The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-28
VALUABLE MAPS.
The War Department Knows thc
Location Of Spanish FOriifications.

Location OF Spanish FortificationS.
President Mckinley has been placed in
possession of a set of maps of the ISL
and of Cuba prepared under the direction
of former Captain General WeyIer. The
Importance of these documents can be
understood when it is stated that the
maps show not only tho topography of
the island but the location of every fort
ress. every road, every hillock, stream,
plantation and inhabited settlement
The maps were prepared expressly for
Gen. WeyIer for use in his military
operations They show every detail of
the defense of Havana harbOr, including
the location of submarine mines. They
show forests and railroads and telegraph
lines. and the marginal notes accom-
panying them afford a mass of informa-
ton which will prove of extreme value
in the event of hostilfties with Spain
The whole coast line of Cuba is display
ed with depths of water and landing
places, and the disposition of the Spanish
forces is brought out from the location
of an encamped army of thousands down
to the indication of a small outpost
guarded by a dozen men. The country
is divided into four sections in the But
cher's plans.
1t is evident from these maps and the
/ accompanying notes that Weyler had
a much larger scale than have yet been
maintained. They are exact duplicates
I of the maps which guided Weyler in his
last campaign on the island. Every step
| in the journey of the maps from the
palace in Havana to the White House
in Washington has been traced carefully.
| Army officers here who have seen the
| precious documents in Washington in
! cline to the belief that the Government
| paid large sum of money to the agents
| of the persons who stole these maps
| from under Weylers nose and smuggled
them out of the palace. 1t is more
probable, however. that the Cuban junta
had more TO do with placing Uncle Sam
/ in possession of the Spanish secrets than
any other agency.
| These maps were seen in the White
| House as late as last Tuesday. On that
day they were turned over to the Secre-
tary of War. They are now in the War
| Department, and, naturally, are guarded
| with great care.
The Navy Department is guarding a
| document almost equally precious and
| important in case of war with SPAIN
This is full and complete description of
| the navy of Spain. with details as to her
| ships. never before in possession of our
| Government. The information was OBJ
| tanned from agents in Madrid. Cadiz, Bar
celona and other places where money
will buy government, military and ma
val secrets. The complement of men on
every battleship, cruiser. torpedo boat,
torpedo destroyer, launch and cutter is
given.
The net showing is less favorable to
Spain than the generally accepted belief
as to her fighting strength on the sea.
The Vizcaya. which was recently in New
York harbor. is supposed to have a COM
plement of more than 100 officers and
men. As a fact the Vizcaya has no more
/ than 800, and only one-haf of these are
experienced The other half are green
sailors. recruited from the merchant ser
vice, and not by any means to be relied
upon for first-class work in action
1t is not be understood that the United
| States Government has sent spies abroad
to obtain either of these two intensely
important war documents In each case
the information was offered TO the mill
tary and naval departments in Washing
ton. and its rejection would have been an
act of senseless folly. The agents of the
of the world now for more than three
years. Whether the two almost priceless
documents described were obtained
through the junta or not cannot be an
nounced positively. The important point
is that the United States Government is
in possession of them.