The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-17
Spanish Government Evidently Afraid
Our Defense Preparations VIII At
feet the Elections I'm Cuba.
NO RESPONSE MAY BE MADE
FOR THE STATEMENT is LACKING
IN DIRECT ACCUSATIONS.
The Present Fleet at Key West Com
pared with the Formidable Display
Made During the Virginius Affair.


WASHINGTON, March 16.-The chief de-
velopment in the Spanish situation to-day
was in connection with the definite repre-
sentations submitted by the Spanish gov
ernment to the State Department concern
ing the assembling of a large fleet of Ameri-
can war ships at Key West, the war
preparations and the influence which these
might have on the approaching elections in
Cuba. These representations were exactly
in line with the semi-official utterances
given in these dispatches last night and
accredited to high official conversant with
the views of the Spanish Cabinet. While
these representations cannot properly be re-
garded as a protest against the attitude and
acts of the United States government they
may unquestionably be set down as a re-
monstrance calculated to have an effect in
European court circles. Not, however, be-
ing technical protest the statement has
not called forth any official rejoinder on
the part Of the State Department, for it is
lacking in tangible accusations. being rather
an argumentative presentation of alleged
Spanish grievances. The Fern sailed for
Havana from Key West this afternoon.
She goes to relieve the Montgomery as a
home for the officers engaged in supervising
the wrecking operations in Havana harbor.
1t is stated unequivocally that the Mont
gomery is not withdrawn owing to any sug-
gestion from Spanish scources that her
presence is not desired. 1t was the an
nounced intention of Secretary Long when
the cruiser was sent to Havana to keep her
there only so long as the Fern should be
engaged in the work of distributing relief
among the sufferers in eastern Cuba. This
task having been performed and owing to
the return of the court Of inquiry from
Havana, there being fewer persons to ac-
commodate, the Fern, which is better equip
ped than the Montgomery TO assist in the
wrecking work, is returned to her position.
Up to the close of Office hours the Navy
Department though it knew officially that
the court of inquiry had come over to Key
West from Havana, was not informed as to
the findings or plans of the court
1t is said that the object Of the Navy De-
partment in purchasing such crafts as the
late Mr.. Ogden Goelet's yacht Mayfiower is
to provide as quickly as possible number
of picket boats of good speed and sea-going
ability to act as scouts and also to aid our
ironclads and more expensive vessels in op-
erations against torpedo boats. A large
number of private yachts have been offered
to the department and other acquisitions OF
the same type as the Mayflower may be
expected.
The fleet at Key West will be augmented
within the next day or two by the arrival
of the gunboat Annapolis, the torpedo boat
Foote and the naval tugs Leyden and
Samoset, while the gunboat Helena is now
on her way from the European station, un-
der orders to report at Key West. The He
lena reported her arrival to-day at Funchal
on her way to join the fleet. These and 9TH
er vessels previously ordered to that point
constitute the largest assemblage of war
vessels made since the demonstration fol-
lowing the Virginius affair, and, consider
ing effectiveness and armament, it is the
strongest assemblage of ships for other
than review purposes stree the war.
The fleet now at Key West and Tortugas
is as follows: Cruiser New York, battle
ship Massachusetts, battle ship Indiana,
battle ship Iowa, battle ship Texas cruiser
Detroit, gunboat Nashville, cruiser Marble
head, dispatch boat Fern, torpedo boats Du-
pont, Gushing, Porter, WinsIow and Erics-
son. To these will soon be added the five
vessels now en- route there. In addition to
these the Montgomery is at Havana, and is
practically a part of the fleet; the gunboats
Wilmington and Castine and cruiser Cincin-
natl are at Barbados; the New port at CO.
Ion, with the Puritan, Newark, Amphitrite
and other ships of the North Atlantic
squadron at places along the coast further
northward.
In point of ships, the fleet under Rear Ad-
miral Cazon. Jan. 3, 1874, following the Vir-
ginius affair, was considerably larger as fol-
lows: Franklin, 80 guns; Wabash, As guns;
Colorado, 46 guns; Lancaster, % guns
Brooklyn, 20 guns; Congress. 16 guns,
Worcester, Is guns; Alaska, u guns; Tfcon-
deroga, u guns Canandaigua, 12 guns:
Shenandoah, II guns; Juanita, 8 guns; Os-
sippee, guns; Wauchusetts, guns; Pow
haitian, IL guns; Wyoming, guns; Kansas,
3 guns; Shawmut, 8 guns; Saugus, guns:
Mahopac, guns Manhattan. 2 guns; Ajax,
2 guns; Canonicus, guns; Dictator, guns;
Dispatch, guns; Pinta. guns: Fortune. 2
guns; Mayf1ower, guns; Iris. 2 guns, and
Yuma, guns.
Although formidable in its day, this ag-
gregation was made up of the old style
wooden ships, monitors which had gone
through the civil war, and every available
craft that could bear guns Compared with
the modern battle ships and the cruisers of
the new navy, 1t was insignificant In ton
mage and general effectiveness. 1t is note
worthy. however, that this formidable
gathering of ships was at the same place as
the present gathering and during a critical
time with Spain. and that it did not eventu-
ate in war
Secretary Alger has made acquisitions on
the President for two large allotments from
the appropriation of $50.O0OO00 for the ma
tional defense. 1t Is for S., ,00JO0O for the use
of the engineer department of the arrny In
the completion of certain fertilization works
along the Atlantic and gulf coasts now in
progress, and the other is for 81 ,225. 900 for
the use Of the Ordnance Department of the