The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-16
MAY SAIL TODAY.
WatsOn's Raiding Squadron
Ready For Business.

New York, July ia special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
The "raiding squadron" is expected
to start for the coast of Spain Satur-
day. The navy department under
stands that Commodore Watson has his
ships coaled to the limit of their bunk
er capacity and nothing should keep
him another day at Guantanamo.
He ought to pass Mole ST. Nicolas on
Sunday and according to schedule a dis
patch should be sent by him through a
dispatch boat off st. Thomas next We'd
nesday announcing his actual departure
from that vicinity upon the $500 mile
straightWay course for the Canaries,
where his formidable force should ap-
pear about August 1. or few days la
ter, depending upon the state of wealth
er encountered in mid-Atlantic and the
maximum speed of his Golfers, which
must fix his rate of progress
After two days spent under the lee
of one of the unfOrtified Canary islands
replenishing the bunkers of his fighting
ships with fuel, the final assault on
Spain, scarcely two days distant would
be promptly made, and if the last Span
1Sh naval resources, represented by Ca
mara's fleet cannot be enticed from
Cartagena to protect Cadiz, the Ameri-
can battle flag will quickly be displayed
in the Mediterranean.
The fleet, as at present constituted,
includes two of the best battleships in
the navy, Cne oregon and the MaSSa-
chusetts; the protect cruiser Newark,
the auXiliaries Yankee, Dixie and Yose-
mite, with six golfers and a supply ship.
The Oregon has become the flagship
and the Yankee is now at Hampton
Roads prepared to start with final or
ders on Sunday to meet the rest of the
squadron July 20 off St. Thomas. The
colliers carry $4,000 tons of the best coal
a sufficient quantity to steam the fleet
all the way to the Philippines and half
way back, the refrigerator ship Glacier
having fresh food to last two months.
While the Newark is capable of a 19-
knot speed for short distances, and the
Massachusetts and the Oregon each
have records above 16 knots, it is un-
likely that the squadron will keep up
an average of more than ten knots an
hour across the ocean, although, un-
hampered by their GOLFERS after leaving
the CanarieS, speed exceeding u
knots viii be constantly maintained: 1t
will be the duty of the three auxiliar-
les to afford protection to the collierS
and, to the supply ship at all times,
leaving the two battleships and the
Newark to undertake offensive opera
tions.
The departure of Commodore Wat
sons force will leave the Iowa, the In
diana, the Brooklyn, the New York, the
Texas and the Puritan as the armOred
vessels under Admiral SIMPSONS direct
command to batter down the fortifica-
tions at Porto Rico and the cruisers
Columbia, Minneapolis, San Francisco,
New Orleans, Detroit, Montgomery and
Marblehead to shell a landing place for
the disem barkation of the army of oc-
cupation under Gen. Miles. A large
number of gunboats and other auxiliary
vessels will be available to convey the
transports of the Porto Rican expedi-
tfon without impairing the efficiency of
the Cuban blockade by Withdrawing
any of the numerous vessels now on
that duty. The authorities at Wash
ingtOn are confident that an entire
army corps will be landed in Porto
Rico before the 'raiding squadron
reaches the Canaries, and that the ac-
ted almost simultaneously with Com
modore Watson's menace to the Span
ish peninsula. That these two terrible
blows, following so quickly upon the
surrender of Santiago this week, and
the occupation of Manila, which will
probably occur next week will compel
Spain to sue for peace hardly admits
of the slightest doubt.