The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-14
TWO FLEETS TO MEET. YANKEES
NOW ORGANIZING AT CADIZ AND
CAPE DE VERDE.
These Will Oppose the Fleet at Key
West and Hampton Roads-Plans
of Attack and Defense.

New York, April 1S.-Advices re-
ceived by the navy department irdi-
cate that Spain is organizing as rap
idly as possible two powerful fleets
which WILL it it supposed, be opposed
to the two fleets that this country has
assembled at Key West and at Hamp-
ton Roads, says a Washington CORE
spondent of the Times. One of her
fleets is forming at Puerto Grande, st.
Vincent, Cape de Verde islands, and
the other is forming at Cadiz, Spain.
Naval experts think that the fleet at
Cadiz is intended for the defense of
the Spanish coast from any attack by
the flying squadron, while the fleet that
is assembling at the Cape de Verde
islands is intended for retaliatory at
tacks upon our coasts.
It is remarked that the latter fleet is
composed of very fast vessels, torpedo
boats, torpedo boat destroyers. and
swift cruisers. Even the supply YES
sells of this force are rapid and could
keep up with the movements of the
rest of the fleet. It is just the kind
of a squadron that would be formed
for the purpose of attacking the coast
and in the meantime lodging an
enemys fleet.
1t is probable that it could keep out
of the way of the majority of Captain
SIMPSONS vessels, and it would not be
safe for one or two American ships TO
leave the squadron too far and sub
ject themselves to a sudden attack by
swarm of torpedo boats. If this
American squadron keeps together,
therefore it seems probable that the
Spanish fleet is faster as a whole, and
could evade it on the high seas and
choose it's own way of fighting.
The plan presupposes that the Span
ish fleet, now rendeZvoused in the
Cape de Verde islands, Will move TO
the defense of Havana or seek to draw
off the American ships by foray on
our coast. 1t. is evident that Spain
expects an attack on Havana, and it
was for this reason that she withdrew
the Vizcaya and Almirante Oquendo
from that harbor.
1t is true that she has nOt-at least,
according to the latest advices of the
navy department-moved this torpedo
and cruiser fleet farther in this direc-
ton, but this is thought to be due to
the fact that she is afraid to start it
this way on its long journey across
the ocean lest war be declared and the
fleet be taken at great disadvantage by
the flying squadron, which would be
advised of the outbreak of war ain-
anu COulu move GCTOSS It's pain.
OF course, if the Spaniards sailed from
Porto Grande they would come under
sealed orders, or on orders to look out
for hostile American ships; but this
would not prepare them for sudden
attack by the flying squadron, which
could pick its time and place for fight
ing
If Havana is invested and the Span
ish fleet moves to its assistance, part
of Captain SIMPSONS fleet would have
to meet it unless the flying squadron
be kept in these matters. The Cape de
Verde fleet is not strong enough now,
however, to make such precaution
necessary, and it is considered that the
Key West squadron will be sufficient
for the work OF capturing Havana and
of holding the torpedo fiotilla at bay
or of dispensing and destroying it. and
allow the flying squadron to carry out
the plan already worked out-of max
ing a dash ct the Canaries and cutting
in two SPANS weak line of Defense