New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-28
CARPYIVG THE WAR INTO SPAIN.

News Of the highest ana most erdli!i"s u"
terost comes from Washington today. An
American fleet is TO be dispatched forthwith 10
the Spanish coast. Commodore watson sailed
Yesterday with the Newark TO join Admlrai
Sampson. On reaching Santiago he VIII taKe
command of number OF fighting ships or varl-
Gus classes. and proceed at once to the coast III
Spain. That is the American answer 10 the
nreposterous antics of that Cadiz fleet and It Is
the most effective and most satisfactory answer
that could be made There cannot be true
American heart that will not thrill with pride
and exultation a. the thought that the BAY OF
Cadiz and the Heights Of Trafalgar. or the
waves Of the Mediterranean. where our kins-
men and ancestors did doughty deeds. may soon
be echoing with the thunder of Yankee guns
and see the Stars and Stripes flying In triumph
where ST. Georges Cross has flown In victory
before.
True II is terrible alternative But II Is the
one that sense and reason and humanity de-
mand and which Spain though so destitute or
those qualities. has brought upon herself Spain
wanted war She wickedly provoked il and be
gan It. Now let her have it, TO her hearts con
tent right on her own Iberian soil She was
boasting how she would ravage New-York and
Boston. Let her see how she likes 12-inch
hornly refused 10 recognize the hOpelessness OF
continuing the strife. Let see il she Will he
so stubborn when her home cities are lombard
ed and her home coast is blOckaded. II will he
humane proceeding Nothing could more quickly
| bring her 10 her senses and bring the war 10
close. Perhaps. too 1t will be interesting TO
the other nations Of Europe They have been
wondering how modern warships would behave
and hox-n sod Epap HeSir 10
watch the operations Of our fleet. 1t will be
more convenient for them 10 watch them AZ
| short range /.
| The fleet that is going over is one that Will
do credit to this Nation. It's flagship is the
| Newark a trim. nineeen-knot cruiser. carrying
dozen 6-inch guns, which she can fire at an
| amazingly rapid rate Then, there Will be the
Oregon and the Iowa. than which II any navy
in the world can show finer brace Of fighters
we should like 10 know which II Is. The one
has four 13nch and the other four Pinch
guns, besides eight S-inch guns each and great
| lot of smaller fry As TO their seaworthiness
inquire Of the Oregon Finally, there are the
Yosemite. the Yankee and the Dixie which
have given off the Cuban coast an account of
themselves which inspires the utmost confidence
/ in their future usefulness. Three Golfers ac
company this feet and will carry all the coal
that will be needed until our ships can help
! themselves from some Spanish bunkcrs
What have the Spaniards to oppose to these
| ships? Their best ships are snugly bottled up
! at Santiago de Cuba. where they are likely TO
| stay until Americans take them ont for service
| under the Stars and Stripes Their next best
are at Port Said. bound we are told. for the
| Philippines or San Francisco-if they can raise
| the cash TO pay canal tolls and get enough coal
| to carry them from eight thousand 10 eighteen
| thousand miles. And what else? The Catalina
| is a fine ship, but is not nearly finished. The
| Cardinal Csncros and the Prncesa de Asturlas
are undergoing repairs, and Will not be service
able for month. The Numancia IS also under
repair, and Is Of little value, anyway. She was
built in 1868. Of irOn and has only five inches
Of armor and can make only six or knots
an hour The Pedro d'AragOn is not yet fin
ished. The Nitoria is something like the MI
mancia, but not quite as strong. And those
! are all. save few small gunboats and torpedo
! craft
| That is the situation. II Is IN open question
whether our fleet Will first attack the Spanish
coast cities or will hurry through the Strait OF
| Gibraltar and Overtake Admiral Camara's fleet
| and destroy or capture it. It's ability to do
! either is not for moment TO he Ques-
| toned In either case the Spanish will have
| q fine taste Of war close nj home What
| the effect will be upon the Spanish public
ie most interesting question. The Madrid
| Government has kept the people in ieno-
rance Of the real state OF affairs The average
! Spaniard Is made to suppose that Spain is win
Ming and that the United States will soon be
| crushed and forced to pay big indemnity. The
| guns Of the Oregon and the Iowa AZ Cadiz or IN
! the Mediterranean will rudey dispel those vain
| imagnngs. and then the Government will have
| to reckon with an Infatuated populace as well
as with q foreign and invading foe. That too
| Is an evil the Spanish Government has deb
eratey brought upon itself, and that too. is one
| of the prime objects TO be attained by Commo-
dore WatSons expedition
| The word is Forward. Full speed ahead,
! Straight for the Bay Of Cadiz or for the Strait
OF Gibraltar! There heroic memories there
to welcome us. and n Meteor Flag on the crest
OF the Rock that will blaze more brightly to see
the Stars and Stripes stream past upon the war
path. And II will not he strange II our flag shall
prove a harbinger Of speedy peace.