The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-05-21


two Gatlings; keel laid 1874; completion
authorized 1885.
KATAHDIN.- Armored ram; displace-
ment, 2,155 tons; speed, 1911 knots;
maximum coal supply, 1913 tons; COM
plement, 81; armor, sides , to 6 inches,
deck 2 to 6 inches; guns, four FOUNDER
rapid -frers; authorized 1889.
NEWARK Protected cruiser; length,
80 feet; displacement, 4,09S tons;
speed, 10 knots; complement, 300 men;
armament twelve 6-inch guns, four O.
Founders, four 3-pounders and two l.
FOUNDER rapid fire guns, seven machine
guns.
Observation-Disclosures gunboat; dis
placement, 929 tons; speed, 21.42
knots; maximum coal supply, 1872 tons;
complement, 60; armament, three 10
inch dynamite guns; three 3-pounder
rapid fire guns; authorized 1886.
HELENA.-Gunboat; displacement, L.
1872 tons; speed, Is. 80 knots; maximum
coal supply, 300 tons; complement, 175;
armor. 5-16-inch to 8-inch water-tight
deck; guns, main battery, eight finch
rapid fire; secondary rapid-fre battery
four 6-pounders, four 1-pounders, two
Colts. one field gun; authorized 1893.
ANNAPOLTS.-Composite gunboat; dis
placement, 900 tons; speed, II. Ii
knots; maximum coal supply, 30 tons;
complement, 135; armament, main bat
terry, six finch rapid fire guns; second
airy battery, four 6-pOunders, two /
Founders one Colt one field gun; au
thorized 1895.
MARIETTA Composite gunboat; dis
placement 900 tons; speed, ID. Oh
knots; maximum coal supply 23G tons;
complement, 40; armament, main bat
terry. six finch rapid fire guns; second
AIRY battery, four 6-pounderS, two l.
FOUNDERS one Colt. one field gun: au-
thorized 1895
PORTER First class torpedo boat; dis
placement. 1910 tons: speed. 2S.G3
knots; maximum coal supply, 90 tons:
length. l. 10 feet: beam, I feet drau@ht,
) feet inches; complement, 81; arn;.-
ment. three lS-inch Whitehead torpedo
tubes, four l-pounder rapid-fire runs
authorized S95
THE SPANISH FLEET
The reported arrival of the Spanish /
squadron from Cape Verde at Cadiz makes /
it possible for Spain to concentrate all OF
her most powerful ships at that port in a
short time. This concentration, Spanish /
reports indicate, has begun. With the .
execution of the small cruisers and gun
boats in Cuban waters. the Spanish war /
sbps are all believed to be in the vicinity /
Of Cadiz.
The squadron from Cape Verde included
the four armored cruisers Nlzcaya, Al |
mirante Oquendo, Maria Teresa and CriSto- /
bal Colon and the destroyers Pluton. Ter /
ror and Furor. \ second division of the /
Cape Verde feet. which put back for re-
pairs after sailing and departed ii few days
later. comprises the torpedo boats Arete.
Azor and Rayo, escorted by the transport
CITY of Cadiz Spanish reports recently
located this division at the Canary Islands. !
apparently on its way back to Spain.
The remainder Of the Spanish destroyerS |.
except the Temeraro have been reported
recently operating near the Straits OF Glib .
raItar on their home station. These are |
the OSado. Audaz. Proserpma and De /
structor. In addition there are thirteen
large torpedo boats reported in service IN
the same waters. There are at least eight
other torpedo gunboats on the home sta
ton. though they have not been reported
in active service recently.
OF the larger ships the first -class battle /.
ship Pelayo and armored cruisers Nittoria,
Carlos Y. Cardinal Cisneros, Numancia, .
Plincesa de .Austrias and the partly pro
tected cruisers Reina Mercedes and Al /
fonso MIL, were reported recently at
Cadiz or its vicinity.
These comprise the present effective |.
fighting force Of Spain. There are several
old cruisers. four frst-cass and twenty
second-cass torpedo boats, described as
available only for coast defense, and at
leasts fifty unarmored gunboats and dis |
patch boats on the home station most of
them Of slow speed and of little use in ii
battle with armored ships.
1t is doubtful if four of the best Of
Spain ships are in condition of eAcen
cv. The armored cruisers Nittoria and |
Numanca have been in process Of recon-
stuction more than Il year and are not /
complete The battle ships Pelayo has
been undergoing extensive repairs, and the
armored cruiser Carlos V, which was being
completed at Havre, France was obliged
to sail from that port at the outbreak of
the war without her l Inch guns.
At best the new equi pments of these
four vessels are untried There is conSe-
quently little reason to doubt that could
the Spanish and American fleets come to-
gether soon the latter mechanical condi-
ton would be found superior
Following are descriptions of the ships
composing the armada which Spain seems
to be assembling at Cadiz They form a
powerful fleet.
The American ships which would be
sent to meet this armada are, as Il whole,
superior in gun power to those Of Spain.
Besides America has five of the powerful
ngllllllS uidClllllCS tdlltu SlllIhN anu
Spain has only one. Then, too, the moni-
tors must be reckOned with.
SPANS 5 superiority lies in torpedo boat
destroyers and in armored cruisers of large
tonnage, which are almost equal to battle
ships in fighting power and are superior in
speed.
PELAYO.-Battle ship; length, $50 it.
displacement, $500 tons; natural speed,
II knots; complement 584 men; arma-
ment, two IL. 5-inch, two II Inch guns,
nine 5.5-inch, one 3.5-inch, two 81
inch, three 6-pounder rapid fire, twelve
1-pounder revolving cannon seven tor
pedo tubes.
ALFONSO XIII.-Protected cruiser;
length, 31S. 6 feet; displacement, 5000
tons; complement, 420 men; armament,
four 7.S-inch; six 4.7-inch, six g.