in.length() ? pos : -1;
      }
docs: Skips spaces in the given String.
  
  @param in
  Input String.
  @param start
  Starting position.
  @return The new position or -1 if EOL has been reached.