3-086-296 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Spanish-American War: Willemstad Harbour - approach to the drawbridge from the town, 1898. 'The American squadron...withdrew to Key West, its station at the southern extremity of Florida. Admiral Sampson could not then be aware that the Spanish squadron was lying at Martinique, which is distant only four hundred miles from where he was on the coast of Porto Rico. If he had encountered Admiral Cervera at the end of last week, their forces would have been equally matched, or rather, it is computed the Spanish ships and guns might have amounted to a superior force; but he is now to be aided, or joined, by a Flying Squadron, under Commodore Schley, consisting of three battle-ships and an armoured yacht, which put forth on Friday afternoon from Norfolk, Virginia. The Spanish squadron under Admiral Cervera, however, took no advantage of its position off Martinique, but made for Willemstad, Curaçoa, where it coaled and provisioned on May 15. The fleet left Curaçoa again the same evening. The United States Government has since Friday countermanded its orders with respect to the immediate collection of a large army at Tampa, in Florida, to be landed in Cuba. This operation is deferred until after the expected naval battle'. From "Illustrated London News", 1898.