The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-22

dergoing extensive repairs and in case of
necessity overtime work would promptly
place her in condition to join the squad
ron to be sent to Spain.
Secretary Long is now endeavoring to
navy yards He has given instructions
TO commandants of navy yards to rush
are are wanted for Service in CUBAN and Porto
Rican waters for patrol purposes. The
decision not to use the old sing -turTeted
monitors for service in southern waters
has caused the officials to look around for
more serviceable vessels and the smaller
cruisers and gunboats will be used for that
purpose, 1t is authorltat1yely stated that
any of the ships except in the case of the
Indiana, and this was only for a few
So far as the North Atlantic squadron is
concerned therefore. it would not take
long to mobilize a strong fleet. The New
York is now at Hampton Roads fully
cruiser Brooklyn and the battleship Mas
sail within a very short time. and the sec
ond class battleship Texas is having her
Besides these vessels the department
would probably attach to a fleet sent
abroad the cruiser New Orleans, which
will be ready for service in the course of
a few weeks: several gunboats and a fleet
of colliers. The battleships Iowa and Ore
gon, which are at Rio. are also available
for opera tions in Spanish waters, being
about the same distance from Spain as are
the ships now at New York
Should hostilities be resumed, it is ex-
pected that Secretary Long will again call
of Rear Admiral Sicard Captain CroWnine2
shield and Captain Mahan. Before the
pT9pared for the dispatch Of Fear Admirai
Sampson and a squadron under his COM
mand to the Spanish coast. 1t was not
contemplated last August that the Canar-
les should be seized, but there is no reason
believe that If the peace negotiations are
interrupted the authorities will seriously
consider the adVisability of directing the
capture of these islands.
The withdrawal of the Spanish commits
sioners from Paris would be the signal for
the dispatch of instructions to Rear Ad-
miral Sampson to come north on the gun
boat Topeka and resume duty as com
squadron. 1t may be that as a result of
an agreement pet;Wesh SPAN Spl ana the
um of the French government, the protO-
col referring to the EVACUATION of Cuba
on the part of the American men-of-war.
Rear Admiral Dewey would send his
vessels to destroy. Spanish fortificatiOns at
Iloilo, troops would be transported to that
point and the city would be occupied. With
stronghold in the Philippines would have
disappeared ana II would pc an easy task
to station troops among the various ISL
ands to protect American interests. Be
of-war would also hoist the flag over the
Carolines.
vent the United States from carrying out
it's will. either in the Atlantic or in the
of fmpressing him as well the people
the Spanish navy, Admiral Camara has
been directed to mobilize his ships at
There are now at that point the battle
ship PelayO, the armored cruiser Carlos
v, the protected cruiser Alfonso XIII,
the reconstructed battleShips Numancia
and Vittoria, besides torpedo boat destroy
ers and torpedo boats In the Philippines
Spain has several small gunbOatS and one
auxiliary cruiser, the .BUenos Ayres.
Since the war the Spanish government
has done nothing toward completing the
armored cruisers of the Asturias class
which are under construction, her neglect
being due to lack of fdnds- 1t is because
she has not money and because of her
total unpreparedness for war that the au-
thOrities do not believe that there will be
a resumption of hostilities. and it is on
account of this belief that no extensive
preparations or plans are being made.