Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-08
HER SHIPS AND MEN
WHAT THE SPANISH MINIsTER OF
MARINE SAID TO THE QUEEN
CONCERNING her NAVAL POWER.
Names ana Fighting Strength OF
the BnttIeships, Cruisers, Torpe"o-
po,,.. and Gunboats of the Irasci-
Bile D0us.

WASHINGTON, May 2-Painful as
must he 10 the Spanish people. ana more
especially to the Spanish naval o'iie'a's'
IL becomes necessary. In the interest,""
of the American newspaper-reaaihs pun
lie. TO print the true facts regafoihs ."'
navy OF Spain. SPANS Minister Oh "a
rine may. II he chooses, claim tne au
,norshin NJ the article, for the informa-
ton on which it is founded, comes ui'e.'
from the archives OF his depar
He will probably say that he dic not "a
tend Il for publication In Ameiioa
least. but even at the risk Oh hui ''-e
tho feeI,ngs of a sensitive Spanish oiiE
c,al ., is necessary 10 make the informa-
ton public.
Tba admiral of the Armada worn
which calls up the recollections ol 'n'
past-is Senior Chacon Maldonaoo' ""0
was horn in 1918, and entered the service
as Ear hack as 1898. In the course OF MS
seventy years association with the Span
ish navy, he commanded one OF the shipS
of Queen Isabella, Of which Iopete loon
charge AT the time when great par
of the naval forces of spain uecia' W
for the republic. AS befits MS als.ln,
guished rank, Senior Chacan MaiuonouN
is possessed Of innumeraole oecorA
He holds the Grand Cross OF the Oiuol
of Naval Merit, the Grand cross Oh .le
Royal and Military Order OF Sr IT,
menegildo, the Grand Cross Oh inc 80
of Carlos Ill, and the Grahd Cio
the ROYAL Diadem of the Navy knleht
Of the First Class OF the Royal ana
Military order OF San Fernando. ana
knight of the Orders of Irun and fueh-
terrabia.
THE EFFECTIVE LIST.
On the effective list there are SIX vice,
admirals and fifteen rear-adnnirais, OF
Of them the holders Of coveted honors.
Tbere are twenty commodores, forty-ohe
nost-captains, eighty-seven commahuers,
ioo first-Heutenants, and 25S lieutenants OF
lower ranks. In the reserves there are
six yice-admirals, eight rear-adiIilrais'
and sixteen commodores. 90,
The medical staff has strength OIL l-''
apart from eight pharmacists. Inc
ciesiastical body connected with the meet
numbers thirty-eight, and there Is VICE
general at its head. "a.
An interesting document which hho9
q Mace i'm the Spanish navy archives 10
a letter addressed by Senior de BeranSer'
Minister of Marine. 10 the Queen Regent
dated August IS, 1895. 1t is In the loi-
lowing terms: ,,..,,,
"NIadam.-The modern floating material
of the aeet is composed OF several types
ranging from the heavy armored snip 70
~ small torpedo. the mission Of which
in wartime is Of the highest importance.
,rbts circumstance, as well as the great
oo,freion OF technical nomenclature re-
srIting from continual transformation
"a aSneriment, renders 1t somewhat diff
ecult 10 grasp at once the scheme OF
the offensive and defensive forces which
q renresented by the different classes OF
sbins Sometimes ships of many dit-
event classes within each OF these types
are designated by the special name OF
armored ships cruisers, gunooats' etc.
ana as these vessels have not been care
ful,y and exactly defined in name. IL Is
freCuentiv observed that one and the
same vessel is classified under TWO OF
three various denominations, accordlhg
10 the distinguished official who is eallea
upon 10 describe them. II is. therefore,
expedient not only for the service Itself
but for the clearness and dehnileness
which should exist In every tecnnlcal
nomenclature. that this state OF things
sborld end. and that it should be pre-
cisely determined what shall be the de-
nomination given TO each class or yes
sci. according to its potentialities OF OF
fence and defense, its speed. dlsplace-
ment, and other characteristics. WHICH
taken together, constitute the distinctive
character Of each ship. In view OF this
necessity, the subjoined decree has been
suggested with a view Of obtaining in de-
tail. with the utmost clearness, the names
of the different denominations which
must henceforth be- given 10 the types OF
existing ships in our navy; and IN the
hope that your Majesty approaching the
reasons here set forth, will deign 10
give it your high appreciation. | nave
etc, JOSE Nj. Dh- DHt'A-NHEi''
HER WAR VESSELS.
Then follows the classification recon-
mended and subsequently adopted. Pro-
tected ships-First-clas battleshps. Sc
cond-class battleships, first-class cruiesrs,
second-clas cruisers. Unarmored ships
First-class cruisers, second-class cruisers,
first. second, and third-class gunboats,
toruedo gunboats, first and second-ciass
torpedo boats. and launches.
The official list Of the ships composing
the SPANISH navy comprise two first
class battleships-the Pelayo and the
Carlos V, the former launched in 1886
and the latter in 1885. Both are OF be-
tween 5000 and 1000 tons displacement,
and carry crews of upwards OF $50 men.
There are nine second-class battleships
and three first-class and three second
class protected cruisers. OF unarmOred
cruisers there are six, nine, and five, re-
spectively. Of the three classes. The
gunboats are FIVE OF the hrst-class. TWEEN
ty-six OF the second-class, and forty-one
Of the third-class. There are fourteen
torpedo catchers, four torpedo-boats OF
the frst-class, and nine of the second
class. TO say nothing OF launches. pom
toons, transports. and special-service
boats.
The ships attached TO the naval COM
mand at Habana. and under the control
of Commandant- General Navarro y Fer
nandez. were given as follows few
months ago:
Second-class protected crulser-Mar-
ques de la Ensenada.
First-class unarmored cruisers-Reina
Mercedes, Alfonso XII.
Second-class unarmored cruisers-Isabsl
IL. Infanta Isabel. Condo de Venadito.
Third-class unarmored cr1isers-General
Conchs. Magallanes.
Torpedo gunooats-Filipinas. Martin
Alfonso, Vicente Yanez, Galicia. Nueya,
ueo.ona Marnues de MOlins