The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-04
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The total aisplae-m~ns tonnage Of the
rsited States Aysng squadron IL ssies. and
OF the Spanish - st<a.
Tae average horsepower OF the United
States vessels is Isysees and tia. Of the
Spanish n.sse.
The average rate Of speed OF the four
United States ships Is 9lss knots per hour.
while the Spanish feet has 10 content itself
with Is knots.
II is possible tina. the batilesh.p Massa-
chusefts, being somewhat slower than the
rest Of the fleet. viii be .appian.ed by the
New York. and the average Of speed and
lighting capabilsty CT the squadron viii be
increased. II narsr tie remembered tia;
the Brooklyn ard New York are two OF rhe
finest types Of ifgh,ing machines in the
world. having their main batteries sup.
Piled with rapid-fire guns. with which very
few warships are equipped except in a Sec
ondary battery. The great point of ad-
vantage OF this fleet. however. is In thick
ness OF armor, ealibre of guns and the fight
ing qualities OF the men. There are five
,hirteen-inch guns on the American flying
squadron. while The whole Spanish navy
has not one, and only two twelve-inch
guns. OF twelye-inch guns our squadron
has four, and Of eigh;-ineh guns fourteen.
Spains four selected vessels have FIVE
eieyen-inch guns. and the rest are mainly
tixa~ he inf s,S a1x n
tage that Commodore Schley's fleet would
likely demonstrate in actual fighting.
Commodore w. S. Sehley VIII tomorrow
notify the authorities at Washington that
with the arrival of the Texas he will be
ready TO move at an hours notice. The
most formidable squadron of fast fighters
ever gotten together IL complete. with the
exception Of the Texas. The cruiser Mia-
neapolis began at noon today 10 change
her coat. and the painting viii be finished
by tomorrow afternoon. Her bunkers are
Allied with coal and. like the other vessels
OF the fleet. she is fully ammunitioned.
Commodore Schley expects the battieship
Texas within the next eight hours.
Despite the enforcement OF the Sunday
observance law in Newpor, News. which
has had the effect of stopping work on the
battleships Kearsarge and Kentucky. the
divers continued work on the bottom Of the
battleship Massachusetts, and made such
progress that Capt. Higgins believes they
will be able to finish by nightfali tomor-
row. The WORK on the Brooklyn has been
fully completed. and her eisht-Incn turret
guns will now throw a much greater dis
tanee.
The Columbia has finished painting and
coaling and is in splendid condition. Com
modore Schley understands that the Texas
is thoroughly completed In improvement,
is painted the prevailing lead color. and is
here. Varying as are the opinions 10
this assembiage of lighting boats, II is gem
orally admitted by naval and army men
here tina; II is imposing.
In addition to the active naval prepara-
,ions here. Fortress Monroe is being i'm
proved rapidly. The dynamos for the big
electric searchlight arrived last night. and
the light is now In operation. The emplace-
ments for the rapid-iire and iisappeaSns
guns will be received this week, and this
imsortant point will then DC ia a somewhat
modern condition frcn war standpoint.
Commodore Schley probably will take the
turrent guns.