Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-03-30

been created-7ones at Key West to guard
the gulf and be IN readiness to make a
demonstration against Havana, and an
other at Hampton Roads to guard the
North Atlantic coast, and serve in case
CT emergency as a support to the Gulf
deet Besides coast defense vessels have
been disposed 1T the principal hafbors.
Each fleet consists Of battleships, double
turreted monitors, arinored cruisers, gun
boats, torpedo boats and torpedo boat de-
stroyers. VI Spain has also divided her
available ships into squadrons. One will
defend Havana,ganother will guard home
cities, and third win hold itself in readi-
ness Ito proceed wherever directed. To
effect this arrangement she halted her
torpedo beat fletilla at enc Canary and&'
and retained the SECOND feet al ou to ,..4i
from Cadiz. Spain evidently intends to
have flying squadron" to utilize wher-
eyer opportunity occurs. ave ~
y Vessels Made Ready for War;
AT League Island, Key West and other
points all warships have been coaled to-
their full capacity and havefbeen supplied
with a full quot" Of all kinds OF ammuni-
ton. The Montgomery has been over
hauled since her return from Havana, and
the gunboats Helena and Bancroft also.
Preparations have been made WI the
secrecy and assfg ninentsto the one fleet or
the other have been carried On so guarded
lyp that it is impossible to find out just
where any vessel is going to be found
when the first, shot is fred. The newly
acquired Brazilian cruiser, Amazonas. I'M
der convoy of the San Francisco, will ar
rive in a few days all ready for service.
an Z, = ~,
Atlantic within two weeks and completed-
in an American yard. Several other yes
sells will have in the meantime been pur-
chased and. added to our available war
ships.A~ - T>A@ nv
SO delicate is the situation that our Gov
ernnent cannot wait for guns to be manu-
featured by our own shops, but is pur-
chasing them in England and Germany.
These guns being of "a caliber different 1
from ours, ammunition has to be purchas-
ed with them" Batteries are moving from
the West TO the Atlantic and Gulf coast
cities, and large quantities of ammuni-
tiop and supplies are Being forwarded in
advance, of their. arrival A bill was in
troduced IN Congress providing for the
increase of the regular army to 104 900
men, another for the building of three bat
tleshipss with an amendment increasing
them to twelve, and for the construction
of Six torpedo boats and six torpedo boat
destroyers. 3 s5 sstas - l 4alrue. ~.
Steps have been taken by the Navy De-
partment to REINFORCE the ships in service.
The board on auxiliary cruisers has exam
ined the American liner st. Louis and
measured her for armament. The owners
of the feet which comprises this vessel
and the ST. Paul, New York and Paris,
win, it is said, not insist on the purchase
of these vessels by the Government as it
has a right to do in the event of their inn
pressment, but will permit the Govern
ment to charter theni The board will
inspect the Ward line boats, and is also
looking art steel yachts and at iron and
steel coal, tugs, Information received by
the Government shows that there were
929@vessels of all types available for inn
pressment at its service. Plans are near
completion for utilizing as many as posi-
blegof these in connection with the naval
militia. ss4s9e 5al t'47 e $40
In the desire to have in the North At
lantic squadron coast fleet superior to
any Spain might send to Cuba the naval
authorities ordered the frst-class battle
ship Oregon to proceed with al dispatch
from San Francisco to Key West, by way
Of Cape Horn! Protection to the Pacific
coast afforded by the Charleston, Phila-1
delnhia and ,Montereyfis considered eff
cient by the officials. who point out that
asSpanishswar vessel would have no coal
ing facilities there Werk is being hasten
ed on the Newark, Charleston and Phila
delphia, and Chief Constructor Hichborn
announced the other day that these vessels
would be ready for service on May 10.