Evening star., 1898-06-28
THE OPPOSING FLEETS.
How Commodore WatsOn's Vessels
VIII Compare With Camnra,s

VIII compare with Camarl's.
The determination to send the United
States squadron against Spain was the out
come Of direct official advices reaching the
State and Navy Departments as to the
progress of Admiral Camara's squadron.
These advices give a list of the Spanish
ships. now nearing the Suez canal which
differs somewhat from the list given in the
press dispatches and by Lloyds. The Off
cial list is as follows: Pelayo, Carlos V, Au.
daz, Osada, Proserpina, Patricia, Rapido,
Buenos Ayres. Isla de Paney, Colon, CO.
yandonga and San Francisco.
The additional information comss from
official sources that this squadron Is at
Port Said. and expects to take on board
10000 tons Of coal before entering the Suez
canal. Such heavy coaling will take some
time. 1t discloses also that the admiral ex-
poets to make long sail. and is doubtless
headed for the Philippines. a point which
the officials here doubted at first
This squadron is the most formidable
Spain has afoat, in total tonnage. strength
of individual ships. armor and guns. The
Pelayo Is the strongest of the ships and is
the only battls ship in the Spanish navy.
She is $500 tons, with speed of l61 knots
She carries thirty-fve guns of various cali
Der and has seven torpedo tubes. The larg-
est guns are the Pinch Hontorias, one for
ward and one aft, and l1-inCh Hontorias
one on each beam
The Carlos V is of 5000 TONS with a speed
o. 10 knots. She has twenty-eight guns, the
largest being 11-inch Hontorias worked
electrically. one forward and aft. She has
also six torpedo tubes. The AudaZ and
Osado are torpedo boat destroyers, recently
finished in England just before the war be-
gan. They are of 400 tons each and are
tEirty-knotters. Each carries six guns and
TWO torpedo tubes. The Buenos Ayres be-
longs to the Transatlantic COMPANY of Ca
diz and has bsen transformed into cruiser
She is 500 tons, with 14-knot speed The
Prospertna, Patricia and Rapido are mer-
Grant vessels recently reconstructed and
armed. The Colon, Coyadonga and San
Francisco are colliers.
1t Is apparent from this that the main r.-
lance of his fleet is on the battle shin Pc
lsyo. the armored cruiser Carlos " and the
two new torpedo boat destroyers Audaz nd
Osada- The Others are auxiliari.s and COL
Hers- As there are only two armored shtps
In the lot, Admiral Dewey's fleet Of protect
ed but unarmored ships will probably take
care OF this Spanish squadron. With the
Monterey added he could certainly do So
The eastern squadron which the United
states will now send against Spain far out
ranks this Spanish squadron, the Iowa and
oregon exceeding the Pelayo and Carlos v
at every point, while the other United
States vessels are far superior, ship for
ship, to those of the Spanish squadron, with
the single exception of the two Spanish tor
pedo boat destroyers
The three vessels selected nc coJliars for
| the United States squadron have started al
ready on their way TO Newport Nsws to
| take on large supply of coal. 1t will re-
quire about a week to get this down to
| SIMPSONS fleet so il the start ia To he
made from that point 1t will be. impossible
| for Commodore Watson to get away before
| the 4th of July. This would seem to be an
suspicious date for the beginning of an ex-
nod lon f1af rx-s1I f~r Al
worlds history, start from the new world
to attack continental Europe.