The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-28


i, The three vessels selected as golfers
have already started for Newport News
to take coal. 1t will require about a
week to get this down to SIMPSONS
fleet. so IL the start Is to be made from
that point IL viii be impossible for Com
modore Watson to get away before July
4. This would seem to be an suspicious
date for the beginning Of an expedition
which will for the first time in the
worlds history start from the new world
30 attack continental Europe.
o attempt is made to deny that the
government is Influenced in ordering
this movement by a desire to check the
progress eastward of the Cadiz fleet. 1t
was not believed that the Spanish ad-
miral could be guilty of the folly of un-
covering his home ports In this fashion.
but as he seems determined to do so, the
naval strategists could not do less than
take advantage OF the magnificent OPP
Ip%ortunity afforded to strike a 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 determination to send this squad
ron against Spain was the outcome of
direct official advices reaching the state
and navy departments as to the progress
OF Admiral Camara's squadron. These
advices gave q list OF the Spanish ships
o nearing the Suez canal, which diff
fers somewhat from the list given in the
press dispatches and by Lloyds. The
official list is as follows: Pelayo, Carlos
". Audax. Ocada, Proserpina, Patricia,
Rapido. Buenos Ayres, Isla de Fancy,
Colon, Covandonga and San Francisco.
The squadron Is the most formidable
Spain has afoat In total tonnage,
strength of individual ships, armor and
guns. The Pelayo is the strongest OF the
ships. and is the only 'battleship in the
Spanish navy. She Is 1900 tons, with a
speed of 1871 knots. She carries 35 guns
of various celiber. and has seven tor
pedo tubes. The largest guns are ~
inch Hontorias-one forward and one
aft-and 11-inch Hontorias, one on zach
beam. The Carlos v is OF 5000 tons, with
q speed OF 10 knots. She has rs guns,
the largest being 11-inch Hontorias
worked electrically. one forward and
one aft. She has also six torpedo tubes.
The Audaz and Osado are torpedo boat
destroyers, finished In England Just be-
fore the war began. They are OF 400 tons
each and are ~30-knotters. Each carries
Elk guns n two torpedo tubes. The
Buenos Ayres' belongs TO the Transat-
iantic company of Cadiz. and has been
transformed into a cruiser. She is $500
tons, with IA knots speed. The Pro-
serpina, Patricia and Rapido are mer-
chant vessels recently reconstructed and
armed. The Colon, Covadonga n Saw
Francisco are GOLFERS. IL is apparent
from this that the main reliance Of his
fleet is on the Palayo. the Carlos ". and
the torpedo boat destroyers. The others
are auxiliaries and GOLFERS. AS there are
only two armored ships In the lot. Ad-
mlral Dewey's fleet OF protected. but un-
srmored. ships probably will take care OF
this Spanish squadron With the Mon
terey added. II could certainly do so. The
eastern squadron far outranks this
squadron. the Iowa and Oregon exceed
ina the Pelayo and Carlos v at every
point, while the other United States ves-
:,sls are far superior. ship for ship. 20
those OF the Spanish SQUADRON. with the