In comparing the naval power of Spain with that of the United States at the beginning of the war, it was easy to see that each was strong where the other was weak. Spain had eight magnificent armored cruisers that no country, not even England, could equal; the United States had but two.

Spain had one first-class battleship, the "Pelayo. " The United States had four ships and perhaps five that could certainly give her battle with the prospect of winning. The eight cruisers of the Spanish navy possessed a marked advantage in belonging to one class, which gave them speed, coal endurance, offensive and defensive power about equal. A fleet is no faster than its slowest vessel, a line of battle no more powerful than its weakest ship, as a chain is no stronger than its weakest link.

The ships of the United States were built at different dates, of widely varying types, and Admiral Sampson's fleet was wonderful for its lack of uniformity. The cruiser "New York," with a speed of twenty-one knots, towing a monitor along at about eight knots, presented a unique spectacle trying to overhaul a fleet of cruisers. The United States was also deficient in torpedo-boats and torpedo-boat destroyers, and Spain was strong in this respect. It is little wonder that some European critics, forgetting the fact that the man behind the gun is the chief factor in a naval contest, prophesied that the American navy would find in the Spaniards a hard nut to crack.

The individual bravery of the Spaniards left nothing to be desired, and in the recent actions they have proven that as far as courage is concerned they are worthy the traditions of any navy. The modern warship is a huge floating machine, and bravery alone will not suffice.

There is nothing worse than a Spanish engineer unless it be a Spanish gunner.

Battleship "Pelayo"

This is the popular favorite of Spain, and the masses think her able to whip any ship in the world. She is an object of almost religious interest, and more engravings of her are found in Spain than of all other ships together.

The "Pelayo" was launched in 1887 and at that time represented the highest type of naval architecture. She is made of steel, displaces 9,900 tons, is 330 feet long, 66 feet wide and draws less than 25 feet of water. She has two screw propellers, moved by engines of 9,000 horsepower, and can make sixteen knots an hour.

From stem to stern she is protected by a belt of armor 7 1/2 feet wide 3 feet above and 4 1/2 feet below the water-line. This is 17.75 inches thick opposite the boilers and engines, decreasing to less than 12 inches at the ends. The protective deck, 4 inches thick, runs even with the top of the armor-belt.

Prominent features shown in her pictures are two military masts, two barbette turrets, one fore and one aft; two sponsons, one on each side, and the bridge between the two smokestacks. She has a ram bow.

Illustration: Battleship Pelayo (73K)

She mounts two 12.6-inch (32 centimeter) Hontoria guns, one forward and one aft, and two 11.2-inch (28 centimeter) guns in sponsons (armored bay windows), one on each side. She thus can fire directly ahead or astern one 12.6-inch gun and two 11.2-inch guns, or on broadside two 12.6-inch guns and one 11.2-inch gun. She is said to have, in addition, a new battery of nine 5.5-inch rapid-fire guns, six smaller rapid-fire guns and twelve machine guns. The energy of her gun-fire for one minute is 327,720 foot-tons.

Her quick-firing guns have no adequate armor protection and might easily be put out of service by a well placed shell and her barbettes do not extend down to the protective deck, so the space beneath them could be swept by shell fire, the supports cut away, and tumble guns and all into the hold of the ship. We think some of our gunners are clever enough to do this. A 13-inch shell well placed would do the business. About the time the "Pelayo" was completed it was said that she would wear English compound armor. If this is true, she is far less formidable than she appears on paper.

The "Vizcaya" Class

Fine armored cruisers, made of steel, with 7,000 tons displacement, and drawing 21 feet 6 inches of water. They were built at Bilbao, Spain, and cost about $3,000,000 each. They carried 1,200 tons of coal, and should be able in theory to steam 12,000 miles at 10 knots speed without re-coaling, but this is probably too big an estimate. Each has an armor-belt 12 inches in thickness, gradually tapering toward the bow and stern, on top of which is a protective deck 3 inches thick, from which an armored tube rises to barbettes fore and aft 10 1/2 inches thick, which contain her big guns.

