Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-11-29
CERvERA EXPECTED DEFEAT

CERVERA EXPECTED DEFEAT.
The Navy Department yesterday
published through the Office of naval
intelligence the views of Admiral Ger
vera regarding the Spanish navy in the
late war" Captain Glover, the chief
intelligence officer, explains that this is
reprint of a number of letters pub
lished in "La Epoca" OF Madrid on
November 5. The letters are dated
from before the war up to May 5. They
were written by Cervera in protest
against Spain rushing into war in the
face OF certain defeat, due to the naval
strength of the United States and the
undergraduates of the Spanish navy.
Captain Clover says that Spain had
neglected her navy, and Cervera shows
it was imprudent for her to attempt war
against superior naval power. TAX
ing up some OF the vessels in detail, in
letter written in January, he shows
how the Vizcaya carried defective guns
how the Carlos V was failure because
of lack of power, and how the Cata-
luna, begun more than eight years be-
fore, was still incomplete. And then
ne predicts that q conflict would be
disastrous to Spain.
In q letter written in February the
Admiral speaks of the Colon having no
guns, Of other vessels being defective,
OF the inability of the fleet to coal at
Cadiz, of their being obliged to go out
with half rations and finally of having
no charts of the American seas. He
says that tbs eight principal vessels Oh
the Havana station are worn out and
that taking things as they are the Span.
ish naval force compared with that OF
the United States is in the proportion
of one to three. In such conditions g
campaign, he writes, would be disas-
trous, if not an offensive one, and ell
that could be done in an offensive way
would be to make some raids With q
few fast vessels.
The Admiral points TO the futility OF
attempting to blockade tie United
States ports and asks how the Spanish
navy would repair, even should they
win great victory, without resources.
He says: "It would be foolish to deoy
that what we may reasonably expect Is
defeat, which may be glorious, but all
the same defeat which would cause Us
to lose the island in the worst possible
manner. Oaly in ease we could count
on some powerful ally could we aspire
to obtain a satisfactory result"
The Admiral refers to the Spanish
Pacific force as not able to afford even
a shadow OF resistance 10 the America
naval force. Further on ne speaks OF
the war as at last in sight and lamenis
the incomplete state OF the Spanish yes
sells. But after all be says that he is
glad the end is coming and is prepare
to do his duty. He is on record IS
protesting against the idea of sending
the little torpedo-boat hotilla to
Cuba, pointing out that ma
val defeat for the Spaniards would
precipitate the loss of CUBA.
He speaks of tie surprise and astonishmenr
experienced by all OF the officers OF his squad.
roa on rec living orders from Spain to sail
from Cape Verde for Cuba, inasmuch as they
had united in pointing out the condition OF
the ships. Says the Admiral: with an easy
conscience 90 to the sacrifice, but cannot
understand the decision OF the navy general
officers against my opinions
The last letter in the series IS one from Ad'
mirsl Vilamil, of Cervera's squadron, ad-
dressed directly to Sagasta, pointing out that
the sacrifice of the Spanish naval forces will
be as certain az it will be useless and frultless
for the termination of the war