Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-28
The VAR INTO AFRICA
I.
Rsta|Iatory Action by the
. Strategy Board.
NOW A SETTLED FACT
American Squadron to Be
Sent 10 Spain. ..
THE SHIPS THAT WILL GO
comm odore Watson to Com ma nd h. FIrs,
fAeet to Start form the New World to
Attack Continental Europe Golfers
Coming to Newport News.
tBy Telegraph.)

Coming to Newport News.
tBy Telegraph
WASHINGTON, June a7-rhe al
n11nistratlon today finally came to a
decision to send an American suuadron
~ me spanish coast and into the Med
oerranean- Several times since the
war broke out rumors to this effect
nave circulated, but the project had nor
insured; 1t required the Spanish rnoyeS
inent toward the Philippines nv carr,
ra's squadron to decide the Nav, ~
pa partment to adopt this bold stroke
me nrst announcement today throueh
d oulietin posted at the Navy Depart
llent OF the governments intention
was received with Encredulity. There
was a suspicion that the story was ia
ing hoated to deceive the Spanish pov-
eminent However, when, later i'm the
DAY, the detail of the vessels selected
to constitute Commodore Watson's
eastern squadron was announced and
oHlclal orders We're given to provision
the meet for four months it became an.
parent to the last doubter that the
government was in earnest in their
purpose to dispatch the fleet to Europe.
Three vessels selected as golfers have
started on their way to Newport News
to take on large supply of coal. 1t
viii require about a week to get this
down to SIMPSONS fleet. so If the start
IS to be made from that point it will
o. impossible for Commodore Watson
ct away before the Fourth of July.
would seem to be an suspicious
cate for the beginning of5an expedition
that will. for the first time in the
WORLDS history, start fEesn Nil the new
world to attack continental Europe.
NO attempt is made to deny that the
government is influenced in ordering
this movement by desire to check the
a G fyu~n ~,r II-,z
was not believed that the Spanish adj
miral could be guilty of the folly OF un-
covering his home ports in this fash
ION. put inasmuch as he seems deter
mined to do so the naval strateeists
could not do less than take advantages
of the magnificent opportunity thus ar
forded to strike crushing blow at
spain and thereby perhaps save much
time and loss of life and mo- in tho
conduct OF the tedious campaign in Gu.
ba 80 80 -
The determination to send this suuad.
ron against Spain was the outcome or
direct official advices reaching the state
ana Navy Departments as to the pro.
gress of Admiral Camara's squadron.
These advices give list Of the Spanish
SIMS now nearing the suez canal
which differs somewhat from the list
given in the press dispatches and by
Lloyd's. The official list is as follows.
Pelayo. Carlos v. Audaz. Osada.
Prosper'na. Patricia. Ranldo. RuenoA
Avres. Isla de Paney Colona. Covan.
dnnea. and San Francisco. The addi-
t!onal information comes from official
sources that this squadron is at Port
Said. and expects to take on board TO-
00H tons of coal before entering the Suez
canal. Such A heavy coaling will take
some time. 1t dscloses also that the
admiral expects to make a long sail
and is doubtless headed for the Phil,
inpines. point which the officials here
doubted at first.
This squadron is the most formida-
BILE Spain has afioat. In total tonnage.
strength Of individual ships, armor and
guns.
1t is apparent that the main reliance
Of Camara's fleet is on the battlesh'p
Pelovn. the armored cruiser Carlos v.
and the two new torpedo boat DESTROY
"rs. The others are anxiliaries and coll
liers. as there are only two armnred
ships in the lot. Admiral Dewev's feet
of nrotected but unarmored shins will
proba bly, take care of the Spanish
squadron. With the Monterey added
he could certainly do so.
The eastern SQUADRON. which the Uni
ted States will now send AGAINST Snain.
far out-ranks the Spanish SQUADRON.
the Iowa and Oregon exceeding to
Pelavo and Carlos V Mt every point.
while the other United States vessels
a~e far snnar'or. shin for shin. to those
gle exception Of the two Spanish tor
pedn boat destroyers.
The officers Of the eastern squadron
arc as follows
Comnnander-ir- chief. Commodore T.
e. Watson: Ratt1eshin iowa, Capta'n
r. y. Evans: batt1eshin OREGON, Cap
tain Charles u. Clar,: f'arship. New
orls. Cantain Albert S. Rerher; cruiser
Yosemite Commander w. RI. Emory:
cruiser Yankee Commander ": TT.
Rrow,neon: crn;eer Dixie. Commander
g. II. Davis. golfers Scendia. Commas
rnmm.ndar w. F.. Vrordwell: collier
A,arenda. Lieutenant Commander w.
Fl Rnford.
When the American fleet sn'ls for
Snain II will take with II comnlete in
FORM tom as to the ent'ra stretch Of
Spanish coast with detail mans Of as,-
erv harhnr and its Qualifications. The
war hoard had mass NJ this infnrno-
ttor heFora IT tndav and ~n"nt GOOD
mart &c the dav studv'n" Span'sh charts
and Notifications. With vie-'' RI cut
lining tta sAr'es 81, blows which "re
to he delivered at Spain At home. The
Spanish coast lire is 2122 kilometres
lor~ of which 200 k;lnn1etres is on the
north coast. while 1883 Kilometres is
alone the Mediterranean ard the At
lantic on the south coast. TIC coast
is described bv naval stratacists as all
runt and mountainous. with s'nuo,Is
,r,ets and CULTS resembling the Fiords
of Scandinavia In general the forti-
ftcotions IF the coast ore relics Of the
nedaevial greatness Of Spain and
MANY ~ these old defenses are tumb-
limo ruins.
The snanist, const IS divided into
ynree cantain penera'cies. NAMELY.
EerrcI. ~ the north. radiz on the south
ana Carthaeera m the east. AT Fer
rz Is the navv school and the school
NJ naval annlicat'nn. At Carthagena
is the school Of ordnance and ans the TOT.