Illustration and Photo: Cruiser Vizcaya (155K)

The armament consists of two 11.2-in (28 centimeter) Hontoria guns and 10 5.5-inch (14 centimeter), 2 2.7-inch (7 centimeter), 8 2.2-inch (57 mm.), 4 1.4-inch (37 mm.) rapid-fire guns and 2 machine guns. The largest 12 guns would give an energy of 71,920 foot-tons for one discharge. One discharge from the " New York " gives an energy of but 52,572 foot-tons. The energy of gun fire of the Spanish vessel is 292,460 foot-tons for one minute. The " Almirante Oquendo " and the " Infanta Maria Teresa " were sister ships of the " Vizcaya, " and with her sunk off Santiago July 3, 1898.

The " Cristobal Colon "

This was built by the Italian government and named Guiseppe Garibaldi II. " and was by them sold to Spain, who renamed her "Cristobal Colon. " Though called an armored cruiser she was almost a battleship, for from stem to stern along the water line she had a belt of nickel-steel armor 6 inches thick and above this for 197 feet over the central portion of the ship, reaching to the base of the armor turret, the side armor was the same thickness. The armor on the side should have furnished excellent protection for the 10 6-inch rapid-fire guns which were mounted 5 on each side, and on the deck above these was another lighter battery of 6 4.7-inch rapid-fire guns protected by gun shields. She should have mounted 2 10-inch guns, but through poverty, neglect or corruption the heavy guns were never furnished. In addition to this she had 10 6-pounders and 10 1-pounders, 2 Maxims, and 5 torpedo tubes. Her displacement was 6,840 tons, length 328 feet, beam 59 feet 8 inches, draft 24 feet. She was driven by 2 vertical tripleexpansion engines each attached to a propeller, giving her a speed Of 20 knots. Her coal bunkers would carry 1,000 tons, and in addition she was built to use some liquid fuel.

The " Cristobal Colon " was beached in the action off Santiago July 3d and at present writing it is reported that she can be saved. She would be a most desirable addition to the American navy.

"Cardinal Cisneros " Class

Spain has three cruisers belonging to this class. The "Cisneros " and "Princess de Asturias " were launched in 1896, and the "Cataluna " is not yet completed.

The "Cardinal Cisneros " has a hull of steel, 7,000 tons displacement, draft 21 feet 10 inches, armor-belt 11.8 inches thick, tapering to 6 and 8 inches at the ends. It runs from within 30 feet of the bow to within 50 feet of the stern. The ends are joined by transverse steel bulkheads 9.8 inches thick. The protective deck, 2 inches thick, extends even with the top of the belt and curves down below the level of the water at the bow and stern. There are cofferdams of cellulose behind the belt, and the vitals are further protected by from 6 to 9 feet of coal. The armor in the barbettes is 1 1.8 inches thick. The vessels are fitted with two sets of tripte-expansion engines, giving a maximum speed of 20.3 knots. The coal capacity is j,5oo tons, which at a 10- knot rate, should allow them to steam 12,000 miles. They are armed with 2 11.2-inch guns, 10 5.5-inch rapid-fire guns and 2 2.7- inch, 4 2.2-inch and 4 1.4-inch smaller rapid-fire guns, and two machine guns. The energy of the gun-fire of the primary battery for one minute is 292,460 foot-tons. They are fitted (with ram bows, and have two military masts with signal yards, fightingtops, 2 smoke-stacks, and 2 turrets, one fore and one aft, each mounting a heavy gun.

"Numaricia "

The "Numancia " is an old broadside ship with iron hull, launched in 1863, and Of 7,305 tons displacement.

