The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-02
The Spanish Torpedo Boats
Reported at Porto
Rico.
HAVANA CRUISERS SAIL
On Their Way to Join the
WarShips Just in From
Spain.
NAVAL OFFICERS ARE ANXIOUS

ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE soUAD-
RON ASSEMBLING IN WATERS
| TO THE SOUTH.
| No Attempt to Disguise the Fact
That 1t Is Regarded as "a Serious
Menace and No Problem Involved
IN the EVentuaiity of War En-
crossing More of the Attention of
Those Who VIII BE Called Imam
to Provide SOiutiOn--Longer
Delay Had Been Anticipated Be-
fore the FIOtiIIa Arrived.
MADRID, April 1 (midnighO.-Th
Spanish torpedo f1otilla has arrived at
Porto Rico
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The navy
| department received information today
| that the cruisers Vizcaya and Oquendo.
the two fine Spanish cruisers which
have been lying at Havana, had left
| that port. Their destination is not
| known, but there is reason to believe
they have gone to join the torpedo
| fiotilla.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-The Mad
rld dispatch announcing the arrival Of
the Spanish torpedo flotilla at Porto
| Rico was quite unexpected in Wash
ington, and created considerable COM
ment in navy circles. So far as could
| be learned. no information on this
point has been received by either the
state or navy department
The arrival of the hotilla surpasses
all forecasts as to the time necessary
! to make the trip. and indicates that A
high rate of speed was maintained
| across the ocean.
HAVANA, April THE Spanish war
ships Vizeaya ard Oquendo left Ha-
| Vana at o'clock this afternoon. I'M
mense crowds gathered on the wharves
and cheered the ironclads as thew
| steamed away. Rear Admiral Luis
| Pastor Landeras, who relieved Admiral
| Navarro as Spanish naval commander
| in these waters last November, is on
| board the ViZcaya.
| The Alfonso XII remains here. Her
crew mounted into the rigging and
cheered the Vizcaya and the Almfrante
| Oquendo as they departed
HAVANA, April 1-Noon-The Span
| ish cruisers Vizcaya and Oquendo sail
| 1t would seem. from the fact that
| the Associated Press is told by the
| cable company that the above dispatch
| is apparently ended, that the censor
has killed the words which followed
| the word sail"
| WASHINGTON, April 1.-The greal
| building in which the state war and
| navy departments are located was alive
| from end to end today. kilograms came
| thick and fast, and hurried conferences
were held between officials, but there
! was comparatively little news obtaina-
| bic.
Before Secretary Longs departure to
| the White house, he saw a number of
| bureau chiefs and also Senator Hans
brough and Representative Handy
Secretary Alger gave an interview to
Senator Proctor and Representative
| Crump.
| The increasing tendency of the Of
ficials not to impart to the public news
| of the prospective movements of the
| ships and other details of an impor-
| tant character was the cause of the
| apparent scarcity Of news. 1t was felt
| by the officials that too much publicity
should not be given to many of these
| matters, as 1t might interfere with the
arrangements of the department.
| Probably no other matter is so en-
| crossing the attention of the officials
| as the approach of the torpedo f1otilla
now on its way from the Canary
| islands to Porto Rico, and some news
| of the sighting of the ships composing
the fleet is anxiously awaited. Opin-
ions differ somewhat as to the time the
| f1otilla should arrive at Porto Rico,
! which is reported to be their destina-
| ton, as their arrival will depend very
| largely on the condition of the weather
| encountered in the passage across the
| Atlantic. Strong trade winds prevail
| at this time, which, if met with by the
| fleet, will seriously impede it's passage.
| But, If the conditions are favorable in
| all respects, it is believed at the navy
| department that the arrival of the
! fleet at Porto Rico may be expected
the 4th or 5th of the present month.
Torpedo FIotiIIa.
If, on the other hand, bad weather
has been experienced, and the ships
| have been put to very severe usage
| by the elements, they may not arrive
| for several days later Severe DAMAGE
may result to the ships in the course
| of their passage, and, if this Is the
case, it may take several weeks to put
them again in condition for service.
Naval officers generally concede the
| fact that there is a decided element
of danger in the presence OF torpedo
| fleet within a reasonable distance of
| our shores, and many of them regret
that the fleet has been permitted to
come so far.
Their light draught and speed make
| the boats especially dangerous, and 1t
was suggested today that they might
be able to, after leaving Porto Rico.
run unnoticed into Havana harbor,
| where they would be a material addi-
ton to Spain's naval strength.
Officials generally decline to say
whether any representations were made
| to Spain with a view to delaying the
| departure of the feet, or whether any
action has been taken by our govern
ment looking to it's interception while
en- route. Even If such steps should
have been taken, the officials say, to
make them public at this time would
be very unwise step, as it would In
| terfere with any programme the Ecy-