The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-28

WASHINGTON, June 27-The ad-
minisrration today finally came to de-
cisien to send an American squadron
TO the Spanish coast and into the Msdi-
terranean. Several times since the war
broke out, rumors to this effect have
circulated, but the project had not ma
tured. 1t required the Spanish move
merit toward the Philippines by Ca
mara's squadron to decide the navy
department to adopt this bold stroke
The first announcement today,
through g bulletin posted at the war
department, of the governments inten-
ton, was received with incredulity
There was a suspicion that the story
was being floated to deceive the Span
fsh government However, when later
In the day the detail of the vessels Sc
lected to constitute Commodore Wat
sons Eastern squadron was announced
and official orders were given to pro-
vision the fleet for four months, 1t be-
came apparent to the last doubter that
the government was in earnest in this
purpose to dispatch the fleet to Europe
The three vessels selected as colliers
have started already ON their way to
Newport News tc take On a large sup
Ply of coal. 1t VIII require about a
week to get this down to SIMPSONS
feet, so If the start is to be made from
that point it will be impossible for
Commodore Watson to get away before
the Fourth of July.
AN AUSPICIOUS DATE.
This would seem to be an auspic.ous
date for the beginning OF an expedition
that will. for the first time in the
worlds history, start from the New
World to attack Continental Europe.
No attempt is made to deny that the
government is influenced in ordering
this move by a desire to check the prog
ress eastward of the Cadiz fleet 1t was
not believed that the Spanish admiral
could be guilty of the folly of un-
covering his own home ports in this
fashion, but inaSmuch as he seems de-
termined to do so, the naval strategists
could not do less than take advantage
of the magnificent opportunity thus
afforded to strike a crushing bow at
Spain and thereby, perhaps, save much
time and loss of life and money in the
conduct of the tedious campaign in Gu
ba.
The determination to send this squad
ron against Spain was the outcome of
direct official advices reaching the state
and navy departments as to the prog
ress of Admiral Camara's squadron.
These advices give list OF the Spanish
ships row nearing the Suez canal,
which differs somewhat from the list
given in the press dispatches and by
Lloyd's. The official list is as follows:
PalaUn Cay-IHG 10
serrina, Patricia, Rapida, Buenos
Ayres, Isla de Paney, Colon, Covodanga
and San Francisco.
Additional information comes from
official sources that this squadron is at
Port Said and expects to take on TO-
600 tons of coal before entering the
Suez canal. Such heavy coaling will
take some time. 1t discloses also that
the admiral expects to make a long
sail, and is doubtless headed for the
Philippines, point which the officials
here doubted at first.
This squadron is the most formida BILE
Spain has af1oat in total tonnage
strength of individual ships, armor
and guns.
AMERICAN FLEET SUPERIOR.
The Eastern squadron which the
United States will now send against
Spain far outranks this Spanish
squadron, the Iowa and Oregon ex-
ceeding the Pelayo and Carlos v. a.
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
two Spanish torpedo boat destroyers
When the American fleet sails for
Spain it will take with it complete
information as to the entire strength
of the Spanish coast, with detail maps
of every harbor and it's Notifications.
The war department had a mass Of
this information before it today, and
spent a good part of the day studying
Spanish charts and fortifcations. with
view to outlining the series Of blows