The herald., 1898-04-22
The SPANISH SQUADRON
MAKES THE TIMID FEEL MUCH
AFRAID
THE FLEET IS FORMIDABLE
But Seems to Find Difficulty in Getting
Away From Friendly Anchorage
at Cape Verde
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK, April H.-A dispatch to the
Herald from Washington says:
Spain's answer to President McKinley's
ultimatum may take the form of shot and
shell.
Her formidable fleet, which has been
mobillzing at Cape Verde islands for some
days past, sailed on Wednesday from that
point for an unknown destination. The
fleet is composed of the armored cruisers
Oquendo, Cristobal Colon, Infanta Maria
Teresa and Vizcaya, the torpedo boat de-
stroyers Furore. Terror and Pluton. and
the torpedo boats Ariele, Azor and Rayo
and perhaps the battleship Pelayo.
Information of the sailing of the fleet has
been received by the attaches of the Span
ish legation.
1t is conceded to be highly probable that
the fleet will hasten across the ocean to
Porto Rico and Cuba to prevent by force
the ousting from the islands of the naval
and military forces of the Spanish govern
ment now there.
On the other hand it is possible that the
ships have gone to the Canary islands, but
this is considered improbable.
AS a result Of information which the
oPoiASAA obtoGbcS nave IeCelVeu, Tie OlLlC-
ials are satisfied that tho ship Pelayo,
which was officially reported to have sailed
from Cadiz on Sunday last, Joined 1t, and
that, Furthermore, arrangements have
been made for the reinforcement of the
squadron by the armored cruiser Carlos v.
Spain's action in collecting such a for
midable fleet at ST. Vincent has been a sub
ject of considerable and anxious specula-
finn at Nov No,
ceive considerable consideration at meet
ing of the strategic board. The Carlos v
is perhaps the most effective of Spain's
men-of-war. She is an armored cruiser of
$3.50 tons and a speed of twenty knots Her
batteries consist of twenty-six guns. The
Pelayo, the only battleship in the Spanish
navy of any value, was originally built
twelve years ago, but the changes which
have been made in her battery in France
have increased her efficiency to a great
extent. Such a fleet might be able to dis
pose Of Commodore Schley's flying squad
ron.
In consequence of the collection of such
formidable force at st. vincents, one
thing is certain-the Flying Squadron Will
not be sent to operate against it until re-
inforced by the battleships and cruisers of
a
certain that this government will be hasty
in dispatching its vessels to Eastern
waters.
The United States Navy would natur-
ally prefer that the Spanish should seek q
battle by sailing to Porto Rico or Cuba.
because at either point they would be far
from their base, and it is in anticipation
of their coming that Spain has been gath
a To- Co.
Information which has reached the au.
thorities shows that she now has at Ha.
vana 100000 tons of coal, and at San Juan
25,OOO. She is making desperate efforts to
| increase her coal piles, and dealers in Nor
folk have been selling coal to Spanish
agents at dollar per ton less than the
price they have charged the United Staus
If Spain should use the Cape Verde Is
lands as base of operations in time OF
war. Portugal will be called to account
by the United States. The Cape Verde Is
lands belong to the Lisbon government,
which recently informed the United States
that it had rejected propositions made by
Spain to enter into an offensive and de-
fensive alliance. and proposed to remain
strictly neutral
Portugal will be expected to carry out
ity obligations will permit her to give the
Spanish vessels only sufficient coal to en-
able them to reach the next Spanish port
which, in this case would be the Canary
Islands, and once they have left that por:
they cannot return for coal or provisions
II expect that the Spanish fleet will leave
st. Vincent Immediately after war is de-
clared," said a well-known naval expert
nd tee n
There will be great scare in the United
States as it will be believed they are en-
route for Porto Rico or Cuban waters, OF
possibly for one of the coast cities, but
in four or five days they will turn up at
the Canaries, and there, I believe, they
will remain to give the American fleet a
| warm reception upon it's arrival.
ut will be to the interests of the United
States forces to occupy one Of the Canary
islands and establish coal supply there
"It looks to me as though Spain is gath.
ering her forces in order to give the United
States a good stand-up fight, and if she
is defeated she will rely on the squadron
at Cadiz as her second line of defense. ]
do not think her men of war will come
westward, for, being far from their base
they would be at a disadvantage.
Although Spains second torpedo boat
flotilla was reported to be preparing to
sail some days ago, no report of it's &C.
parture from Cadiz has been announced.
This flotilla consists of the converted yacht
Giralda, torpedo boat destroyers Destruc-
tor. Prosperin and Osado, and five tor
pedo boats.
Official information has been received
that the iron battleship Victoria, now at
Cadiz. was fully put in condition for ac-
tive service on April 13. The iron battle
ship Numancia, which has been altered at