Our information concerning her is meagre. Originally she had a side-plating 4-7 inches of wrought iron, and mounted muzzle- loading guns. With her old engines she was able to make 8 knots an hour, and with her muzzle-loading guns and wrought-iron armor she should not be very formidable. It was planned to reconstruct her, take off the wrought-iron armor and replace it by It steel belt 5.5 inches thick, protect her broadside guns by 5 inches of steel, and fit her with triple-expansion engines that would give her a speed of 18 knots. The striking feature would be one short smoke-stack, and two military masts, with fighting tops, in place of her full-rigged three masts.

She is said to have 4 6.3-inch, 8 5.5-inch, 3 4.7-inch guns, all quick-fire. The energy of her gunfire for one minute is 281,498 foot-tons.

"Vitoria"

The "Vitoria " is an old iron broadside training ship launched at Blackwall, England, 1865. She is Of 7,250 tons displacement, draft 25 feet 3 inches, speed 11 knots.

She has an armor belt 5.5 inches in thickness, and the guns and broadside are protected by 5-inch armor. She now mounts 6 6-3-inch, 6 5-5-inch, 6 4-7-inch guns, all quick-fire, and 12 machine guns. She is used as a training school for seamen. The energy of the gun-fire of her primary battery is 303,372 foot-tons per minute.

The striking features of the new model would be two military masts, each with fighting tops, two short smokestacks, and a bridge between the smoke-stacks and the mainmast. She ought not to be a match for any of our armored ships.

The " Emperador Carlos V "

This is the largest and the best of the Spanish cruisers and named after Spain's greatest Emperor. She is built of steel, has a displacement of 9,235 tons, 1000 more than the " New York. " She has 2 screw propellers moved by engines of 18,500 horse-power that in her trial for the fastest mile gave her a speed of 21.9 knots, an average of 20 knots for a longer time.

She was built at Cadiz, Spain, and launched in 1895, costing about $360,000. She is, the only one of the Spanish vessels with Harveyized steel armor. Her belt is light, only 2 inches thick, but we understand that the broadside guns are also protected by 2 inches of steel armor. She has a very thick steel protective deck, 61 inches, a trifle heavier than that of the " New York. "

Her armament consists of 2 11.2-inch Hontoria guns mounted in barbettes 10 inches thick, one forward and one aft and 8 5.5-inch, 4 3.9-inch, 2 2.7-inch, 4 2.2-inch rapid-fire guns, 6 machine guns and 6 torpedo tubes. The energy of her gun-fire is 123,580 foot-tons per minute.

Her energy of gun-fire for one discharge would be 80,504 foot-tons, almost 6o per cent more than that of the " New York. " She has a coal capacity of 1,200 tons; a crew of 535 officers and men; 2 Military masts, each with one fighting top and signal yards; 3 tall smoke stacks and 2 bridges, one above the other just back of the forward turret. She is fitted with a ram bow.

Protected Cruisers

Spain has a few protected cruisers, but they are no match for the magnificent American ships like the "Olympia," "Cincinnati, " "Boston, " and "Baltimore, " as was proven at Manila. The "Isla de Cuba " and "Isla de Luzon " were built in England, and Cost $223,500 each. The "Marques de la Ensenada " was built on identically the same lines in the government yards of Spain, and cost $1,439,973, a striking example of Spanish administration.

Name	Displacement Tons	Armoured Deck Inches	Armament	Speed Knots
Protected Cruisers
Alfonso XIII	5,000	4.5	4 7.8-in. (Hontoria), 6 4.7 in., 6 2.2-in., 6 1.4-in., 3M	20
Isla de Cuba*	1,030	2.5	4 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 4 6-pr., Q. F., 2 3-pr., 2 M	16
Isla de Luzon*	1,030	2.5	4 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 4 6-pr., Q. F., 2 3-pr., 2 M	16
Lepanto	4,826	4.75	4 7.8-in. (Hontoria), 6 4.7-in. Q. F., 6 6-pr., 4 3-pr., 5 M	20
Marques de la Ensenada	1,030	2.5	4 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 5 Q. F., 4 M.	15
Rio de la Plata	1,800	1	2 5.5-in. Q. F., 4 3.9-in., 4 2.2-in., 6 M	20
* Destroyed at Manila

