Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-05-15
in CASE Of WAR
Our Navy Would Easily Sweep Spain's
Ships From the Ocean.


New York. May 14.-The World says
Should the United States and Spain e
TO war; the battles would be fought frs
on the high seas and afterwards or
the island OF Cuba.
1t is altogether probable that tht
warships of each nation would attempt
to lombard the great ports of tho
other If the war continued for any
time. but operations would begin, In
all likelihood. with an assault by the
United States on Havana and other
Cuban strongholds and the mobiliza-
ton of Spanish forces for defense
Any suggestion that the United
States would ever seek to send an in
vading army into Spain, or that Spain
would attempt to send an invading
army into the United States, seems
too improbable to entertain.
1t would be the navics that would
first have 20 meet. and so far as mod
crn fighting ships are concerned, the
United States has the advantage four
to one. Furthermore, the pick of the
United States navy are now where they
could he quickly sent to Cuba.
The most formidable fleet Of war yes
sells ever brought together by the
United States government is now
gathering in New York harbor, and
viii soon all be here. This fleet, which
is under the command Of Rear Admiral
Bunoe. would be able to make quick
work of the fleet which Spain has in
Cuban waters and II would take Spain
"A. t.l. .,s.,-
fleet there.
First and greatest of the available
American fleet is the battle ship In
diana. Spain has only one warship
that can in any way compare with her
the Pelayo--which has n complete
telted armor of steel varying in thick
ness from lis to i7.7 inches. The In
diana has steel armor reaching In
some places IS inches In thickness. Her
displacement is 1921 tons. and the dis
placement OF the pelayo is 1900 tons
III speed Tho Indiana has an advan-
tagc OF nearly three knots an hour
The armament of the Indiana is fat
superior 10 that Of the Spanish battle
ship. She has four l2-inch guns. two
in the forward turret and two aft. ar
-h'frrNN 80 pane NAs@a4h III hAfiT ~
bart,etta and six finch ruick firing
EGoo tons, four 7.s-ineh. six A. and
il machine guns, with 1--WE torpedo
tubes.
The cruiser Reina Mercedes. 3.o9f
tons, six 50. two 2.7-inch. 10 rapld-fire
guns and five torpedo tubes.
one torpedo destroyer and seven tor
pedo boats.
In operations on the island of Cuba
Spain would have all the advantage al
the beginning as she now has an army
there of about $50, 600 men she has q
standing army at home In times of
peace of 10000 men and in times a.
war of isG. 900 men. Her colonial forces
would add another quarter of a million
to her total army strength. She has g
service Is compulsory. of more than
30 600 men
The present regular army strength of
the United States is only 25.e00 men
The National Guard of the various
states has strength of 100 900 men.
but they cannot be called upon for ser
vice outside of the country any more
than can any other citizen: in short, if
the United States wanted to raise an
army with which tn invade Cuba it
would have to be made up largely of
volunteers or drafted men.
Htt in lighting Spain on the island of
Cuba the United States could rely on
the aid of the insurgent armies now
struggling there and this would be a
most important factor. Speaking on
this point, DR.. j. Castillo. Cuban dele
gate to this country. said:
III the United States should send n
fleet to Havana it would naturally
cause the drawing in of the Spanish
hncS. This would leave the country
comparatively free. and within 10 days
belieNc an army of 80 600 patriots
would be on the outskirts of the city
ready to cooperate with the American
naval forces. Within another 10 days
| think that the numbers of the Cuban
army would be increased from the
provinces of the east to about $4,000.
'cf course tho Spanish army could
not mass anything like its full strength
at Havana for there are other inpor-
tant points which would have to be
protected. yet it is certain to nv mind
that the appearance of a United States
fleet off Havana would result in the
"fcaking OF the blockade generally. and
II would be an easy matter to land all
me men. arms and supplies needed by
the patriots on the island
1T Is certain that if the United States
did so to war with Spain there would
be very large number of patrols now
IN this country whose services would
be OF special value who would volun-
teer There would be pilots among
them thoroughly acquainted with Gu
ban waters; physicians, skilled in fight
ing yellow fever and other malatlies
prevalent in that climate: and guides
who would be Of great value ashore"
THEY CAN DRILL.