Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 4, 1876

No. 250.
Mr. Adee to Mr. Fish.

Legation of the United States,
Madrid, October 3, 1876. (Received October 21.)

No. 322.]

Sir: The Epoca has been publishing, for some weeks past, a series of editorial articles of considerable ability on the present condition of the Spanish navy, and calling attention to the circumstances that the construction of new ships has been abandoned; that the iron-clad fleet of Spain is antiquated already, in view of the recent strides made in the perfection of guns and armor; that naval discipline is decreasing through idleness and want of maritime practice; that vessels laid up out of commission are rapidly deteriorating; that the damages inflicted by the occurrences of Cartagena, Carraca, and Ferrol are as yet unrepaired, or, if repaired, that mistaken ideas of economy have interfered to render the work nugatory; that the ill effects of these false views of retrenchment are felt in all branches of the service; and that immediate steps are needed to restore the Spanish navy to the comparative grade of excellence it had attained toward the close of the reign of Queen Isabel. These articles, which were variously attributed to naval officers of high rank and wide experience, produced some interest in the matter, and were very generally commented on, to the result of drawing from the present minister of marine an unofficial announcement of intention to enter the lists in a series of newspaper-articles controversive of the views put forth by the Epoca. One of his first steps, however, has been the adoption of one among the expedients suggested, namely, the formation of a squadron of instruction, to be composed of the vessels now in commission for the peninsula, under the current appropriation voted by the Cortes, and to be commanded by Rear-Admiral Don Santiago Duran y Lira, lately minister of marine. Translation of the royal decree of September 30, creating this school-squadron, is hereto annexed for your information. You will notice that the minister speaks of the reductions made by the Cortes in the naval appropriations for the peninsula. The number of vessels commissioned under the act of July last for peninsular service during 1876–’77 is as follows:

• Ironclads.—One frigate for twelve months, two for six months ach, and two, for special service, for twelve months each.
• Screw-steamers.—First class, two frigates for twelve months, two for six months, and one, for special service, for twelve months.
  • Second class, (on South American station,) two corvettes for twelve months, three for three months, and two avisos for three months.
  • Third class, (on South American station,) five sloops for twelve months, one for six months, and three gunboats for twelve months.
• Side-wheel steamers.—First class, one on special service for twelve months.
  • Second class, three for twelve months, one for three months, and one, on special service, for twelve months.
  • Third class, two for twelve months and one for six months.
• School-ships.—One screw-frigate (floating naval school) for twelve months, another (gunnery-school) for twelve months, one frigate and one corvette (sailors’ training-ships) for twelve months, under sail, and another sailing corvette (school of naval apprentices) for twelve months.
• Transports.—Two steamers for six and twelve months, respectively.
• Coast survey.—One steamer, twelve months.
• Tugs.—Two for twelve months.

Besides these, there are maintained for coast-guard service one ponton, ten gunboats, three steamers, one steam-cutter, and seventy small vessels, all for twelve months. To man these vessels and the several navy-yards, 8,473 sailors and 4,427 marines are provided for. This gives a total of 46 naval vessels and 85 coast-guard boats to be maintained at the cost of the peninsula. Vessels for colonial service are maintained by the respective colonies.

I have, &c.,

A. AUGUSTUS ADEE.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

Royal decree, organizing a naval squadron of instruction.

[From the Gaceta de Madrid, October 3, 1876.]

ministry of marine.—preamble.

Sire: It is already widely known how much your majesty, as supreme chief of the nation, is identified with the establishment of practical measures recognized as beneficial to the different branches of the service. On various occasions the minister who subscribes has had the honor to lend due attention to the opportune suggestions which your majesty, as the august general in chief of the sea and land forces, has been pleased to make to him with respect to the navy, with the lively interest which has ever been inspired in him by the luster of the national arms. Your majesty recognizes the principle that squadrons or collections of vessels, apart from other objects, are indispensable in order to attain the more solid instruction of the various classes of the crew and officers of ships of war. And, in effect, sire, however brilliant may be the degree of instruction to which the complete organization of the single ship may attain, it does not reach the consummate practice in so far as relates to signals, tactical movements, order, discipline uniformity, and especially, conjunction of details, which is supplied by the before-mentioned squadrons. It is not to-day permitted to Spain to display her flag in any squadron of great importance. The number of vessels being reduced to the merest and most pressing needs of the normal service, in subjection to the credits voted to that end by the Cortes, there are but few ships available in the peninsula to form a modest squadron, to the end of filling the want felt in that direction by the system of instruction in our navy. But a few may at least be assembled, now detached at different points, and thus be obtained the advantages of necessary organization required, if the service is indeed to correspond in all respects to the expenses it occasions. As a general rule, the squadron will visit all the coasts of Spain under sail, and, besides accomplishing its special object, it will constantly and directly watch, on those coasts, over the shore-service, whether that commended to the coast-guard or that performed by single vessels or small detachments, in order to exercise vigilance likewise over the exact observance of the rules of discipline, order, instruction, and police. The direct inspection of all these services being thus centered in one general officer, their discipline and whatever conditions make up the most perfect organic state of a naval force will doubtless reach the degree of perfection which it is allowable to hope for. Great satisfaction will be felt by all the corps of the armada, and especially by the minister of marine, if, when your majesty in due time shall deign to review the squadron, it shall present, before your royal inspection, so important a result. In order to efficiently second the purposes of your majesty, and founding on the reasons set forth in accord with the council of ministers, he of marine has the honor to propose to your majesty the adjoined project of a decree.

Madrid, September 30, 1876.

Sire, at your majesty’s royal feet,

JUAN AUTEQUERA Y BOBADILLA.

royal decree.

Giving heed to the reasons set forth by the minister of marine, and in accord with the council of ministers, I hereby decree the following:

Sole Article. The minister of marine is authorized to the end that, under the command of a rear admiral, he give the necessary orders for the formation of a squadron, which shall be denominated the squadron of instruction.

Given at the palace, September thirtieth, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.

ALFONSO.

The minister of marine Juan Autequera y Bobadilla.