New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-31
PRICE THREE CENTS.
REGARDED AS A MENACE.
A SPANISH FLYING SQUADRON LEAVES
CARTAGENA.

BE WEST INDIAN wATERS-MUCH CON-
Germ MANIFESTED IN WASHINGTON =
OVER ITS MOVEMENTS.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
Washington, March 3O.-The depar are from
Spain to-day Of an armored flying .axdron. in
cluding the two heaviest fast cru -scrs and the
most formidable torpedo gunboat in homo
waters, Is considered a serious menace to the
American fleet at Key West and one that the
United States cannot ignore longer than few
days when the destination OF these vessels may
become positively known. The Information that
the feet had sailed from Cartagena this morn
ing came in cipher from Minister Woodford. who
I secured it from agencies Of the Legation. all
movements Of vessels having been ordered re-
tanned from the public by the Spanish Govern
ment.
After these vegsels pass Gibraltar It will be
definitely known within twenty-four hours
whether taey are bound for Cadiz or the
Canaries, for it is not conceived at this time
that they will take a straightaway westerly
course. although thei- enormous steaming
radius. uneqlalled IN the American Navy. might
enable them to reach any Atlantic port the
American continent without stopping for coal.
AT the present critical st lge Of affairs 1t is I'M
probable that long a voyage without means
OF communicating with a base would be under
taken, and little doubt is exhibited by Ameri-
can naval strategists that the latest squadron
VIII report in day so at Cadiz. or. failing to
appear there, that General Woodford will be
enabled 20 report the Canaries as its destina-
ton
In any event. the composition Of this feet 10
such as 10 render its movements more interest
ing to the United States than the progress OF
the torpedo notlla which is on the Atlantic
and expected st San Juan de Porto Rico about
the end of this we.k That fotilla is now be-
leved to include only seven vessels, of which
three torpedo boat destroyers. three are
small tOrpedo-boa and is an ordinary
transport carrying fuel and provisions only. Ex-
temporized means for protecting the Key West
squadron from this fotilla have already been
provided in the prompt purchase CO fourteen small
vessels for mosquito picket duty at the Tortugas
rendezvous. and these tugs and yachts will be
on duty in Florida waters by this time next
week, before the Spanish fotilla can leave Porto
Rico, twelve hundred miles away from Key
West
THREE FORMIDABLE SHIPS
To meet he armored flying squadron leaving
Spain to-day 70 such defence can be readily I'M
proysed. The American flying squadron at
Hampton 2oads is unprepared to meet 1t on tho
turn It back. Its flagship. the Crstobal Colon.
is almost a. match for either the New-York or
the Brooklyn, and If It had American officers
neither the New-York nor the Brooklyn would
over6alance ii IN offensveness The second ves-
sell the Infanta Maria Teresa is the sister OF
the Vizcaya ard Of the Almirante Oquendo.
which are in Havana Harbor. Their for.
midablty Is familiar to all who saw the Viz
caya IN New-vork. and it only need be said
of TIE Tristobal Colon that while she is abolt,
the same size as the Vzcaya, she 10 new DuAS
three years after the others. ana includes later
devices which make her stronger than they
are Unarmored American vessels would nave
little or no chance against these ships. no mat
ter how much they were outnumbered.
The third vessel in the squadron is unlike
ANYTHING in the American Navy. or In the fleets
of most Europeal Pow srs. She IS OF the tor
pedo glnboat type, superior TO the TORPEDO de-
stroyer Class and designed solely with view
to accompanying flying squadrons on long
cruises Although of only 3S6 tons dlsplace-
ment. she carries 20 tons Of coal and can steam
continuously over five thousand nautical miles.
Her chief means or offence lies in torpedo TUBES.
though she mas battery OF 4-inch rapic-hre
rifles and a large number of smaller cahore.
She also has three hinged inasts, carrying
good auxiliary sal. area to spread IN iaVo'aoie
winds, and the 'nasts utoP Jul VI ''0 "N' '
they not needed
Another unusua, provision Is In the heaVy
protective deck and coal bunker arrangement.
covering up the vessels vitals more than in any
Of the tori boat destroyers, and enabling her
to nav no attention to machine gun attacks
cba carries forty-hve men, and the Crstobal
Colon and Infanta Maria Teresa carry five hum
dred each AS indicative Of The modern ar
ranpenents of the CristobGl Colon, II is noted
that her double bottom Is ballasted with Ilquio
fuel which assists her IN securing radius
indonendent of fuel replenishment OF over ten
thousand knots.
A MEASURE FOR PROTECTION
r.o Strategy Board of the Navy had warning
,yco weeks ago that this feet was hurriedly De-
trg MADE ready for sea. and this led to the
nron,nt orders of the Puritan and the Terror to
o,iova tho Massachusetts and the Texas at Key
Neet in order that any contemplated raid upon
rho coast north Of Hatteras might be met by
seagolng armored ships, the New fork the lows
and the Indiana, being retained near tiav ans A 70
watch the Vizcaya and the Oquendo II the CTlee
tohal Colon and the Infanta Maria Teresa are
hound for Havana the Puritan ana the Terror
will fully Offset them IN any operations ,nas
NAV be undertaken, with the Massachusetts ana
hmnhitrite the Brooklyn. the Massachusetts, ana
the Texas available as reinforcements.
NOTICE TO BE GIVEN AT FORTIFICATIONS
Rearing directly upon the possibility that Spain
NAV menace the coastline fortifca,ons OF ;he
United States the Military Information Division
Of Adjutant- General Corbin's Office In the War
Department will tomorrow send 10 ali garrisons
st.tioned to guard ports publication giving the
PICTURES OF all Spanish warships with a full
description Of eacn vessel. the object being 10
insure the ready recognition or any inimical
cruiser that may appear, IN order that tnose IN
charge Of fortiicatiOns may know the best por-
tion Of her structure 10 use FOR a target and
such other useful information that II Will be
kr.ovn exactly what ship is 10 be fought. BY
telegraph the Government can thus be quickly
informed what vessels are making the attack
and what vessels OF the American Navy ought
10 he sent out with interceptive mission.
The news has also had the effect OF expeditlng
the installation Of the comprehensive coastlne
semaphore signalling system. In which the
ARMY and the Navy, the life-saving and the
.h' ',''s 80 mill hnf