The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-08
Fighting Ships of the United States and
Spain

If the policy of the administration,
either in regard to the destruction of
the Maine or intervention in Cuba,
shall finally lead to war with Spain,
our navy, according to information de-
rived from official sources, will he found
superior to that of Spain at almost
every point. We have five first-class
battleships in service, including those
fine vessels, the Indiana, Massachu-
setts and Iowa, n one sec~ond-class
battleship, the Texas, while Spain has
only n battleship of the first-clasS.
which is not believed to be a match
for any vessel Of the same type in our
navy. In addition, the United States
has six cOaSt-defenSe veSSelS-the Puri-
tan, Terror, Amphitrite. Monterey.
Monadnock, and Observation-Disclosures
by naval authorities are regarded as
equal in battle to any armored cruisers
afioat. Rear Admiral JOuept recently
stated that he would rather take his
chanceS with a ship OF this kind i'm a
desperate engagement than handle q
battle ship or a ffrSt-claSs protected
cruiser. Spain has no vessels of his
type, while her armored cruisers, of
which she has nine that are regarded
as formidable fighters, wOuld be at a
disadvantage , it is claimed, if they
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drawn into a battle with the monitors.
The Spanish cruisers, however, might
prove effective against other ships of
our navy, and it is not altogether safe
to rely TOO much upon theory in count
ing up the risks Of a naval war, even
with an antagonist whom We consider
inferior.
Our five first-class b~attleships, six
coast-defense monitors and such Cruis-
ers as the Brooklyn and New York in
dictate a lighting strength more tina
equal to any force which Spain can
array against them, as her navy Is at
present constituted. Whether the
Madrid government would be able TO
offset the existing disparity between
the two navies by the purchase of war
ships from other nations remain to be
seen. The addition Of a few vessels
of modern type would go far TO equal
ize conditions, and It is not o1fbte
hat Spain would make a eff
fort to increase her naval strength If
war should be the result of the attitude
of this government toward the Maine
disaster or the ~Struggle now going on
in Cuba a comparison Of the navies
of the rwo countries shows hat with
out substantial additions TO her navy
Spain could not hope 70 wage a sue
ceSSful war against he United States.
A list Of her ships shows a great many
vessels, Dut many OF c1em are not ef-
fective, being Of antique type. with in
ferior armament anG Of small displace-
meat. OF torpedo boats Spain has, it
is rue more vessels,of this type til an
the United States, but They are NOT
more formidable or speedy than the
limited number witch We possess. 1'hxU
the torpedo boat will play an i'm por-
tant part in the naval battles Of sne
future is not d9ubted by comy,etaAt
authorities.
1t Is to be hoped that war with
Spain is only a remote possibility at
besf. and haI the administration may
find an honorable method OF ad busting
any differences which exist nov or
which may hereafter arise between the
W governments II the worst shall
be realized. however, n An appeal
TO the a~rbIuranrent Of the sword cam
not be aver3ed, il will be a satisfaction
to the country to feel that the new
navy win be able 10 protect it from
the fleets of the enemy. II is superior
to the Spanish navy IN every essential
point. with the exception of the ar
mored cruisers heretofore referred 20.
while the officers and men who will
handle our ships are men in whom the
country a complete confidence AID
who would be expected to measure SD
to The best traditions OF the old navy.
-raltimor< sun.