Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-05-26

pine question and is determined to
take no chance Of dispossession until
such time as the United States itself
has arranged for the disposition of the
islands. The Monterey is probably
the most formidable monitor in the
world, yet she combines, with enor-
nous offensive, defensive qualities of
the monitor type, two qualities almost
phenomenal. The Monterey's person
mel is nineteen officers and 172 men,
and once she is safely in the entrance
of Manila harbor nothing in the Span
ish navy would be likely to bulge her
from her post Her dispatch, therefore,
may have an important bearing upon
the plans Of the Spanish government
SO openly published Of sending rein
forcements to Manila. The only doubt
as to the feasibility of sending the
Monterey is her small coal capacity
She has bunker room for only 200
tons of coal and though more might
be stored on her decks, it is doubtful
whether she could at the utmost carry
more than enough coal to take her
to Honolulu, one-third of the way to
the Philippines. 1t is probable that
the Monterey will go in convoy. After
exhausting the coal that she will
take on at Honolulu she must either
be towed about 1000 miles of her trip
or perform the difficult operation of
coaling at sea-
The Monterey is one of the largest
and best double-turret monitors in the
navy. She was built in 1889 at a
cost Of $1,62S,950 and was designed for
coast defense work. Her speed is 1876
knots an hour. Her displacement is
4,0S4 tons and her horsepower 5,244.
Her main battery consists of two r.
inch and two 10-inch breach-loading
six -6-pounder rapid-firing guns,
two Calling guns and four 1-pounder
rapid-firing cannons.
The navy department gave out no
news Saturday touching the move
ments of the American and Spanish
squadrons in the neighborhood of
Cuba. 1t is plain to- be seen. however,
that the officials are expecting great
events to occur at any moment. What
they most fear is the effect that might
be produced upon our people by great
~ misleading reports from Spanish
sources of some great naval engage
ment in which the Spaniards would
claim a victory. It is realized that
the first news Of an engagement in the
neighborhood of Cuba or to the east
ward may reach the United States
through Spanish cables via Madrid and
these are almost certain, no matter
what the result may be, to make such
claim Of victory for the
Spanish side as is even now put forth
by the Spaniards in Havana in the
case of the battle Of Manila bay. OBJ
viously the only manner in which the
truth could be discovered would be
through our own official reports.
The navy department is proud of
the record made by the Oregon from
an engineering point Of view. Re
ports to the department from the
ship show that she needs no repairs
to her machinery after her $4,000
miles continuous run. This record is
said never to have been equalled since
the building Of the first iron war
vessel The Buffalo, which comes
with the Oregon from Brazil, is to be
cverhauled at Newport News and is
to be furnished with armor, given a
good battery of 5-inch guns and alto
gether made a very effective modern
cruiser. This will take about two
months.
The Chicago naval reserve has
come to the aid Of the navy depart
ment in most gratifying style. 1t
has not insisted upon entering the
navy as an organization, but has en-
listed individually as volunteers to
the number of 200. Commander Haw-
ley, who is doing the work of recruit
ing for the department, telegraphed
that they will be ready for service to-
morrow and that they are splendid
men, being in large proportion sea-
men.