Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-18
ANOTHER SQUADRON;
Fleet to be Stationed in
Hampton Roads.
TO CONSIST OF FIVE SHIPS
Sensa tiOn:tl Letter Sa id to Have Been W rt.
ten by W"yier. will Refuse to Paw
Indemnity If 1t Is De-
ihanded:
CRY TeleCraph !

,,..,-, Cry Telesraph.)
N-NSti l\HLpN, March 1.-THE
| event of the day in official circles was
the issue of an order for the formation
O. a new suu tdron of naval vessels
L" be stationed at Hampton Roads.
The squadron in the beginning Will
consist Of five SHIPS. all the best of
their type. Two OF Them the Battle
Ships Massachusetts ana Texas. are
Wl'ndraWn from the present North At
llntic fleet at Key West and Torluyas.
It wound De grave mistake to suppose.
that in ordering this movement th,
| Navy Department is animated nv any
purpose of yielding 70 representations
or int!mations that may have come
IRON the Spanish minister. as to the
mischief caused by thu, gathering nf So
large naval force as Admiral S,,ar,l,.
fleet in the vicinity of Cuba on tn.
contrary the formation of the new
squadron was brought about by purely
Strategic conscientious. although i.
appears from the nature of the fore.
SO far under orders to rendezvous at
Hampton Roads that the strategy is
of the defensive nature. The new
squadron cannot be called a flying
squadron, because the association of
heavy b.ttleships With fleet cruisers
like the brooklyn. Columbia and Mn
neapuliS reduces the available speed of
the Whole the speed of. the sowest
vessel and the squadron could not do
much in dying in the naval sense. In
dicattons rather are that, re-enfnrcel
by some smaller cruisers, the squad
ron VIII constitute an Ideal naval de
f"nS"- For the past two months inhu-
ences have heen at work in the Navy
Department Ia Bring about this change
and as a policy board, he ldrd by Cap
tain I'I"wnns hirii. has been in fire.
iuent session of late ut the department.
it is believed that i, has endorsed tn g
plan At last Although the other ships
to'be added to the squadron have not
yet been definitely selected. it is sur
missed that they will include some of
ne other hattieships at Key West and
me armored cruiser New York. in
winch cas-" Admiral Sicarl, il is be
iieNed. VIII command the new force.
In place If the cruiser New York. the
people of Kew West will look upon
ne grim outlines OF the big monitor
puritan, supposedly the most powerful
snip in smooth water in the world.
she Will have to assist her on guard
the double turreted monitor Miantono-
nah and the monitor Amphitrite. The
s,nittah IS nov at Norf"k annis!.t ready
LOT sea the Mianton"nlall is at League
Island qnIte ready. and so is the Am
pnili4'e a. ror, ifoNai' ,. e. SO the
orusr IN the emo VIII result in the
Sathelns OF the pick of the North AT
1ahtr squadron at Hampton Roads.
ne point IS said to be the best strate-
N''sia!S on the Atlantic coast 1t is al
most rehfrt1!y located and the ships
rom that point can reach any portion
| "
rasat>'yd as ues!riNle slnE,e no one
can zen Just where a fiot!lla OF torpe-
30 "sstrnHvrs or a faSt cruiser may
urn ''l, WIN hostile intent to attack /
,"Mn' I'4;aoe' the second best navy
Nari IN me country Is there to fall
80 upon Tor the repairs [" the ships.
p.eh'S OK the best coal is at Newport
,HeNs. ,nere IS easy Water [" navisate,
a''' hhaIrN 'he 1"E'S Al hampton ROADS
may serve as a base of operations in
case OF need for protection These
are cle cohSlaera Toms when animated
me Navy department IN making TINS
| ''e7N "'url' - announced ulal the
commander OF the new squadron has
not YET net.h selected ana penhlnS
,!'t Seiettn'h or tle arf!Vil IN nor,
~ -Nuhli'"t H!card' II is expected
slhl 'Iin lSS'hs'h' ms S"rnlnan ,
I 1s .. .''e piaieSnlp MasSachustees ma
ne senior "iictr, WIZ hniu the com :
Itil'' w w the si"a"r"n; henla inlnS ar
ny VS. aiter me departure or the
80 SSH'" in, anu leNaS' -NaHltal ST.
;a'n WIZ sun nave a neet or his own own
ha 1900 s!isn !. .tie spec'ac!e "lr!
&c ~ ~ nee. anu slHaoror'
sinoa ~ '!ii S"!!'s'ii ~ not seen
ne e'St w. ne monitors.
W, y, n1 = 1 1't n., :. NJ
Isl, 81 $50 20 ne VEN n,teu loE 'he
go .Se; wv ing 20 the!r !iSht uralt o!
". ah>, -. ~ ~ 'e.i i.e., 'iSs ~ II!
watar Ne ny E,"ri5a me 1 Low,
49, ~ n>,;, a;, ~" an 60 =" ", ~
six mics o,,f a. sea row, L.s, W. ao '' '
sncura eno,,cb .vatar ,,n5,,. ~ -, ~
1h.. ,,n,hi7,t EIn,a . ..'s ne
1ana n,an+ t,,,t ~. "a .a;.a, - 9a'
frh,, E,,nl.ta1 f,r,nt;,n - t w
10 in;n ~, snIn%1ar -, 80,
th,t II bns haan d,,fn;+a,y 7. .nm
~ brine- Tia h, ttuashin orsl.'n a,.n,'n'1
Sonth imari.o ~ - W. ~, ~,
w Dan,rtm.rt bas is-,,ad or5ars ~ = /,
si,csh TRIAL as b,,ar, ba mo 10 81 ~ 80.
tnrnadn hoat Rn5e,a,s shrv ta1. ,,ia.,a
while the bnat is nndor way, e:,t,ird, :,
naxt IRON, Raltin,ora 70 NE,.frIE Cy, =
also wiu 90 sou;hward to ioin t,ha Haa,
at Kew West The Columbia and MIN.
neapolis are still each oGo men ,.hort
rf their fuIl ouota INT il is avnactaa
that enough men Will M saf-,red in
Tho conrsa If few days 70 ana Mo
The ships TO be sent To Hamnton Roads
to execute the orders issued today. The