The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-23

Prepared to Give Spain Another Lick.
ing If 1t Is NecessarY.


ing If 1T Is Necessary.
WASHINGTON, Nov 22.-Though a re-
newal of hostilities with Spain is not ex-
pected by the Navy Department, Secretary
Long is putting all the war ships in first
class condition. This work is almost COM
pleted. The Indiana is the only armor-clad
which is now undergoing extensive repairs,
and in case of necessity overtime work
would promptly place her in good condition.
Secretary Long is now endeavoring to get
the smaller vessels away from navy yards
He has given instructions to commandants
of navy yards to rush the smaller cruisers
and gunboats, which are wanted for serv-
ice in cuban waters and Porto Rican waters
for patrol purposes. AS far as the North
Atlantic squadron is concerned, it would
not take long to mobilize a strong fleet.
The New York is now at Hampton Roads
fully coaled and ready for sea; the armored
cruiser Brooklyn and the battle ship Massa-
chusetts, which are at New York, can sail
within a very short time, and the second
class battle ship Texas is having her pro-
peller sleeve repaired. Besides these vessels
the department would probably attach to a
fleet sent abroad the cruiser New Orleans
which will be ready for service in the course
of a few weeks and several gunboats and
a fleet of Golfers. The battle ships Iowa
and Oregon, which are at Rio, are also
available for operations in Spanish waters,
being about the same distance from Spain
the ships now at New York.
Should hostilities be resumed it is expected
that Secretary Long will again call together
the naval war board. consisting of Rear
Admiral Sicard, Captain Crowinshield and
Captain Mahan. Before the adjournment of
the board plans had been prepared for the
dispatch of Rear Admiral Sampson and
squadron under his command to the Span
ish coast. 1t was not contemplated last
August that the Canaries should be seized
but there is reason to believe if the peace
negotiations are interrupted the authorities
will seriously consider the advisability of
directing the capture of these islands. The
withdrawal of the Spanish commissioners
from Paris might be the signal for the dis
patch of instructions to Rear Admiral
Sampson to come north on the gunboat
Topeka and resume duty as commander-in-
chief of the North Atlantic squadron. 1t
may be that, as the result OF an agreement
between Spain and the United States de-
cided through the medium of the French
government, the protocol referring to the
evacuation of Cuba would be carried out
without molestation on the part of the
American men-of-war.
Rear Admiral Dewey would send his yes
sells to destroy the fortifications at Iloilo.
troops would be transported to that point
and the city would be occupied. With the
fall of this point the last Spanish strong
hold in the Philippines would have disap-
peared and it would be an easy task to sta
ton troops among the various islands to
protect American interests. Besides the
Philippines, the American men-of-war
would also hoist the flag over the Carolines.
1t will be impossible for Spain to prevent
the United States from carrying out it's
will either in the Atlantic or in the far
East In expectation of the arrival of the
German Emperor and for the purpose of
impressing him as well as the people of
Spain with the size of the remnant of the
Spanish navy Admiral Camara has been di-
rected to mobilize his ships at Cadiz There
are now at that point the battle ship Pc
layo the armored cruiser Carlos V, the pro-
tected cruiser Alfonso XIII, the recon-
structed battle ships Numancia and Wit
toria, besides the torpedo boat destroyers
and torpedo boats In the Philippines Spain
has several small gunboats and one aux
Hilary cruiser, the Buenos Ayres Since the
war the Spanish government has done moth
ing toward completing the armored cruisers
Continued ON Second Page.)