Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-29
TO BE DIVIDED.
sEslf VI va, -
SIMPSONS Fleet to Leave
Santiago Very Soon.
Part Coming North to Be Repaired
Ready to Go to Spain.
Watsons Fleet Will Go Direct to Ccuta to
Engage Camara's Fleet.

Washington. July 2S.--Onicial ad-
mission was made at the navy DEPART
meft, today. that the battleship Texas
has been ordered to New York. The
departure of the Texas means the dis
solution of the armor-clad snuadron
when has been on duty at Santiago for
more than month, in connection with
the work Of bockading and destrovina
Corvera's fleet
Inc battleShips Iowa and Indiana
are to follow the Texas. and the Mass
achriSefts Will be ordered to the United
Staes as soon as she has performed
her part in the work of landing troons
at faJardo in Porto Rico.
All the ships under Roar Admiral
SIMPSONS command are not to leave
Santiago Immediately. 1t was ex-
planned that it was deemed advis,ll..
10 fetain a sufficient force at that
point until all danger of attack nm
Santiag" by Spanish troops is gone
rms means that after the prisoners
now collecting at Santiago have been
shipped to Spain Admiral Samson
ana the men of war under his com
mand will be relieved from duty at
their present stations and ordered ia
other points.
ii IS proposed to expedite the work
of repairing the ships and cleaning
their bottoms so that they can he
mad" ready for service as quickly as
possible. The Brooklyn dry dock.
which can accommodate the battle
ships, Will, according to Civil Engineer
Endicott chief of the bureau of yards
and docks. he ready Glfor service in
about two weeks. and it is purposed to
utilize it i'll getting the ships ready for
sea.
Spain is making desperate, efforts to
get her squadron in condition for ac-
tive service. Official information
which has been received in WASHINGTON
announces that the battleship PeIayo
and the armored cruiser Carlos V. arr
at Cartagena undergoing repairs in
consequence of their long voyage.
No confirmation has yet been recciv-
ID of the news that Admiral Camara
VIII establish his base at Ceuta in an
ucip2tinn of the coming Of Commodore
Watson's fleet. but no doubt is express
Cd is ia its correctness
Ceuta, which is just opposite Gibral-
tar, will be an admirable base from
which Camara VIII be able to operate
eilhcr for the protection of Cadiz or the
Mediierranean coast of Spain. The
American fleet cannot possibly get by
Ceuta without having to engage the
Spanish fleet, as the straits at that
point are not very wide, and it is ex-
rected that the Spanish fleet will fieh'
under the Notifications at Ceuta. which
are being placed in the best possible
condition.
l'y placing Admiral Camara's fleet at
Ceuta the Spanish government aban-
d"ns the Canary Islands and the nor
thern coast of Spain, their only protcc-
ton being their Notifications, which
Will probably not he molested by Com
modolc Watson's fleet. 1t has been
oihclaliy announced that the object Of
Commodore Watson force will be Ad-
miral Camara's command and its de
Struction, and by taking station a.
teuiu Admiral Cam1ra invites the bat
tie which it is the duty of his American
adversary to seek. In view of the de-
termination Of the department to give
the American commodore an over
WhclmlnS and thoroughly efficient
force, no doubt exists in naval circles
as to the result Of the combat.