The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-04-01
LOOKS MORE WARLIKE
UNExAMPLED ACTIVITY IN
ALL QUARTERS.
Spanish FIOtilla COniing-Twelve YES
sells Purchased - Captain sampson
Placed In Command at Key West and


Commodore schley at Hampton Roads.
WASHINGTON, March 25.-The last
day before the arrival of the report of
the Maine court of inquiry was one of
unexampled activity in all official
quarters Advices came early that
the Spanish torpedo fiotilla had sailed
from the Canares for Porto Rico, and
from this moment the most energetic
and war-iike measures followed one
another in constant succession. The
movement of this fleet has been
watched with the keenest interest, as
it was felt to involve serious possibili-
ties which might compel the United
States government to protest against
the movement as of hostile char
acter.
Immediately on the receipt of the
official dispatch from one of our naval
attaches abroad, briefly announcing
the sailing OF the fleet, the fact was
made known to the President, and an
earnest conference was held between
him and Secretary Long and Assistant
retary Roosevelt. The seriousness
of the move ment was fully considered,
and the President was advised that
naval strategists regarded it as essen
tial that this torpedo fleet should not
De allowed to reach Western waters.
What, if any, conclusion was reached
is not known. The fleet consists of six
torpedo boats and seven torpedo boat
dcstroyers.
Following the notilla announce
ment important news followed rapid
ly. The first was this announcement
by Secretary Long indicating the
placing of our squadron and fleet on a
war footing:
Admiral Sicard has been granted
leave, very much to the regret of the
navy department, and altogether on
account of his health.
Captain Sampson has been made
commander of the fleet at Key West.
Captain Evans has been ordered to
take command of the battleship Iowa
The orders issued by the navy de-
partment during the day covered
every branch of naval arma-
ment The flying squadron" was
definitely esta blished, with Commodore
w. S. Schley in command. lie will
hoist his commodore's flag on the flag
ship Brooklyn next Monday. The
squadron is to consist Of exactly five
ships. no more and no less, despite
might be added Those of the squad
ron will be the crack armored cruiser
Brooklyn, the battleships Massachu
sets and Texas and the cruisers Co.
lumbia and Minneapolis Other ships
which are now or hereafter at Hamp-
ton Roads will not be of the flying
squadron, but will belong to the North
Atlantic station under Captain Samp-
son. The flying squadron is to be a
small, compact fleet of the best ships
in the navy, for Quick service at any
point along the Atlantic
AT the same time, the North Allan
tic station, under Captain Sampson, is
to be further augmented. The cruiser
Cincinnati, which left Port Antonio
three days ago under sealed orders, is
to report at Key West and become a
part of Captain SIMPSONS fleet. The
gunboat Wilmington, also en- route
from Port Antonio, will likewise re-
port to Captain Sampson at Key West,
as we'll as the gunboat Vicks burg,
now at Hampton Roads.
The navy department gave out the
following list. of vessels as showing
the exact character of each fleet as it
stands to-day:
THE following vessels compose the
North Atlantic squadron: New York,
Iowa, Indiana, Minatonomoh, Fern,
Puritan, Terror, Marbehead, Mont
gomery, Dolphin, Castne, Nashville,
Helena, Wilmington, Vesuvius, tor
pedo boats Dupont, Ericsson, Cushing,
Porter, Winslow, tugs Leyden and
Samoset
1.-THE following vessels compose the
flying squadron: The Brooklyn, Mass
achusetts, Texas, Minneapolis and
Columbia
Some of the other more important
developments of the day may be sum-
married. as follows:
Requisition was made on the naval
ordnance bureau for a large number
of quick fire 4-pounder and 6-pounder
guns, to be mounted on the revenue
cutters and steam yachts about to be
purchased. Tho bureau determined
to use the quick fire guns for these
craft, which had been originally in
tended for the Atlantic liners St
Paul and st. Louis. Captain Bradford,
chief of naval equipment, has
completed plans for securing a
naval coaling station in waters south
of Cuba, and the papers are now
ready for final action. The station
will not be on Navassa island, as has
been suggested, but is likely to be at
one of the several fine harbors of
Hayti or San Domingo, or else on the
Danish island of st. Thomas, which is
open to purchase from Denmark for a
sum. The battleship |
Texas was ordered from Hampton