The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-13

not suddenly conceived project, but part
of a well matured plan. Whether or not
the orders to the Admiral included bonn
bardment is not disclosed at the Navy
Department.
Indeed, there is nothing in Sampson S
report to indicate that he really did bonn
bard the place. He merely attacked the
forts at the entrance of the harbor, and
if any shell struck within the town it
self, they were stray shots. It is sur
missed that Admiral Sampson's object in
making the attack in this fashion with
out landing force of troops in reserve
to occupy the town if It were captured,
was to destroy the fortifcations ana
make the harbor useless to the Spanish
flying squadron as a place of refuge. The
reports SO far received show that he did
not complete the undertaking yesterday,
and the question now is whether ne will
resume his work today or will be di-
verted from it by the report of the pres
ence of the Spanish flying squadron II,
the neighborhood of Martinique with
the statement given out at the Navy Yard
that s.the Spanish squadron is now hull
down to the western of Martinique
could not be supplemented by additional
information as to the time the despatch
was sent. but it is supposed that the
squadron was seen yesterday.
Sampson already knows of its move
ments. for the United States scout Har-
yard, which put into Martinique yes
terday. is said to have found there one OF
the torpedo destroyers composing the
Spanish fleet and certainly would report
the fact to Sampson via st. Thomas. II
possible to do so. There is a suspicion.
however, that the United States has not
been treated with perfect fairness in the
matter of the use of the cable from Mar
tiniuue and that MESA ges of the utmost
Importance, such, for instance, as those
reporting the movements of the Spanish
ships. have been delayed an unconscion-
able length of time to the great empar-
rassment of our forces. The subject Is
one that will be investigated in the fu-
ture, as well as other facts connected
with the treatment of the Spanish ships
in West Indian ports which are nomipally
operating strictly under the neutrality
laws.
1t is suggested that the Spanish squad
ron has been lying in wait for the Oregon
which. with the Marietta and Nictheroy
sailed on the eleventh from Bahia to Joir
Sampson, and the reported activity o.
the Spanish torpedo boat destroyers II
running in and out of Martinique seems te
show that they are being used as scouts
to give the rest of the squadron notice
of the approach of the American battle
Ship If so, the mission will be -frudtless
for having discovered the whereabouts OF
the Spanish force Admiral Sampson will
carry out his orders to destroy their ships
if he can reach them. The fact that the
Spaniards were headed yesterday towards
the westward on the surface would indi-
cate that they were bound for the south
coast of Cuba, but warships in these cir,
cumstances try to mislead observers
ashore.
The information that the Spanish squad
ron had been sighted off Martinique
caused decided sensation throughout
naval circles, as this brings close to Ad-
niiral Simpsons squadron. the formidable
cdliection of Spain strongest and most
modern vessels. 1t is this fleet which
was reported to be lying at Cadfz. Esvi-
IDENTIFY the latter report was inspired by
Spanish strategy.
Martinique is a French island lying 59(
miles east of Porto Rico and 700 miles
from the eastern coast of Cuba It is one
of the outposts of the West Indies and
is the natural point at which the Spanish
fleet, coming from Cape Verde, would first
make a landing. 1t must now pass the
French island of Guadaloupe to the west
the Danish island of st. Thomas, little
further west, and then its course Is oper
to Porto Rico unless Admiral Simpsons
fleet engages them before that move is
made. AS they stand now the two fleets
are about 500 miles apart, which by hard
sailing of both fleets would cover one
day, or by the sailing OF onesf1eet would
bring them together in two days
The Spanish squadron is made up OF
seven excellent ships, of which four are
armored cruisers and three destroyers
This is as near the exact strength as
can be stated, for the reports from Cape
doubt as to the exact strength of the
! Spanish squadron. But allowing for the
torpedo boats and other craft which re-
turned to Cadiz, there is little doubt that
the Spanish squadron off Martinique has
at least seven warships of formidable di-
mensions. These are
Armed cruiser Vizcaya, built of steel
with double screws, two turrets, two
tunnels and two military masts with tops
length, 1854 feet; displacement, $3.50 tons
maximum speed, 29.2 knots. She has an
armor belt of steel five feet SIX inches
broad, 315 feet long and 10 or IL inches
thick. Her turrets have 8 inch steel ar
NOR; coming towers u inch arnaor. Hel
protected deck Is from two to three
| inchess of steel. Her armament is two
11-inch Honoria guns, mounted singly in
| turrets, one forward and one aft; ten 5.5-
inch guns, five on each beam, the forward
i and aft ones being sponsoned; eight g.
Founders, ten 12-pounders, eight Norden-
feldt machine guns, two Maxim machine
guns, six torpedo tubes and two sub
merged torpedo tubes. She carries 48.
| men.
| Armored cruiser Almirante Oquendo
| built of steel; double screw, two turrets
| etc. Her tonnage. armor and armament
| in every respect is similar 20 that of the
| Vizcaya.
Armored cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa
| built of steel; $3.50 tons displacement. The
| cruiser is also identical to the Vizcaya
| of steel; twin screws; two covered bar
| bettes, fore and aft, two tunnels, ont
military mast Length, S28 feet; dis
| placement 6,S40 tons; speed, 20 knots Hei
armor consists Of complete nickel bell
| S feet inches widey inches thick. The
| The protected deck is from two to eighd
| inches thick; coming tower, 6 inches. AL
| the guns have shields. Her armament
| is two 10-inch guns, ten 6-inch gums, sfz
Founders, two Maxim machine guns, foul
1 torpedo tubes. She has complement o.
The Terror and Furer are torpedo boat
/ destroyers lately added to the Spanish
| navy, having been built at Clydebank ir
1896. They are of steel with three fun
EeIs and one mast; lemgth go feet; dis
| placement, 800 tons; speed, 2S knots, ar
| mament two 14-pounders quick fire, two
| 6-pounder quick fires, two 1-poundel
1 qllick-fre Each destroyer mounts two
| 4-irsch torpedo tubes on deck and car
.<f<.cst rr1r-r