New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
SPANISH AND AMERICAN WARSHIPS.

The Spanish warship Pelayo has Of late been
mentioned as about equal in strength to our
own Indiana, and a conflict between the two
has been speculated upon as evenly balanced
and Understandable in advance. Such talk is
based upon gross careessness OF observation,
or transformation as reference to the facts in
the case will show.
The Pelayo is smaller ship than the Indiana,
being Of 3SS tons less displacement, Is feet
shorter, ga feet narrower and Of 3 feet less
draught She has less powerful engines, de-
velopug only 5000 horsepower to the lndiana's
9,13S. Her new boilers may give her greater
power but that is yet to be demonstrated. She
is six years older than the Indiana. She is just
about as heavily armored as the Indiana, in
some parts more, in some less. She carries
only 800 tons of coal 10 the lndianas 1,6iO.
She has the same number Of torpedo-tubes.
Finally in ordnance she is far inferior 10 the
American ship. She has four big guns two Of
12ia-inch and two Of 11-inch calibre; but the
Indiana has four Of 13-inch calibre. The Pelayo
has one 62-nch and twelve 4.1-inch guns,
against the Indlanas eight S-inch and four
6-inch guns; and the Pelayo has SIX quick
firing and twelve machine guns, against the
Indlana's twenty quick firing 20-pounders, six
1t is not extravagant TO say that the Indiana
is, in point of offensive armament, fully SO per
cent more effective than the Peayo.
Much has been said also about the Emperador
Carlos V. She is not battleship. but an ar
mored cruiser. Let us see how she compares
with for example, the Brooklyn. The Spaniard
is u tons lighter, 20 feet shorter 9 feet broad
or foot shallower has go less horsepower
and is nearly two knots slower. She Is less
heavily armored than the Brooklyn, excepting
over her guns where her armor IS thicker. She
carries 800 tons less coal. She has the same
number of torpedo-tubes. She has two 11-inch
guns. which are much heavier than any on the
Brooklyn, but whether they will, on the whole,
prove more effective than the Brooklyn's eight
S-inch guns is an open question. Certainly the
Spaniards eight 512-nch quick-frng guns are
not equal TO the Brooklyp's twelve 5-nch, nor
her ten smaller ones 10 the Brooklyns sixteen;
nor will her six machine guns against the
Brooklyns four give her a winning preponder-
ance
Spain has seven other smaller armored
cruisers heavily armed. Of which the Vizcaya
may be taken as type. Of about 1000 tons,
and 10 to 10 inches Of armor. and each with
a couple of 10 or II inch guns and ten sly
inch guns. Against these the United States
has three more battle-ships, each equal in fight
ing strength 20 two of the Spanish cruisers. and
two armored cruisers each about equal to one
Of them In coast-defence vessels, monitors
etc, the United States is far superior to Spain,
the latter having practically none TO be COM
pared with our Monterey, Puritan, Terror Am
phitrite Miantonomoh and Monadnock In
gunboats and cruisers too the advantage is
decidedly on the side Of the United States If
TO these technical conditions we add the differ
ences in geographical position and in skill and
resources. between the two nations behind these
fleets, the odds are seen TO be so hopclessly
against Spain as TO make it cause Of wonder
that any rational Spanish statesman should for
moment consider the possibility Of war save
as a last desperate resort for national defence:
to which. we may be sure. Spain will never be
driven by the United States.