El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-04-29
REEFS AHEAD!
SDain's Big Fleet Goes to Sea.

ST. VINCENT, Cape Verde Islands,
April 20. --Tha Spa 2ish squadron and
torpedo hotilla stationed here, after
many days waiting, finally sailed at
$50 O'Clock thi- morning. The officers
would give out no information, and the
destination of the fleet is profound
mystery.
The first course taken after the ships
got their seaway was generally toward
the south. This may be but ruse to
divert attention from the real plan of
the move, but if the present course
indicates anything the formidable
armada a may he bound for Porto Rico,
or perhaps for the Barbados Or the
coast of South America.
If the LAST is the de tinatiou OF the
fleet, it is proba BILE that the squadron,
or pa OF it, will attempt to intercept
aud destroy or capture the big United
States battleship Oregon and the gun
boat Marietta now Cd their way to Key
West.
The Spanish squadron that left this
port consists of the armored
cruisers lLCHyb, AAiAAAA ssA w
Oouendo, Christobal Colon, and
Maria Teresa, three torpedo boats, and
three torpedo boat destroyers.
The Oregon is a match for any two
of the cruisers, but if sha had to fight
the whole feet she would be at big
disadvantage.
WASHINGTON, April 29-The navy
department today received four cable
grams from it's secret agents abroad
announcing the sailing OF the Spanish
fleet from the Cape Verde Islands. TIE
squadron sailed in southwesterly
direction.
WASHINGTON, April 29.-The naval
war board. formerly known as the
strategic board, with Rear Admiral
Sicard presiding, is now in session.
The board is known to have under
discussion the various plans that have
ben brought forward to check the
Spanish fleet and prepare for all pos
sible contingencies.
It is believed that some of the heav-
Ter vessels of Rear Admiral SsmpsOn's
fleet will be detached ana q strong
fleet massed further north in order
better to guard the big .seaboard cities
from any attack the Spaniards may be
planning to make. The ST. Paul, ST.
Louis, and Harvard formerly the New
York; are all engaged in scouting duty,
and the Yale (formerly The Paris will
be SO assigned as soon as she reaches
port.
No fear is felt by the department for
the safety of the last named vessel.
The fact that the Spanisrds let such an
easy prey escape them is freely cited
here as an evidence of the incom-
pstence of Spain's campaign man
ayers.
THE Cristobal Colon of the Spanish
squadro is very powerful 6rmcred
cruiser lately purchased from Italy.
She was launched in 1896, displaces
6S4O tons, has ioches of Harvey STEEL
op her sides and qua positions, steel
deck, a very powerful quick-fring ar
mament, and 20-knOJ speed. The
other cruisers are all new first-c ass
vessels protected by II inch steel belts,
and having S-incD steel armor for the
heavy gun placements. They are all
alike, DaVlng iUUU UDu5 ulSpldc0m0QC,
and being 1854 feet loag, IS feet -am.
of heavy O 13, ,OUO nominal horsepow er,
and 20 knots Eomiual speed. Ia these
cruisers two ll-iuch guns are moupted
singiy on barbette turreSs fore and aft,
and there are five 53-inch guns on each
broadsde, these guns having au un-
usually wide firing arc.
The Oregon is a sister chip of the
NJ 4ssachus etts and Iudiana. She has a
belt of IS-inch and 17-inch Harveyiz
ST. ell armour, u fest wide, extending
over 81 per cent of her whole length.
This belt rises 3 feet above the water
line and extends 4! feet below: the fore
and aft decks are armOured. The tur-
ret gear and ammunition hoist are all
heavily armored The remain der of
,he ship is protected by 5-iuch ar
NOR. The main battery comps ises four
13 inch 30 calibre gus mounted in
pairs in two turruJs, fore and aft, the
turrets being of 17-ioch steel Inclined
so that sbe full pro ective thickness IS
20 inches; ana eight S-inch guns
mounted in four tarTeis at the four
corners of an elevated deck. Length OF
ship, 34S feet; beam, 81 feet inches;
draught, "a feet. The Oregon carries
small torpedo boats On her uecks She
has 6 torpedo ejectiog tubes, 5000 in
dicated horse pOwer, and nominal
speed of 15 knots. ED.