The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-09
SPANS CHIEF FLEET
ADMIRAL cERvERAs SQUADRON THAT
Is NO MORE.

Descript.uu OF the Fine War Vessels That
Admiral Sampson Destroyed at SANTA
gothic -Four Armored Cruisers Were
Somewhat Larger Than the Maine.
Admiral Ceryera' S squadron of armor-
ed cruisers and torpedo boat destroyers
the most formidable squadron Spain
could assemble before the outbreak Of
war, comprising the finest ships of the
Spanish navy-sailed from the mother
country few days before President Nc
Kinley cabled to Minister Woodford at
Madrid his Cuban ultimatum Cervera
sailed ostensibly on peaceful mission,
but there was no doubt that the inten-
ton of the Spanish government was to
make naval demonstration to impress
upon the American government Spain's
preparedness for war and at the same
time to have all the available naval
fighting force of the monarchy as near
as possible to Cuba when war was de-
clared.
Cervera's squadron was made up Of
four armored cruisers, three torpedo
boat destroyers, and several other YES
sells when he left Spain. The most for
midable vessels were the four armored
cruisers, fine examples of the armored
cruiser type. They were the Almirante
Oquendo, the Infanta Maria Teresa, the
Vizcaya and the Cristobal Colon. The
first three were sister ships, built at Bill
bao Spain, and launched in 1890 and
1891 Their cost was given as So, 900, 900
each These cruisers were 1000 ton
ships, somewhat larger than the battle
ship Maine. Their water line length was
$40 feet, beam SO feet, maximum draft
81 feet 9 inches, indicated horsepower
$4,000 and speed 20 knots This speed
they attained in their trial speeds, but
when inefficient Spanish engineers took
hold of them they could not develop any
such speed as this. Their normal coal
supply was IL, 900 tons and their COM
plement 500 men each.
Heavy armor protected the machinery
Of the cruisers. They had steel water
line belts 315 feet long, 51a feet broad
and from 10 to IL inches thick. The
two turrets on each ship were construct
ed of inch steel. The gun positions of
the broadside guns were protected by
armor 1917 inches thick and the deck
plating was inches thick. In armor,
these ships were far superior to our ar
mored cruisers New York and Brooklyn.
The Brooklyns tbickest belt armor is
inches thick, and on the gun positions
the thicbest is inches-
This trio of cruisers carried heavy
ornaments. In turrets, forward and
aft, each ship mounted IL inch breech,
loading rifles. In addition each mounted
ten 8 - inch guns. The Oquendo and
Maria Teresa % inch guns were Hon.
toria guns, but the Vizcaya had rapid
fire guns. Each ship carried a number
of small guns and was equipped with
six torpedo tubes. Spain had trouble in
buying torpedoes before the war opened
the country has no facilities for max
ing torpedoes-and it is doubtful if the
ships in Santiago de Cuba harbor were
adequately equipped with torpedoes.
The Cristobal Colon was one of the
newest ships in the Spanish navy. She
was built at Sestri Potente by the Ital-
ian government and launched in 1896.
Her name was then the Giuseppe Carl
baldi II, replacing q previous ship by
that name Spain paid several million
dollars for her and named her the Girls
tobal Colon, in memory of the cruiser
by that name, lost near Cape San An
| tonic, Cuba, in October, 1895. She was
| a 6, $40 ton ship, 3SS feet ON the water
| line, 90 feet inches beam and "a feet
draft Her indicated horsepower was
ID, 900, her trial speed 90 knots, maxi
mum coal supply 1000 tons, and COM
| plement 400 men.
The Cristobal Colon's armament con-
sisted of two 10 inch turreted guns, ten
| 6 inch rapid fire guns and six A. inch,
| ten Q. 2 inch, ten /. A inch and two ma
| chine guns. She also carried four tor
| pedo tubes Her armor consisted Of q
| inch water line belt, 6 inches on
the gun positions and Il inch deck.
| The heavy armor was OF harveyized
| steel. The torpedo boat destroyers were
fine Clydebank boats-the Furor and
| Terror, launched in 1896, and the Plu-
| ton, launched last year. The first two
were capable of developing the remark
| able speed of 20 knots an hour, and the
| Pluton was credited with 80 knots. No
boats in the American navy now in
commission approached them in speed
The Furor's and Terror's principal di-
mansions were: Length, 220 feet; beam,
| % feet; draft, 90 feet displacement,
800 tons; coal capacity, 100 tons; COM
| plement, 81 men; armament, two IL
| Founders, two 6 Founders and two l
FOUNDERS The Pluton was larger boat,
registering 400 tons and having an in
dictated horsepower of $500, 1900
greater than the others.
The Maine Speaks.
For all the glory of my pride and strength,