The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-01
By the Associated Press.


WASHINGTON, April 30.-AH inter-
est toby was concentrated on the Phil
ippines, though IL seemed almost hone
less to expect any news directly from
that point which, for the present al
least. is the critical point Of naval
operations. Indeed, one high official.
well yersed in the plans Of the strategy
board, declared upon the result Of the
engagement which Commodore Dewey
is expected TO have with the Spanish
fleet today or within a day or two at
least, might depend to an extent the
outcome of the war
When Secretary Long left the navy
department he had received no word
from Commodore Dewey, nor from any
point in the East.
The reports as to the defenses at
Manila may or may not be true. but.
as TO the matter Of superiority on sea,
there does not seem TO be any question.
Spain has the greater number Of ships.
but the American vessels are the more
effective. The ships opposed 10 Ad-
miral Dewey are, in the order OF size:
The Reina Christina. Castillo, VelascO.
Don Antonio de Ulloa, Don Juan de
Austria, FL Cano. General LezO and
Marques del Duero.
spnin's Ships.
The only vessels of considerable size
in this fleet are the Reina Christina. Of
$500 tons displacement. and the Cas-
tilla, of 1892 tons, and neither Of these
has either armOr, protective decks. or
speed The Christina is credited with
seventeen knots an hour. but the Cas-
tilla makes only fourteen. The former
was built in 1856. Her armament con-
sists OF six 6.2-inch Hontoria guns. two
2.7-inch, and three 22-inch rapid-fires;
six L4-inch. and two machine guns.
She is fitted with torpedo tubes. bat
probably has no torpedoes. The Cas-
tilla is still older, having been launched
In 1881. She carries four 5.9-inch KrupD
guns, two 4.7-inch, two 3.3-inch, and
four 25-inch rapid-fires. and two ma
chine guns
There are three more unprotected
cruisers of small size, the Velasco, ,152
tons, and Don Antonio de Ulloa and
Don Juan de Austria. each of i. 100 tons.
Their utmost speed is a fraction over
fourteen knots. The Velasco's arma-
ment consists of three 5.9-inch ARM
strong guns, two 2.T-inch HontOrias,
and two machine guns; that OF the u
loa is four 4.7-inch HontoTias. two az
inch rapid fires. and FIVE machine guns,
and that of the Austria four 47-inch
Hontorlas, three 22-inch rapid fires.
two l5-inch, and five machine guns.
The General LEO and RI Cano are
listed as gun vessels OF 524 tons.
They were both built in 1855 and are
alike, except in armament. Neither can
steam over 11.5 knots an hour. The Gen.
Lezo carries two Hontoria guns of Az
inch caliber, one of 3.5-inch. two small
rapid fires, and one machine gun. Ell
Cano has three of the 47-inch guns.
two small rapid fires, and two machine
guns. The Marques del Duero is a dis
patch vessel OF 500 tons. more than
twenty years old. and has one old
smooth-bore muzzle loader Of 6.2-inch
caliber. two of 4.7-inch, and one ma
chine gun.
The Isla de Cuba and Isla de Luzon,
sometimes credited 10 the Philippine
squadron, were at last accounts at the
Caroline islands
With the exception of some small
transports, the vessels enumerated
above constitute the naval force that
Commodore Dewey has 10 encounter.
There are no armored or protected YES
sells; only one that has a speed ex-
ceeding 14.3 knots. no guns of more
than 6.2-inch caiiber. and the latter
are mostly old. In all there are thirty
two guns of more than 4-inch caliber.