The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-27


tary authorities that the Spanish gov.
srnment had hurried 20 completion ex.
tensiye Notifications Of the island of
Porto Rico, lying just Oh Cuba, and the
only Spanish possession in this hemis-
phere other than Cuba. The exact
character Of these new defenses has
been made known here and they are b.
ing given weight with the military au-
thorities as showing the position Of
Spain.
The orders issued by the navy depart
ment during the day covered every
branch Of naval armament The "hy-
ing squadron" was definitely estab-
lished with Commodore W S. schley IN
command. He will hoist his commo-
doe Gag on the flagship Brooklyn next
Monday. The squadron Is 10 consist or
exactly five ships, no more and no less,
despite conjecture a. to possible ship
that might BE- added. Those Of the
squadron viii be the crack armored
cruiser Brooklyn, the batileships Texas
and Massachusetts, and the cruisers
Columbia and Minneapolis Other ships
which are now or hereafter AZ Hampton
Roads will not be Of the fying squad.
ron, but will belong 10 the North Allan,
tic squadron under Captain SIMPSON.
The flying station Is 20 BE- a small,
compact fleet Of the best ships IN tho
navy for quick sorviNo at any point
along the Atlantic.
AZ the same time, the Nerth Atlantic
station under Captain Simpson, Is 20 BE-
further augmented. The cruiser Gin.
cinnati, which left Port Antonio three
days ago under sealed orders, j. 70
reach Key West and become a part Of
Captain Sampson's feet. The gunboat
Wilmington also en- route from Port
Antonio, will likewise report 10 Captain
Sampson at Key West a. will the gun.
boat Vicksburg, now al Hampton Roads
The navy department gave out the fol.
lowing list Of vessels a. showing the *.
act character Of each feet as IL stands
now.
The following vessels compose the
north Atlantic squadron:
The New York, Iowa, Indiana, Mian.
touomoh, Fern, Puritan, Terror, Mar.
blehead, Montgomery, Delaware, Cas-.
tine, Nashville, Helena, Wilmington
and vesuvius, and the torpedoboats
Fooie, Dupont, Ericsson, Cushing, Por.
ter and winslow, and the tugs Lcydcn
and SAmOset,
The following vessels compose the fly.
ing squadron;
The Brooklyn, Massachusetts,, Texas,
Minneapolis and Columbia.
Some Of the other more important de.
yelopments Of the day may b. summa.
rized NJ follows:
/ AN'iAtHANlNllH MElf lIt'lN OH lIlN uANAi
ordnance bureau for large number of
quick fire 4-pounder and 6-pounder guns
10 be mounted ON the revenue cutters
and the steam yachtes about 10 b. pur.
/ chased.
The bureau determined 20 use the
quick fire guns for these crafts which
had been originally intended for the At.
lantic liners, St Paul and St. Louis
Captain Bradford, chief Of naval
equipment, completed plans for sccur.
ing naval coaling station In the water
south Of Cuba, and the papers are now
ready for final action. The station viii
not be- on Navassa island rs has been
suggested, but Il likely 20 b. 40 one Of
the harbors of Hayti or San Domingo or
elsewhere on the Danish island of St.
Thomas, which Is open 10 purchase from
Denmark FOR a considerable sum.
Favorable answers were received from
the New York naval militia OF their
readiness on short notice 20 supply ofl-
GERS and men 20 handle the single tur.
reted monitors now called into service.
Orders have boon issued 90 have all the
warships painted black. a color that Is
better adapted 10 hostilties because tho
vessels will not afford a. good target