Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-17
The Patriotism Of the spaniards Liv-
ing in Cuba.
A TRIP AMONG AAVLNA'S DEFENSES
All Seem to Be Going to Ruin and
Decay.
THE KRUPP GUN BATTERY
Copyright, 1898, by Charles NJ Peppcr)
pecial Correspondence of The Evening Star.


strengthen the Spanish navy The project
was begun a year ago. Though the amounts
contributed are SMALL the zeal of the gtyers
does not flag. l believe the total sum real
lied has been not far from $25o0OO 1t is
turned over to the ministry of marine. This
subscription, the spontaneous Offering of
the peninsulars in the Antilles, is called
patriotism in action"
If the national sentiment finds relief in
this way, the government remains tranquil
No unseen:ly stir marks it's movements
The Havana navy yards, where warlike
preparations would naturally be found if
they were under way anywhere is "patri-
otiSm in reIcse.' Last spring several at
tempts of mine to visit the navy yard were
frustrated through lack of an official per-
nit. At that time, under Weyler's rabid
anti-Amercan administration, permits were
not readily granted. In the present period
of friendship and bubbling good will be-
tween the two countries no trouble is had.
The visitor who wants to inform himself
about the defenses of Havana can stroll
through the navy yard al pleasure. A rest
full afternoon may be spent in this manner.
The Havana Navy Yard.
1t is more like a park than marine ar
senal. Perhaps some day it will be made
into park. The great laurel trees which
line the broad walks are meant for nothing
else. The chapel. set off by itself in a little
spot of green, is picturesque. more sug
gestive of Moorish memories than of devo-
ton. The officers quarters are rambling
buildings, some neat and attractive, some
otherwise; but all bearing evidence that
Spain transplanted its architecture to Cuba
The barracks of the men are not uninviting
in their appearance. The dry dock is little
more than an ordrary marine railway. A
smaller one Is in disuse and has apparently
been discarded. At the waters edge lies
the poor little Competitor her timbers rot
ting. One wonders at the hardihood of the
men who were willing to embark on
filibustering expedition in her. There is
other craft, warships, transport for
troops, torpedo boat which might class
with the Vesuvius; a smaller cruiser, the
Cortes; q larger one. the Ensania; Weylers
dispatch boat, LegaZpi, and a couple of
third-class cruisers. One was without its
boilers. The armor plates of the other
were rustipg on the shore. Two of the
vessels were receiving coats of red paint
on their hulls. That was the only sign of
activity which showed that they had crews.
In the repair Shops few men We're
busy. In the boiler shoDs the number
might have teen a score. Most of the
workmen had gone in a, body that after
noon to complain to the authorities that
their back pay was being received in bill
letes in deprecated paper currency In
stead of in silver, as had been promised
them. But their presence could not have
added much life to the place, because they
are 50 few. No ordnance is being forged.
A little repairing is all that is required,
and It is done the usual leisurely way of
Spanish work 1t does not disturb the
doves which COO from the sloping tiled
roof of the commentaries house. The
Havana navy yard moors no fleet which
could go out to prevent flibustering. The
officials have figured that to thoroughly
protect the coast 800 vessels would be
needed. So they leave the task to the
United States If they cannot prevent fill
clustering it may be guessed that in case
of war they could not offer a strong re-
sistance to an enemy's blockade of the
Cuban ports. The vessels at the yard
could hardly be reprinted in time and
their boilers put in place to oppose
chance visitation of the Atlantic squadron.
From any point Of view the navy yard
has to be considered more as a park than
The Defenses.
Dcfenses, however, exist. l have already
written of Castle Moro and Fortress Ca
bana. By position they are the command
ing ones; actually, they are not. The har-
Dor has it's network of hidden torpedoes.
The secret of the system is said to be
understood by few of the naval or mill
tary officers. Whether 1t will work is one
of those speculative questions Of naval
warfare that can only be answered when
the experiment Is tried. New Year night
an English ship, whose crew were having
q celebration fired off a rocket which made
a noise My impression is that marine
torpedoes do not go off like hrecrackers.
Nevertheless, the explosion OF this rocket
caused deep agitation among the authori-
ties. 1t took some time for them to be
treasured that submarine torpedo had
not been accidentally or purposely fired
When the noise was traced to lts origin,
the rocket, the agitation was Gained:
The biggest warship which Spaia has in
Cuban waters rests at anchor in the har-
Der. 1t is the Alfonso XII. ne snip mas
lain there for year. Her electric hghtlhg
with her boilers. The boilers seem TO he
the weak point in all these Spanish cruis-
ers. The Alfonso XII might be towed out
to sea. If Spain should get INTO war
with some far-off country, say Corea or
Patagonia, this ship might be put In shape
before the invading fleet Of the hostile ma
ton was sighted from the towers of Moro
Castle. The torpedoes and the Alfonso XII
are not, however, the only protection of
Havana harbor. There is the "dique," or
new floating dock, which was brought out
from England a few weeks ago. 1t Is
splendid piece of marine architecture. The
English shiDbuiders did their part well.
They built the dock, but their responsibility
ended when it was TUNED over to the
Spanish authorities One day the Gallician
boatman who was rowing me across to Ca
bana pointed mockinglyI to the dique. 1t
was sinking. 1t kent on .sinking until only
seven or eight feet remained above the sur
face of the water The Spanish crew did
not understand the mechanism of the
strange craft. The pumps failed to work.
The English engineers came back from
Liverpool The pumps worked and the
floating dock again floats. But whenever
it shall be needed as naval defense Spain
will have to rely on her own engineers and
not on foreigners. "a
The krupp Gun Battery.
Probably the most formidable defense Is
the new battery with Krupp guns. The
battery lies along shore mile beyond
Moro and Cabana. Its construction and
equipment are said to have cost s500,o00.
1t is the most modern defensive work that
Is to be found around Havana. Sometimes,
a a PIin1nSe In f.