Name	Displacement Tons	Armament	Speed Knots
Unprotected Cruisers
Alfonso XII	3,090	6 6.-in (Hontoria), 2 2.7-in., 6 6-prs., Q. F., 4 3-prs., 5 M	17.5
Aragon	3,342	6 6 2-in. (Hontoria), 2 3.3-in., (Krupp), 4 2.9-in, 2 M	14
Castilla *	3,342	4 5.9-in. (Krupp), 4 4.7-in., 2 3.3-in., 4 2.9-in., 8 Q. F., 2 M	14
Conde de Venadito	1030	4 4.7-in (Hontoria), 2 2.7-in., 2 Q. F., 5 M	14
Don Antonio de Ulloa *	1,130	4 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 2 2.7-in., 2 Q. F., 5 M	14
Don Juan de Austria *	1,130	4 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 3 2.2-in. Q. F., 2 1.5-in., 5 M	14
Infanta Isabel	1,130	4 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 2 2.7-in., 3 Q. F., 4M	14
Isabel II	1,130	4 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 2 7.7-in., 4 Q. F., 3 M	14
Navarra	3,342	4 5.9-in., 2 4.7-in., 2 3.4-in., 4 2.9-in., 4M	14
Nueva Espana	630	2 4.7-in. (Hontoria), 4 2.2-in, Q.F.	18
Quiros	315	2 2.2-in QF, 2M	11.5
Reina Christina *	3,520	6 6.2-in. (Hontoria), 2 2.7-in., 3 2.2-in, Q. F. , 2 1.5-in., 6 3-pr, 2 M	17.5
Reina Regente	5,000	-	20
Reina Mercedes	3,090	6 6.2-in. (Hontoria), 2 2.7-in., 3 2.2-in, Q. F. , 2 1.5-in., 6 1.4-in., 2 M	17.5
Velasco *	1,152	2 5.9-in 4-ton (Armstrong), 2 2.7-in. (Hontoria), 2 M	14.3
* Destroyed at Manila

Torpedo-Boat Destroyers

At the breaking out of the war, Spain had a very formidable fleet of torpedo-boat destroyers. They were large enough to keep at sea with a fighting fleet -- a small torpedo boat cannot do this -- and given enough speed and gun-power to overtake and destroy the smaller torpedo boats; hence the name torpedo-boat destroyer.

The present war by no means settles the merits of the torpedo-boat destroyer, for the Spaniards have not used theirs as the designers had intended. Their large size unfits them for attack in the daytime, and whenever they have rashly undertaken this they have met with disaster.

Name	Length Feet	Displacement Tons	Speed Knots	Armament	Coal Capacity Tons
Furor	220	380	28	2 12-pr., 2 6-pr., 2 1-pr	100
Terror	220	380	28	2 12-pr., 2 6-pr., 2 1-pr	100
Audaz	225	400	30	2 14-pr., 2 6-pr., 2 1-pr.	90
Osado	225	400	302	14-pr., 2 6-pr., 2 1-pr.	90
Pluton	225	400	302	14-pr., 2 6-pr., 2 1-pr.	90
Proserpina	225	400	302	14-pr., 2 6-pr., 2 1-pr.	90

Torpedo Boats

Spain has a strong fleet of torpedo boats. The "Ariete," launched in 1887, made a speed record of 26.1 knots on her trial. That for several years stood as an international record and gave the Spanish boats a high reputation.

The following are first-class torpedo boats: Acevedo, Ariete, Azor, Barcelo, Bustamente, Ejercito, Habana, Halcon, Julian Ordofiez, Orion, Rayo, Retamosa, Rigel, Seza. Six additional boats of this class are building.

Second-class: Aire, Castor, Pollux, Peral. Three additional boats of this class are building.

Next: Chapter 10: The American Navy 1898