Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-28
ON TO SPAIN.
Continued from page ~

CadiZ and has been transformed into
cruiser. She is 5000 tons and IA knot
speed. The Prosperina. Patricia an,
Rapido are merchant vessels, recent.
reconstructed and armed. The Colon
Covadonga and San Francisco are col
liers.
1t is apparent from this that thi
main reliance of his fleet is on the bat
tleship Pelayo and the armored cruisel
Carlos ", and the two new TORPEDO
boat destroyers The others are aux
iaries and Golfers. AS they are only
two armored ships in the fleet, Admi'
raj Dewey's fleet of protected armol
ships probably will take care of this
Spanish squadron With the Monterey
it would certainly do 50.
The Eastern squadron. which the
United States will send against Spain
far outranks this Spanish squadron
the Iowa and Oregon exceeding the
Pelayo and Carlos at every point
while the other United States vessels
are far superior, ship for ship, to these
of the Spanish squadron. with the ex-
ception of the two Spanish torpedo de-
stroyers.
When the American fleet sails fot
Spain it will take with it complete in
formation as to the entire stretch of
Spanish coast, with detail maps of
every harbor and its Notifications. The
war board had a mass of this informa
ton before it, today, and spent good
part of the day studying Spanish
charts and Notifications with view to
outlining the series of blows which are
to be delivered to Spain at home. The
Spanish coast line is 2122 kilomctcrs
long. In general the Notifications Of
the coast are relics of the medieval
greatness of Spain and many of these
old defcnccs are tumblng ruins.
The Spanish coast is divided into
three captains eneralcies. namely:
Ferrol on the north. Cadz on the
south and Carthagena on the east.
Each of the three naval divisions has
a certain number Of coast towns under
its immediate care. The total artil-
iery of the forts, under the normal
conditions prior to the war. is as fol-
lows; 1l9 Krupp guns, 80 Armstrong
guns, 90 Ordones guns, which are spec
tally for fertilization purposes. They
are of u, "a and 80 ccntmeters.
a separate division of the coast is
made for the purpose Of placing tor
pedocs and submarine mines. This
work is divided into four districts with
Ferrol, CadiZ, Carthagcna ana Mahon
as headquarters. Many of the ports
are connected by cables which form an
additional feature of naval attack
The information is in minute detail as
to the defcnres and to the approaches; Of
each port, and the nature of the assault
upon the coast Of Spain will be pretty
well outlined before the American squad
ron sails. At the same time much will be
left TO the communicated of This
squadron. Some naval authorities believe
that the Canary islands viii be the first
point of attack and that the next move
will be to establish naval base ut Ceut1.
a point on the African coast owned by
Spain and opposite Gibraltar With this
base our ships would he within easy
striking distance 81 the long stretch Of
Spanish coast.
One short telegram received by Gen.
Greedy from one OF his signal corps Off
GERS with the army under Shaftcr was all
that came to the wur department, last
night or today. mat related entirely to
the management of telegraphs ana con
tanned no news is to the movements of
the military There ii is assumed at the
department that Gen. Shdftcr is simply
carrying forward his plans of bringing
forward his troops from the scacoast ana
concentrating them ut points Of vantage
on the heights surrounding Santiago. His
army is not to give battle until every
prccaution that prudence can suggest has
been taken to assure the success of the
movement.
Several important army orders We're
issued Monday. Brig. Cen. Il. T.
Frank who succeeded Major General
Merritt in command Of the department
of the east. with headquarters at New
York, is relieved of that command ana
ordered to report IT, the secretary Of
war for duty. Gen. &. l.. Gillapic,
colonel of engineers, who was recently
appointed brig2dicr general Of Nolun-
,tecrS. i; ordered To the command of
the department Of the east. l:ri@. Cen.
\. c. NJ Pennington has been relieved
from command of Camp Black, Hemp
stead. L. L.. and probably will Ia" as
signed to duty with the lth Army
Corps in Florida. Brig. Gen. Roe has
been assigned to duty with the LIST
Army Corps ut Chickamauga.