The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-10
Spain'sLack
-Of a.
CoaISupply

7 IN all the Spanish naval plans 10 raise
Che Cuban blockade the qusstion Of coal
capacity and coal consumption by the
Spanish neet Is Of paramount impor-
tanoe. In view of this fact the New York
World has obtained from H. w. Will
son. author Of 'Ironclads In Action. I"
the most noted living British naval ex-
pert, q precise statement of just how
coal oonsiderst affect che operative
powers Of the Spanish squadron. He
writes:
I'm view Of the various very discrep-
ant statements made respecting the
Spanish cruissrs' coal capacity IL 10 un-
certain what quality Of COAL 10 on beard
and whether it II the best Welsh steam
or the rubbishy Spanish or German COAL
OF the latter three tons will only do the
work of two tons Of the former. Spain
had not large stocks Of coal, 90 1t 10
probable that there 10 much poor stun
In the bunkers. Tho calculations below
are for the best Welsh coal. and Spain's
enduranc0 must be somewhat reduced II
Welsh coal II not on board.
"Besides the coal carried In bunkers,
some can be slowed In bags Tor . long
voyage The quantity thus carried 10
naturally uncertain. but about the ex-
treme limit for the size Of the ship is
allowed. All the Spanish Armorod cruis-
ers have economical triple expansion en-
gines, but the stokers are believed to be
inferior. The speed used will be eco-
nomical-about ten knots--until tho
American feet or cruisers are sighted.
The figures for the Spanish ships are as
given below:
'Ths Almirante Oquendo, vizcaya
and Infanta Maria Teresa have all 1,200
tons bunker capacity, and with spare
GOAL In bags--say 800 tons-thsy can
Garry total of 1900 tons. The Cape
vsrdes and Puerto Rico are ., 400 miles
apart. With ten days economical speed
ct consumption Of from 90 to 80 tons
. day the total burned on the voyage
would be from 600 to 500 tons. There
remains say 600 tonA enough for eight
or nine days. economical stsaming. To.
New York is IL or IL days and would
require. say, $50 tons. There remains
$50 tons, Of which 800 II needed to get
to Halifax and q reserve Of 250 tons for
operations ON the American coast. The
Cristobal Colon has 1000 tons In her
bunkers, and liquid fuel 10 reported in
her double bottom. This 10 doubtful.
but allow that It equals 200 tons Of
coal, with deckload Of $50 tons, this
gives . total Of 1850 tons
''The Niclausse has very economical
boilers, with consumption Of 90 to 70
tons q day, giving total to Puerto
Rico of about 700 tons and to New York
Of about 500 toms This leaves $50 or
700 tons, allowing for rather more ex-
tended operations than the other cruis-
ers. The destroyers Pluton. Terror and
Furor oan carry at their extreme limit
100 tons, which may last fortnight at
economical speed II bad weather is not
encountered.
IF the Spanish feet meets Rear Ad-
miral Sampson east Of Puerto Rico,
they must either run or hght. II she
fights Spain will be smashed hands
down. II the feet runs, the Yankee
cruisers, fresh from port. full up with
coal and in fine trim, will quickly over
take the rear ship and attack 10. II the
other Spanish ships stop 10 give help.
Sampson's battleships will come up and
send the Spaniards TO the bottom.
''The destroyers are very dangerous
in smooth water, but In . heavy sea
are not 90 formidable. Therefore Samp-
son should attack a. far east ~ may be,
as the GOAL burned in their boilers leaves
the bunkers empty Of coal protection.
Destroyers have been ooaled in . sea-
way from large ship but rarely. Spain
may try to run the feet to an unobserved
anchorage end coal there from oolliers,
but IL IL believed that there are no
colliers with the Spanish neet.
British sympathy prevents British
oolliers from going to help the Span
iards The transport San Francisco, re-
ported to be with the torpedo boats
Ariete, Azor and Rayo, full Of coal, has
transferred much Of II to the Spanish
cruisers at Cape Verde. and their where
abouts are uncertain. The torpedo boats
could cross with some difficulty under
sail, and an anchorage that might be
used by Spain Is the gulf of Ocoa, on
the Haiti coast. There 10 very good
unfrequentsd harbor ut Martinique and
many ON the South American coast.
"Spain might temporarily seize an
open bay on the United States coast,
but this would be very risky and would
mean her probable destruction. see
nothing in the neutrality declarations
to prevent the Spanish from ooaling
from oollisrs in . neutral port provided
they do not make 10 the basis os pro-
longed stay. Much depends on the atti-
tude toward America Of the power own
ing the port.
"I think IL likely that Spain has
rendezvous In the West Indies, at some
unfreQuented anchorage. II will be best
TO- catch the neet before It gets near
land. Il is possibly after the Oregon,
but she can retreat to neutral waters.
The danger points for Americs TO watch
are the Haitian coast and South Ameri-
a a. IL A.