New-York tribune., 1896-01-19
RIkER'S,
9Th AVE-. COR. 22D ST.

NO STATEMENT GIVEN OUT BY TIE ADMIRALTY
. FORMIDABLE ARRAY OF wARsIIIPs UNDER
SEALED ORDERS AND COMMISSIONED FOR
THREE YEARs-TrE ENGLISH PRESS
on THE NEW MONROE DOC
TRINE' SIR AUGUSTUS
nEMMING AUTHORIZED
TO NEGOTIATE
WITH vENEz-
rELA.
London Jun lS-All the vessels comprising the
flying squadron have arrived at Spithead. Con-
cerning the statement cabled to the United
States that the Admiralty Department had in
formed the Chicago Associated Press that the
destination of the squadron had not been deter
mined even by the Admiralty but that the ships
were certainly not going anywhere in American
waters. the United Press Is authorized TO say
that II is not true. The fact Is that the Admiral
" Department has not told either the Chicago
Associated Press or any one else anything OF the
kind. nor have the authorities Of the Department
given out any other information concerning the
movements Of the ships. All that is known by
ANYBODY concerning the squadron Is told IN TO-
days United Press dispatches.
The latest report from Portsmouth Is that
the squadron will leave Spthcad on Tuesday
for Rcrehaven and will probably proceed thence
TO Gibraltar where II will await further orders.
Ii Is questioned by some whether the Govern
rnent has vet decided on the squadron's OBJ
jeciive point and the opinion is held In some
Quarters that. having rushed Its concentration
to soothc the country during the anti-German
fever. the main purpose has been served. and
the squadron can now patrol the seas. waiting
for occurrences that may happen anywhere.
NOT FOR TURKEY OR DELAGoA BAY.
The United Press has repeatedly thrown doubt
on the statement that the dying squadron. which
went into commission on Tuesday. was destined
for service in Turkish waters. was reported
here and II was not believed By those who were
closely watching the course of affairs that there
was any intention on the part OF the Government
to send the fleet TO Dclagoa Bay In connection
with the Transvaal troubles.
Though the destination Of the squadron can
not be definitely known until IT Is near the point
fixed by the sealed orders under which II sails,
Il Is an accepted fact among the officers OF the
squadron that It's course Will be toward the West
Indies Some inkng of RearA dmira Dalc's IN
structions has certainly become known. Report
SAYS that the fleet Will proceed either To bridge
town. Barbadoes. or Port OF Spain Island Of
The officials at the Admiralty. when questioned
on the subject. protest that they are In entire
ignorance OF where the squadron will be sent.
but II can be said that In Admiralty circles II Is
understood that. as 1t has been decided TO send
the vessels to the southwest. their course will be
somewhere near Venezuela. The squadron IL
commissioned for three years. and 1t Is not In
tended that IL shall be stationed long at any one
point.
II may be OF interest to American readers To
state again the composition Of the squadron.
for Notwithstanding the fact that no official
confirmation can be had OF the report that the
squadron will go to Bermuda there IL scarcely
doubt that II 1t does not go there It's orders
will take ii to the West Indies.
COMPOSITION OF THE SQUADRON.
The squadron consists Of the first class battle
ships Revenge and Royal Oak. the hrst-class
cruisers Theseus and Gibraltar, the second-class
cruisers Charybdis and Hermionc and six tor
pedo- boat destroyers. The pennant OF Re ar
Admiral Dale Is carried on the Revenge. The
Revenge and Royal Oak sister ships. Each
has a displacement Of 14.1J0 tons and IL OF
the following dimensions Length $50 feet;
BEAM - feet: mean draught OF wafer p feet
inches Their nominal speed is 17.5 knots. and
! the thickness Of their protective armor varies
| from IS to 1G inches. Each vessel IL armed
| with four C7-ton guns mounted In barbettes
| fore and aft. and a secondary battery Of ten
| G-nch quick and thirty lighter guns.
besides several torpedo-tubcs
| The two frst-class cruisers Thescus and Glib
raltar are also sister ships. They built of
steel but wood and copper sheathed. Each
vessel is of a displacement of ZOO tons, and
their dimensions are: Length. 800 feet: beam,
50 feet: draught OF water % feet inches. The
nominal speed is 1917 knots. These vessels each
carry an armament Of two 22-ton guns. ten
| torpedo-tubes. The Hermione and Charybds
| are OF the largest type Of seoondclass cruisers.
! They have 4 displacement Of 1850 tons and a
nominal speed OF 1873 knots Their dimensions
! 6 inches: draught OF water. 10 feet. The arma- =
mcnt carried by each vessel consists Of two
C-lnch, eight A7-nch and nne lighter quick
frers besides machine guns. They are also
| fitted with torpedo-tubes.
! CAPTAIN the Hon. A. G. Curzon- Howe C.. b.
! who will be fag-captaln 10 Admiral Dale on
board the Revenge. has seen considerable SER
vice especially the East African coast
where as hag-captain Of the Bondcea and
chief Of staff to Sir X. Fremantle, who then
commanded the East India Station, he landed
with the expedition against the Sultan of Vitu
in 1890 While captain of the Cleopatra in