The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-05

tivity displayed by Spain in it's mill
| tary preparations both on land and sea.
| The seaports were put in a state of de-
| fense, reserves were called out, and an
army of 100000 men was formed in the
peninsula. Battalions of volunteers
were organized, and the youth of the
\ country hastened enthusiastically to
enroll themselves in their ranks. The
| Spanish privateers, among whom were
many swift steamers of English,
French and Italian make, swept the
SEAS annihilating the commerce of the
| United States.
The Spanish squadron was composed
| of two battle ships of 5000 tons, eight
protected cruisers of the first-class, and
other smaller vessels. The vice admir-
ais flag was hoisted on one of the bat
tie ships. The whole squadron lay
| anchored in the harbor of Havana,
| when, by virtue of orders sent by the
government, it put to sea, directing it's
| course upon Porto Rico to protect an
| expedition of 10000 re-enforcements
| which had sailed from Spain two days
| before the breaking out of hostilities.
TROOPS IN HAVANA.
The expedition prepared in Louisiana
and Florida was made ready for imme-
| diate departure. 1t was composed of
| 5000 men of all arms, with abundant
munitions of war, and embarked in
| thirty merchant steamers, escorted by
| fourteen large vessels of war and some
smaller ones.
| This formidable and imposing force
presented itself suddenly in front of
| the harbor of Havana, though beyond
range of the guns Of the fort Ell Moro
and the admiral sent ashore a flag of
truce demanding the surrender of the
place within six hours.
The captain general refused to listen
to the yankee ultmatum, and the ad-
miral decided to blockade the port.
On the landing of the expedition in
Matanzas it had been Joined by $4,000
| Cuban insurgents, to whom they fur
nished arms and ammunition, but the
| colored people among them, indignant
at the contempt with which they were
| treated by their liberators, returned to
the woods or gave themselves up to
the Spanish authorities.
OF the fourteen large vessels which
| the United States had sent into Cuban
waters there remained in condition to
enter into action The four cruisers
which had been left to blockade the
port of Havana, and six armored ships
of sizes ranging from 1000 to 10, 900 tons.
The remainder on account of damage,
had been obliged to return for repairs.
The Spanish squadron comprised an
equal number of vessels, although their
inferiority was marked, not only in re-
| gard to tonnage but also in the thick
ness of their armor plate and in the
power of their guns, matters almost
decisive in naval warfare.
SPANISH PLAN OF ATTACK.
The Spanish squadron was placed in
three divisions. The distance having
been regulated and the order of at
tack fixed upon, by a stroke of audacity
which amounted to inspiration and
which marks that true military genius
which dares, in critical and difficult
situations, to risk all for the sake of
gaining all, the Spanish admiral gave
the order TO break his line.
The first line of the American fleet
began the fire, to which the Spanish
replied without stopping their forward
movement. Soon the firing became gen.
eral, and our first division broke
through the enemy's line The second
and third followed, and the utter de-
feat OF the North Americans followed.
In order to prosecute the war, the
United States government appropriat-