The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-24
SPANS MILES OF COAST
Ports That Are Fortified With
Mordern Ordnance.
HER BIG NAVAL STATIONS
Extent OF the Peninsula Defenses Not
Appreciated in the United States.
Tempting Points for Attack
by Q Hostile Fleet.

should we carry the war into Spain
England has always done so in her
struggles with the Spaniard.
The hundreds of miles of Spanish
coast present TO a hostile fleet many
inviting points of attack. and any one
Of a number of Spanish cities may soon
be the scene of a struggle fiercer and
more destructive of life and property
than is yet recorded in the 1.500 years
OF the Kingdoms s%anguinary history.
The strength and extent of SPANS
coast defenses are not generally appre-
ciated by Americans. Even her chief
ports we know little better than by
name, or perhaps from an account OF
their remarkable sights and hotel
charges in some tourists notebook.
But besides their traditions and
relics, the coast cities of Spain possess
millions of dollars worth of valuable
property which would be completely
exposed to the guns of a hostile fleet i'm
the event of the defeat of the Spanish
ships.
Spain has not neglected the fortifca-
tion of her coast. At all exposed points
N important seaports there are forts
upon which work has been carried on
increasingly to keep their I'm
the condition required by the advance
Of military science. The coast may be
called strongly guarded. though. of
course, as with our own coast defenses,
strength can be proved only by the or
deal of war.
There are three great naval stations
in Spain; Ferrol on the north coast.
above Portugal: Cadiz. below Portugal:
and Cartagena. in the Mediterranean.
They are of nearly equal Importance.
Ferrol is the strongest and may be
called the citadel of Spain. II is re-
garded as i~mpregnable. The town is in
visible from the sea and it's surround
ing hills are strongly fortified with the
most improved gun including 12-inch
and 10-inch rifles. and modern mortar
batteries. The arsenal-one of the three
largest in the kingdom-is Jack of the
city, on the harbor. and with its
wharves n dock yards. exceeds 25
acres I'm extent. Here are foundries,
ropeworks and magazines, besides a
school for engineering and marine OBJ
ervatio Nature has taken unusual
care in protecting the harbor. besides
making IL one of the best in Europe.
1t is deep and capacious. and has
an entrance only half as wide as the
Narrows." admitting in the narrowest
part blu N ship at a time. This pas
sage Is a strait two miles long between
bluffs from which IL Is command |
ed by forts Palma and San Felipe.
Torpedoes can be planted at the short
est notice and would make the strait
impossible. Ferroi was not fortified
until 1852. II successfully resisted the
English in 1893. but was obliged to sur
render to them i'm 1905 upon the defeat
of the French fleet in front of II. The
French captured the place in 1913, but
only by means of a months
Historic Cadiz Is the most elaborate
ly fortified of the three naval stations.
but the city itself lies directly exposed
to an attack from the sea-like, for in
stance. our own city of Portland. Me. |
The navy yard Is five miles back from
the ocean. Ii has all facilities for
building and repairing warships. The
armored cruiser Carlos V. was built at
the Cadiz yard and also the Princess |
de Asturias. A large factory FOR guns
In situated here. Much OF h glory of
Cadiz has departed. but IL must still
be ranked as one of the finest cities
in Spain. 1t Is surrounded by a wall