Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-18
A SPANISH CRITICISM
Lleut. sobral, the Naval Attache Here
Publishes Newspaper Article.
Gossip I'm Diplomatic Circles Over His
Action in Commenting ON Coast
Defense Weakness.

Diplomats are engaging in mild gossip
over the action of Lieut.. Gutierrez Sobral
naval attache of the Spanish legation, in
writing an article for Spanish publica-
ton in regard to the weakness of the coast
deferses of the United States. Copies Of
the article have been received here, AMI
have been the subject of much comment.
ii is even minated by some sticklers that
the Spanish lieutenant has violated diplo-
matte propr!eties, and may possibly become
persona ron grata TO the administration.
On the other hand, it is pointed out that it
is clearly within Lieut.. Sobrals duties 20
obtain all the Information he can as to the
strength. condition and resources of the
military and naval forces of the United
States. Such are the I Sual duties of mil
itary attaches, and the military and nav al
officers CT he United States attached TO
foreign embassies and legations are doing
the same thing for the benefit OF this gov
trn'n mt 1t would therefore appear that
Lieut.. SobIa offending was not in collect
ing the Information. but in forwarding it
10 an unofficial publication.
The Article in Question.
The El Marcial a Spanish newspaper,
gives the following account Of Lieutenant
Sohral's article:
Tine weekly Por Mar TERRA G3y Lard
and Sea- publishes an article by I.ieutcn-
ant Gutierrez Sobral, naval ettache of
Spain 10 our legation in Washington, upon
the condition Of the coast defeTses OF :iic
United States. He considers The Mort 4
American squadron reduced IN strength
and numbers by reason OF the fact that
1t has to guard four thousand miles Of
practically defenSeless coast.
The establishments for the construc-
ton Of gups,' he says, have not given al
together satisfactory results
Referring to the lack of defonses Of
the coast, Lieutenant SohTal says: 'BoS-
ton, New York and San Francisco are the
only ports where any modern guns are
mounted. But neither in number nor cali
Der can they completely defcnl those pop
ulous cities. The guns OF modern cruisers
could completely reduce Boston.
If squadron has difficulty in entrr;r :
New York harbor by way Of Sandy Hook
1t can easily get in by way Of Long Island
SCurd. Access to ships under construction
at Philadelphia is easy
In confederation of these assertions
Lieutenant Sobral cites this declaration cf
General Miles: AS for defense, Savannah
nas none. Old fortfications, half destroy
ed. are located there, and these are value
less for defense. Mobile and Gdlh cston
are in the same condition. Nothing las
been done at Portland. 1t is said that we
alone are not sufficient. Ships can ap-
preach near enough to cities to lombard
them
.Lieutenant SobraI includes this state
ment from the same Official: a ship pre-
scnts a very small target, while city Of
feTs very large one. Artillery officers
recognize that, although Boston is de-
Tended 10y mortars, the city could be bonn
barded with 10-inch guns IN sufficient mum
bers.
referring to the lack Of fortificat tions
on the Pacific coast, Lieutenant Subral
speaks Of its defenseleSS condition by cit
ing the opinion of Senator Wilson of Wash
inston, who states thai England could take
possession of Puset sound and the coaling
station built in the Straits Of San Juan del
Fuca without trouble
1naSmuch the article Is really little
more than a reproduction of reports and
utterances of American officials, which
have been published far and wide in the
newspapers of this country, il is not re-
garded as at all probable that the adminis-
tration will feel called on to take any Of
ficial cogniZaEce of the matter.
No Official Notification.
The attention of the State Department
has not been officially directed to the case
Of Lieut.. Sobral. Ordinarily, if the subject
were deemed worthy Of complaint, the uS
itiatve woull he in the shape of representa-
tons from United States Minister Taylor
at Madrid 10 the State Department, stating
the fact of these publications; but so far
nothir & has been said of the matter beyond
some gossip in the diplomatic circle in
Washington and it is likely to end there.