Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-26

pian OF making the report public and |
transmitting IL to Congress early next !
week, accompanied by a brief message |
from the President.
Nhile interest was thus centered at the |
White House, the Navy and War depart
ments were hurryng forward their work
Of preparation.
THE SPANISH FLoTILL.A.
The advance OF the Spanish notilla con-
tinued TO receive the closest attention OF
naval officials. and while. so far as could
be ascertained, 20 definite line OF action
was determined upon, the need OF inter-
cepting this feet was urged by the high
est naval authorities. From the stand
point OF the Spanish Government, this
movement Is not menace, having
been decided upon many weeks ago.
The Spanish Government holds that
the extensive armament OF the
Dry Tortugas is more directly
hostile act against Spain than any
movement OF the flotilla. Instead Of stop
ping the fiotilia. the present attitude of
Spain tends toward reinforcing it with
other Spanish war-vessels not as a me
mace, but from what the Spanish Govern
ment feels is a requirement called for by
the existing condition of affairs.
FoRTIFICATIoN OF PORTO RICO.
Hardly less suggestive than the APP
proach Of the torpedo fotilla was the In
formation received to-day by the highest
military authorities that the Spanish
| Government had hurried 20 completion
| extensive fortihcations on the Island of
| Porto Rico, lying just off Cuba, and the
| only Spanish possession in this hemi-
| sphere other than Cuba. The exact cha
~ a h4ta Iaa
known here, and they are being given
weight with the military authorities, as
showing the disposition of Spain.
FLYING SQUADRON FORMED.
The orders issued by the Navy Depart
ment during the day covered every
! branch of naval armament. The "Flying
| squadron was definitely established, with
| Commodore w. S. Schley In command. lie
| will hoist his commodore's flag on the
flagship Brooklyn next Monday. The
| squadron is TO consist of exactly five
| ships. Those of the squadron will be the
| crack armored cruiser Brooklyn, the bat
| tleships Massachusetts and Texas, and
the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis.
| Other ships which are now, or will be
| hereafter, at Hampton Roads. will not be
of the flying squadron but will belong to
the North Atlantic Station, under Captain
Sampson. The flying squadron is to be q
small compact fleet of the best ships In
the navy, for quick service at any point
| along the Atlantic coast.
At the same time, the North Atlantic
Station, under Captain Sampson, is to be
further augmented. The cruiser Cincin-
natl. which left Port Antonio three days
ago, under sealed orders, is to report at
Key West and become a part of Captain
SIMPSONS feet. The gunboat Whining
ton. also en- route from Port Antonio, VIII
likewise report to Captain Sampson at
Key West, as will the gunboat Vicksburg,
now at Hampton Roads Late to-day the
Navy Department gave out the following
list of vessels, as showing the exact cha
racter Of each fleet:
''The following vessels compose the
North Atlanti squadron: The New York,
Iowa, Indiana, Miantonomoh. Fern, Puri-
tan, Terror, Marbehead, Montgomery,
| Delaware, Castine, Nashville, Helena,
| Wilmington, and Vesuvius. Torpedo-boats
Foote. Dupont, Ericsson, Cushing, Porter.
and Winslow. Tugs Leyden and Samoset.
THE following vessels compose the
Flying squadron: The Brooklyn, Massa-
chusetts. Texas. Minneapolis. and Colum-
bia-"
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS.
Some of the other important develop
ments of the day may be summarized as
follows: Requisitions were made on the
| Naval Ordnance Bureau for large num-
ber of quick-flre four-pounder and Six
FOUNDER guns, TO be mounted, on the reve-
nue. cutters and the steamyachts about
to be purchased. The bureau determined
to use the quick-fire guns for these crart,
which had been originally intended for
| Dor md nj
Captain Bradford. Chief Of Naval Equip
ment. completed plans for securing a
naval coaling station in waters south OF
, Cuba, and the papers are now ready fol
final action. The station will not be on
Navassa Island as had been suggested
but is likely to be at one Of the several
fine harbors of Haiti or San Domingo, oil
else on the Danish Island Of st. Thomas
which is open to purchase from Denmark
for q considerable sum. 1t is stated to-
day that the battleship Texas was order
ed from Hampton Roads to New York tC
repair her machinery for hoisting ammu
milton and guns.
Favorable answers were received from
the New York naval militia of their readi
ness on short notice TO supply officers anC
men TO man the single-turret monitors
now called into service.
2 Orders were issued to-day to have al
the war-ships painted black color tina
Is better adapted to hostilties, becaus
the vessels will not afford as good tar
2 get.
, WE BUY A TORPEDO-BOAT.
The Navy Department was informed b!
cablegram from Lieutenant Colwel nava
attache 10 the United States Embassy a
: / London. that agents of this government
had purchased "Schischau" torpedo-boa
that had been constructed for the German
! | Government The new acquisition is
= the general type of German torpedo
boats. and is regarded as a valuable al
! | dition TO our navy. One feature regard
I ing her that affords special gratincauol
10 the officials Of the Navy Department !
. that she is now ready for sea. 1t IS sal'
that in a few days she will leave for tn
limited States She will be able to max
the tourney across the Atlantic wlthou
+, dificulty. as she is a good sea-going YES
sol and her coal capacity is ample for IN
trim 10 this country. She is 2S-knot YES
sci and about $50 feet long. While OF IN
e same type as the Rodgers and Foote' Q
the United States navy, she is trifi
larger -.
At the Navy Department the precis
dimensions of the new boat could not o
obtained. Work on the vessel has JUS
heen completed she never having pee
I In service She is supposed to carr
three torpedo tubes. and three smal
ranid-fre guns. Nine to twelve men WI
| bo naadad 10 man her.