The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1898-07-02

boid Htroke Decided on Since the De.
partur- of the Cadix Fleet-Got Away
About July All ust Go to Santiago and
Mobilize the Squadron There-vessels
Comprising the Fleet Far Superior to
tho Spanlar.is.
WASHINGTON, June 2s.-The admis.
tration has finally decided to send an
American squadron to the Spanish
coast and into the Mediterranean. Sew.
eral times since the war broke ont
rumors to this effect have circulated,
but the project had not matured. It
required the Spanish movement to.
ward the Philippines by Camara's
squadron to decide the navy depart.
ment TO adopt this bold stroke. The
first announcement through bulletin
posted at the war department of the
governments intention was received
with incredulity. There was sus.
picion that the story was being foated
to deceive the Spanish government.
However, when later in the day the
detail of the vessels selected to consti.
tute
Commodore Watson's Eastern Squadron
was announced and official orders were
given to provision the feet for four
months it became apparent to the last
doubter that the government was in
earnest in its purpose to dispatch the
feet to Europe. The three vessels Sc.
lected as colliers have started already
on their way to Newport News to take
on large supply of coal. It will re.
quire about week to get this down to
Sampson's feet, so if the start is to be
made from that point it will be impos.
sible for Commodore Watson to got
away before July 4. This would seem
to be an auspioious date for the begin
ming of an expedition that will, for the
first time in the worlds history, start
from the New World to attack Cont.
mental Europe. No attempt is made to
deny that the government is influenced
in ordering this move by desire to
Check the prosreaa of the Cadiz Fleet.
It was not believed that the Spanish
admiral could be guilty of the folly of
uncovering his own home ports in this
fashion, but inasmuch as he seems de.
termined to do so the naval strategists
could not do less than take advantage
of the magnificent opportunity thus
afforded to strike q crushing blow at
Spain, and thereby perhaps save much
time and loss of life and money in the
conduct of the tedious campaign in
Cuba.
The Eastern squadron which the
United States will now send against
Spain far outranks the Cadiz squadron,
the Iowa and Oregon exceeding the
Pelayo and Carlos V at every point,
while the other United States vessels
are far superior, ship for ship, to those
of the Spanish squadron with the
single exception Of two Spanish tor.
pedo boat destroyers.
Will Start as Soon as Soon Possible.
Commodore Watson should reach
Admiral Sampson by Thursday morn
ing or perhaps earlier, for the Newark,
having been extensively repaired, is
now swift warship. The start will
be made from off Santiago just as soon
as the squadron can be gotten ready
and this, owing to the completeness of
the naval mobilization, will be in q
very short time. The officers of the
Eastern squadron are as follows:
Commander in Chief, Commodore J. G.
Watson; battleship Iowa, Captain R. d.
Evans; battleship Oregon, Captain
Charles e. Clark; flagship Newark, Cap
tain S. Barker; cruiser Yosemite. Com
mander W. H. Emory; cruiser Yankee,
Commander w. H. Brownson; cruiser
Dixie, Commander c. H. Davis; collier
Scandia, Commander E. Watson; collier
Alexander Commander w. T.. Burwell;
collier Abiernda, Lieutenant Commander
w Fl RufOrf1