The evening times., 1898-07-18
sPA|N's LAST nAvAL PLANS
She May Send More Ships 10
These Waters.
A MOVE TOW ARD PORTO Rio
An Enort In the Hope of Embar-
raising the New American Army
Of lnvasi0n-CamaraW Would Be In
tercepted and Fought by watson.
AHKmenting the Strickea Fleet.

1t seems very certain that unless the
war is brought to a close very soon spain
in an effort to protect her interests will
divide the wretched remains of her deci-
mated squadron and among other naval
movements make nirt of resistance to
the operations. determined upon by the
American Government. against Porto Ri
CO.
This Government. however. expects to
only to dispatch Commodore Watson to
the Spanish coast with formidable force,
but TO retain under Commodore Sampson 5
command a fieet which will protect the
Sockading squadron of Porto Rico and
crG,a ant ;ae North Atlantic Coast and
the troopsaips whit h will convey the ar
my of invasion to Porto Rico.
This confidence arises from knowledge
of Spain's naval resources. Admiral Ca
mara should arrive at Car:agena today or
tomorrow. He will probably at once take
measures Tor augmenting his squadron
and confer with the Madrid authorities
regarding the advisabi!ity of dividing his
command. At the present time Spain has
but two armored ships-the batt!eship
Pelayo and the armored cruiser Carlos
V-and ii will be absolutely necessary Tor
her to attach one 10 the home squadron
and the other to the fleet to be sent 10
the relief of Porto Rico.
To the home squadron Will also be at
tacfed the third-class battleshipS Vito-ia
and Numancia and several Sur1ooats and
torpedo boats The squadron TO be sent
west may include the Alfonso ALI and
the torpedo boat destr5ycrs Destructor.
Audaz. Osado and Proserpina. 1t may be
rhat the torpedo gunboats Marques de IA
Vitor.a "a and Don Alvaro de Basan. which
are approaching completion at Ferrol,
may be put in readiness to sail with this
fo-ce.
The effect of the formation of these
two suuadrons will be to cause the au-
thorities to retain stronger force in
Western waters. II was announced by
Secretary Long before fhe fall of San
tiaSo that as soon as that city was occu-
pied Commodore Watson would sail east.
1t is expected that his departure will oc-
cur the latter part of this week, although
the new Spanish plans may put new
aspect On the matter. The auxiliary
cruiser Yankee, with ammunition for the
5attieships Oregon and Massachusetts.
left Norfolk this afternoon for Santiago.
where she will arrive on Tuesday ~ sht
or Wednesday. Commodore Watson will
send one of his ships to Hampton Roads
to convoy the colliers to the rendezvous
near tl1e coast of Spain which has been
selected.
1t Is evident that in any event the feet
cannot possibly leave before the latter
part of this week, by which time the au-
thorities say that Spain's naval plans will
have developed and they will know wheth-
er she intends to divide her squadron or
keep 1t intact for the protection of her
coast. In the latter case. as already stat
ed. all of the battleship's under ,Commo-
dore SIMPSONS command may accompany
Commodore Watson, but should there be
any danger of a force being sent by Spain
to the westward 1t will be necessary to
retain several of them under Commodore
SIMPSONS command. as it is appreciated
by the authorities that a force will have
to be kept at a convenient point to pro-
tect the blockading squadrons of Porto
Rico and Cuba and the North Atlantic
coast.
Should Spain send fleet to this side Of
the Atlantic. 1t cannot possibly arrive un-
der three weeks. By this time the au-
thorities hope to have the army of invas-
ion landed In Porto Rico. Even should q
force come to this side of the Atlantic
no great danger would follow, for the
simple reason that there are no coaling
depots at which IT could obtain fuel. and
it would be finally placed in the position of
Admiral Cervera's fleet.
II is proposed by the Naval War Board
to observe the same precautions that have
guided it so safely through the war up to
this time, and should It deem such action
desirable 1t may be that it will not send
Commodore Watson's feet to Spain upon
the dispatch of a squadron here by the
Madrid government, but will station 1t at
point to capture or destroy the Span
ish vessels, leaving Sampson to protect
the Cuban and Porto Rican blockades and
the coast of North America, and to con-
duct operations against Porto Rico.