AMERICAN WARSHIPS FOR MANILA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1898, Page 5

AMERICAN WARSHIPS FOR MANILA.

MONITOR MONTEREY JOINS

DEWEY'S FLEET.

NEW YORK, May 22.

In anticipation of the despatch, by Spain of an expedition charged with the recapture of the Philippines, steps were taken to-day by the Administration to reinforce Rear AdmiralDewey's squadron.

An official bulletin issued this afternoon announced that the monitor Monterey has been ordered to proceed to Manila.

The Monterey is probably the most formidable monitor in the world, yet she combines with the enormous offensive and defensive qualities of the monitor type a seaworthiness that is almost phenomenal. The Monterey is described technically as a barbette turret, low freeboard monitor of 4000 tons displacement. She is 256 feet long- by 59 feet beam and 14 feet G inches draught. She carries in- two turrets surrounded by barbettes two 12-inch and two 10-inch gunSjWhile on her superstructure between the turrets are mounted six G-pounders, four 1-pounders, and two gatlings. The turrets are 7} and S inches thick, and the surrounding- barbettes are 14 inches and 114 inches of steel, and against this armour all the batteries in Manila might thunder away without effecting an entrance. The Monterey's personnel is 19 officers and 172 men.

In sending the Monterey to Manila the authorities are desirous of being prepared for any emergency that may come. If is officially stated at the department that no information of an authoritative character has been received showing that Spain intends to send an expedition to the Far Hast, but the continuous publications by newspaper reports that such is the intention of Spain has awakened the Naval War Hoard to the. necessity of placing- under Rear Admiral Dewey's command a force which will be\ible to repel any squadron that maY be .sent against it.

When the Monterey arrives Rear Admiral Dewey will have under his command, besides the monitor, the protected cruisers Olympia. Baltimore, Charleston, Raleigh, and Boston, and the gunboats Concord, Petrel, and McCulloeh. Against such a force Spain could only send the battleship IVlayo, the second class battleships Vitoria and Xumancia, the armoured cruiser Carlos V., and the protected cruiser Alfonso XIII. The result of a brittle between these forces would not bedifncnlt to foresee, especially with the Monterey at hand to take care of the Pelayo,

But if the Spanish fleet should arrive before the Monterey, Hear Admiral Dewey would find it extremely difficult to dispose of the battleship with only his protected cruisers to count upon.