The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-26
SPANISH TORPEDO FLEET.
Its Movement Toward Porto Rico
Causes Much Concern.

WASHINGTON March 2o.-IntereSt
bordering upon concern is manifest
among officials of the Navy Department
over the movement OF the Spanish fleet
of torpedo boats from the Can&ries to
Porto Rico The fotilla is one Of the
most formidable of it's kind afioat. and
the sending Of it to the West Indies
at this time is regarded as an indica-
ton of SPANS erdeavor to De pre-
pared for emergencies near Cuba.
Naval experts are OF the opinion that
| under ordinary circumstances it will
take the fotilla about ten days to
make the journey, but it is likely that
! it will require several days longer Ma
val officials compare the torpedo boats
to race horses trained TO a nicely They
are keyed up to q high pitch for short.
sharp and decisive work, and if over
taxed are liable to break down TO
make the trip to Porto Rico III ten
days absolutely smooth water would
be necessary.
| 1t is understood to-day that some cor
respondence with Spain through Min
| lister Polo concerning the movement of
the fiotilla is not unlikely. The state
ments made yesterday to the effect
that this Government might regard the
sending of the fiotilla to West Indian
waters as an unfriendly act, inasmuch
as it was evident that the boats We're
not intended for use against the Gu
bans, as a matter of fact could not be
employed only against a hostile fleet
! OF warships were accentuated to-day,
| but what representations, if any will
be made to Spain cannot be ascer-
| tai n
| In this connection the announcement
made last evening that the Navy De-
partment had practically concluded
the purchase of several fast yachts
(which it is proposed to transform into
the torpedo boats is not viewed with
entire favor by naval men. The yes
sels the department has In view have
| a speed ranging from sixteen to twenty
knots, while, especially designed tor
pedo boats, have a speed of from TWEEN
| ty-four to thirty knots. AS against reg
ular torpedo boats, the fleet of make
Shifts" as the proposed purchases of
the Government were termed by ma
val official would cut a comparatively
small figure. In the absence of any
thing better, however, it was conceded
that the vessels, if acquired by the
! Government, would prove of distinct
value Information as to the names
of the vessels was refused, lest the pre-
mature announcement might embarrass
the negotiations.
A MENACE TO OUR FLEET.
! KEY WEST. March Pot was not
until TO-DAY that the news of the de-
parture of the Spanish torpedo f1otiHa
from the Canary Islands became known
among the naval officers here 1t Gre
ated intense feeling, especially among
! the officers of the torpedo boats which
! are in this harbor. One of the most
! prominent of these officers said to-day
If the United States allows the Span
ish boats to get TO Port Rico it will be
the biggest mistake ever made. They
are greater menace to the safety Of our
fleet than If ali the rest of the Spanish
navy was brought to these waters. At
Porto Rico they will be nearer Key
West than Havana. Only two torpedo
boats in our navy would have any
chance of getting away from the Spanish
torpedo boat deStroyerS. The Iowa, New
York and Indiana lying out there six
/ miles off the land. would practically be
at the mercy of dozen Spanish torpedo
boats which could run over from Porto
Rico in a short time, should war be
declared. We have no protected harbors
/ here, and we have not single torpedo
destroyer, and unless a fleet powerful
enough to be proof against these torpedo
! boats is quickly concentrated in these
waters or unless the Spanish flotilla is
warned to keep further away, / should
| judge that it would be better to take
/ every United States Warship as far
away as possible from this menacing
| force which Spain intends to concen-
trate within such conTanient distance
as Porto Rico.
1T is all very we'll to talk Of peace,
and to say that there is 10 probability Of
war, but. at the same time While inter-
national relations are strained. displays
/ of force should be met with alacrity, and
as a torpedo expert 1 must say that il
every ship i'll the United States navy
was brought into these waters. X would
be none too formidable q display when
the strength of the Spanish tiotiHa is
! considered
! ONE OF THE VESSELS DISABLED
| WATERFORD. March 25.-The Span
! ish torpedo destroyer AudaZ has arIiveC
here with her bows stove in and her
stem twisted completely around from
{ about ten feet from the stern.
TIE FLYING SQUADRON.