The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-20
NAVY AGAINST NAVY
COMPARISONS OF SHIPS OF
UNCLE SAM AND SPAIN
So Far as Figures Go Spain Seems
Modern Fighting Effectiveness
the United States In Good Shape
for a Shindy.
Jurisprudence The St. Paul Globe.

Correspondence The st. Paul Globe.
NEW YORK, March 17.-No we'll
informed man doubts that war will
navy of the United States and that of
Spain. If Spain whips the United
States navy, as she thinks she can,
then the battle will be continued on
land. If the United States navy sends
the Spanish ships to join those of the
great Armeda, at the bottom of the
sea. as our naval men are confident
they are able to, then there will be no
fighting on land, for without ships
Spain cannot, of course, transport her
troops here.
The chief interest in the war towards
Which we seem to be drifting revolves
around the navy, and a comparison of
the fleets of this country and of Spain
is Of paramount Importance to enable
one to accurately forecast the result
Of a Spanish-American conflict.
AT the first outbreak Of war Spain
would have on hand a fleet of thirty
two vessels, including torpedo boats.
Those ships would represent a dis
placement Of 76,OO2 tons, with 432 guns,
torpedoes on every vessel of the fleet,
and an equipment that, pitting point
against point, would be superior to
that Of the United States.
Whatever the comparison shows
when figures are on paper, however.
actually the United States navy is SUI
perior to that of Spain, for we have
on our side all the elements that in the
opinion of experts will constitute SUI
periority in the naval battle Of the fu-
ture, the outcome Of which is largely
problematical
1t Is not the number of ships or the
number Of guns that will tell in the
naval battle Of the future so much as
the thickness Of the armor and the cal
her Of the guns and, as Of old. the
lighting spirit of the men. In all these
particulars America has a decided adj
vantage. From sources that are thor
oughly reliable, 1T has been ascertain
ed that the fleet which Spain would be
ready to put to sea in the event of an
outbreak Of war within one week from
Gate, would be five thoroughly efficient.
well-equipped armored cruisers and one
able-bodled battleship. This powerful
fleet, 1t has been figured out, would
nave total tonnage of Al 900 tons dis
placement, while the caliber and num-
Der of the guns would be as follows:
Inches
Caliber LIB lilo 9.5 60 SIS AZ 40
Number ....2 10 2 48 IL
The speed Of the war vessels would
average twenty knots an hour. and the
Heet could make the trip to our sea-
ports therefore In very quick time A
hastily modified American fleet that
could be gotten together at short no.
t1ce to steam out and report on the
movements Of the squadron of Spain
would consist of the cruisers Column
bia, New York and Brooklyn. Behind
them would be fleet of thirteen YES
sells, including the monitors. The total
displacement of this fleet that the Unit
ed States could mobilize at short no.
tice would be $4,000 tons. Their speed
would be from twelve to twenty two
knots per hour, and they would mount
guns of the following number and cali
iber:
Inches
Caliber go. 49,. 1870 1910 so 60 SO 40
Number go. Up s 38 "a II %
Assuming that the United States
adopted the most aggressive tactics at
the outbreak of war, the first act of
this country would be to seize Havana
harbor, first sinking the two Spanish
defenses of Havana harbor after that
would not be a difficult undertaking.
If Havana were captured, upon Spain
would be thrown the obligation Of MAX
ing counter move that would even
up matters, or of acknowledging her
self beaten, throwing up the sponge and
retiring from the field as a claimant of
Cuba. The United States could well
afford to let Spain make the next move,
after Havana had been captured.
The United States fleet would be able
to turn it's entire attention to meeting
the Spanish squadron, and could con-
centrate quickly on any point that the
squadron Of swift cruisers sent out to
reconoitre the Spanish fleet reported
the hostile ships were making for.
To give Spain the benefit of the doubt
regarding the outcome of an attack on
Havana, and admit that the harbor
could only be blockaded and not cap
tured, the opposing fleets at this point
would be as follows:
Spain.
Displace- Horse Date of
ment. power Speed. Launch
Pelayo :. 80. 5000 5000 16 1897