Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-14

a decided sensation throughout naval cir
cles. as this brings close to Admiral
SIMPSONS squadron the formidable collec-
ton OF Spain's strongest and most mod
ported to be lying at Cadiz. Evidently the
latter report was inspired by Spanish STRAIT
egy.
Martinique is a French island lying 500
miles east of Porto Rico. and 100 miles from
the eastern coast of Cuba It is one Of the
outposts of the West Indies. and is the
| natural point at which the Spanish fleet.
coming from Cape Verde. would first make
a landing.
1t must now pass the French island Of
Guadalupe to the west, the Danish island
| OF St. Thomas. little further west, and
| then its course is open to Porto Rico unless
| Admiral SIMPSONS feet engages them be-
| fore that move is made.
As they stand now the two fleets are
| about 500 miles apart, which, by hard SAIL
| ing OF both fleets. would cover one day.
| or. by the sailing Of one feet, would bring
| them both together in two days.
The Spanish squadron is made up of sew
\ en- drst-class ships, Of which four are ar
| mored cruisers and three destroyers. This
| is as near the exact strength as can be
stated. for the reports from Cape Verde
and from Cadiz have caused much doubt
as to the exact strength Of the Spanish
squadron. Allowing for the torpedo boats
| and other craft which returned to Cadiz.
| there is little doubt that the Spanish squad
ron on Martinique has at least seven war;
ships Of formidable dimensions. These are:
Armored cruiser Vizcaya. built with
double screws. two turrets. two tunnels
| and two military masts with tops; length,
| S64 feet; displacement, $3.50 tons: maxi
mum speed, 20 knots. She has an armored
| belt of steel 5 feet inches broad. s15 feet
long and 10 or II inches thick. Her tur-
| rets have 9-inch steel armor coming tow
| ers R-inch armor. Her protected deck is
| from to inches of steel. Her armament
gly In turrets. one forward and one aft;
ten 5.5-inch guns, five on each side, the for
| ward and aft ones being sponsored; eight
6-pounders; ten s-pounders. eight Norden-
| feldt machine guns. two Maxim guns, six
torpedo tubes and two submerged torpedo
| tubes. She carries 4s4 men.
Armored cruiser Almirante Oquendo.
built Of steel, double screw; two turrets.
| etc. Her tonnage. armor and armament
in every respect is similar to that of the
| vizcaya-
| Arnored cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa
built Of steel: $3.50 tons displacement.
This cruiser is also identical to the viz,
| caya.
Armored cruiser Cristobal Colon; built
of steel. twin screws; two covered bar
bettes. fore and aft; two tunnels: one
| military mast Length. 32S feet; displace-
ment. 6.s4o tons; speed. twenty knots. Her
armor consists of a complete nickel steel
| belt eight feet three inches wide and
eight inches thick. The armor of the
barbettes is six inches thick. The protect
ed deck is from two to eight inches
thick; coming tower six inches. All the
guns have shields. Her armament is two
ten-inch. ten six-inch guns, six 4.7-!nch
| ten six-pounders. ten one-pounders, two
| maxim machine guns. four torpedo tubes,
She has a complement Of 500 men.
The Terror and Furore are torpedo boat
| destroyers lately added to the Spanish
navy. having been built at Clyde Bank in
1886. They are Of steel. with three funnel.
and one mast; length go feet, displacement
go tons, speed 28 knots, armament two
fourteen-pounder quick-firing guns, two
six-pounder quick-firing guns; two one
pound quick-fire. Each destroyer mounts
two fourteen-inch torpedo tubes on. deck
| and carries sixty-seven men.
The Pluton is another formidable mod
ern destroyer. but her exact dimensions
and armament are not available at the
navy department.
NEW YORK. May ia dispatch to the
Herald from st. Pierre, Martinique. yfs
Hayti. says:
The Spanish torpedo destroyer Furore ar
rived at this port late Wednesday night
but Immediately put to sea. Her arrival
caused tremendous excitement
About O'clock Thursday afternoon the
Spanish destroyer Terror arrived. Five
Spanish war vessels are in sight, bound
northward, apparently in the direction OF
Cuba. They are the Spanish Cape Verde
feet.
The United States scouting vessel Har.
ward is in port. She came in here to send
dispatches to the government in Washing.
ton. AS Spanish vessel was in port and
left after the Harvard arrived the port
authorities served notice on Captain Cot.
ton that he would not be allowed to leave
until twenty-four hours after the departure
Of the Spanish vessel.
SPANISH EET uAc npncpc