Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-06-28

4uadroh VIII lie Able to Take Care of
Camara's Fleet if He Should Hap pen to
Get in the Way Armies Are Close To-
gether at Santiago-Can See the Whites
of Each Others Eyes - Cubans Take
Things Very Easy.
Washington, June 2S.-The admins
tration yesterday finally came to a de-
cision to send an American squadron to
the Spanish coast and into the Mediter-
ranean. Seleral times since the war
broke out Islmors to this effect have
circulated, but the project had not
matured; it required the Spanish move
ment toward the Philippines by Ca
maras squadron to decide the navy
department to adopt this bold stroke.
The first announcement was made yes
terday through bulletin posted at the
war department. The detail Of the ves-
sels selected to constitute Commodore
Watson's eastern squadron was an
nounced and official orders were given
to provision the fleet for four months.
The squadron will be under command
of Commodore Watson.
May Start on July 4.
1t will be impossible for Commodore
Watson to get down before the Fourth
OF July. This would seem to be an
auspicious date for the beginning Of
an expedition that will for the first
tiHe 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 movement by a desire to
check the progress eastward of the
Cadiz fleet. The determination to SEND
this squadron against Spain was the
outcome OF direct official advices reach
ing the state and navy departments as
to the progress of Admiral Camara's
squadron. These advices give a list of
the Spanish ships ROW nearing the Suez
canal, as follows: Pelayo, Carlos V,
Audaz. Osada, Proserpina, Patricia,
Rapido. Buenos Ayres, Isla de Paney,
Colon, Covandonga and San Francisco.
Doubtless Headed for the Philippines.
The additional information comes
from official sources that this squadron
is at Port Said and expects to take on
board 600 tons of coal before entering
the Suez canal. Such a heavy coaling
VIII take some time. 1t discloses also
that the admiral expects to make long
sail. and is doubtless headed for the
Philippines, a point which the officials
here doubted at first. The squadron
is the most formidable Spain has afioat.
in total tonnage, strength of individual
ships, armor and guns. The Pelayo is
tho nf he cl,:
only battleship in the Spanish navy.
She is $500 tons with speed Of 16.7
knots. She carries thirty-five guns of
various caliber and has seven torpedo
tubes. The largest guns are the Pinch
Hontorias, one forward and one aft.
and 1l-inch Hontorias, one on each
beam.
Other Ships of the Fleet.
The Carlos V is of 5000 tons with a
speed of 1s knots She has twenty-eight
guns. the largest being l1-inch Hon.
torias, one forward and one aft. She
has also six torpedo tubes. The Audaz
and Osada are torpedo boat destroyers
recently finished in England They are
of 400 tons each and are 3O-knotters.
There are other ships Of the auxiliary
cruiser class. There are only two ar
mored ships. The eastern squadron,
which the United States will send
against Spain far outranks this Span
ish squadron, the Iowa and Oregon ex-
ceeding the PAayo and Carlos V at
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 the two
Spanish torpedo boat destroyers. When
the American fleet sails for Spain 1t
will take with it complete information