Kingdom of Spain (El Reino De España) News

[Kaiser Kirk]

Well, I like the story Olekit, nice little maps too :)

[olekit24]

September, 1904

The Spanish government warns French Legionnaires, their commanders and the government of France that any attempt of invasion, encirclement, blocking trade and research, as well as the attempted seizure and occupation of Spanish-owned territories in Africa will be regarded as an attack and the attempted desecration of the honor of Spain. In this case, the forces of the Spanish army, Navy and forces of self defense of Spanish territories in Africa will be provided reasonable resistance until the complete destruction of the French forces and their allies in the region.

In addition, the Spanish fleet in areas of the Canary Islands, the settlements of Marsa, Boujdour, Dakhla, Nouakchott undertakes the inspection of all commercial and military ships, sailing under the French flag. In case of resistance, the ships of the Royal Spanish Navy will be forced to open fire on defeat. In the case of military goods, as well as identifying ill intentions towards Spanish flag, as well as to the Spanish territories, the ships will immediately be interned in the nearest ports of Spain.

Info:
in September 1904 in the regions of Africa under Spanish control, the group of diverse forces deployed, numbering no less than 12500 people but no more then 35500 people. Sea zone guarded by detachments of ships of the Royal Spanish fleet, which includes 1st class ships also.

[olekit24]

September, 1904

Ministry of Navy of Spain has published its annual report "The greatest Navies of Navalism". We offer you to read the excerpt from this reference book.

The greatest Navies of Navalism - 1904
    Country                                                                Tonnage
1. United Kingdom Of Great Britain and Ireland        1417750 tonns
2. France                                                                    528512 tonns
3. United States of America                                        442520 tonns
4. Ottoman Empire                                                     350011 tonns
5. Kingdom of Italy                                                     345917 tonns
6....


Quantity of general class ships in leading fleets - 1904

Country                 Battleships/Monitors        Armoured,                    Protected,                  Unarmoured,
                                                                     1st class cruisers           2nd class cruisers      3rd class cruisers
United Kingdom
Of Great Britain
and Ireland                          36                                 18                                 64                                16

France                                 18                                 14                                 18                                20

United States
of America                          19                                  10                                 24                                  0

Ottoman Empire                 15                                    4                                 24                                  0

Kingdom
of Italy                                14                                  15                                  0                                   9

....

* report corrected: France data updated

[olekit24]

20th September, 1904

The French cruiser Carmélia anchored 2 miles from shore near the Spanish settlement of Boujdour. The officers and the captain of the ship drove ashore and were received by the head of mission for the gala dinner. Next morning the cruiser weighed anchor and went off in a northerly direction.

[olekit24]

21th September, 1904

The Spanish government removes restrictions on the movement of French ships in the coastal waters of North-West Africa. Inspection of ships cancelled, however, detachments of the Royal Spanish Navy will continue to patrol territorial waters. Cruisers Tajo, Duero and Isabella Catolica as flagship will do this operations and will base on the merchant port of Las Palmas, Islas Canarias.

[olekit24]

October, 3rd, 1904

Report of the High Commission
The status of damaged ships and vessels in the ports of Ceuta, Melilla, and the cruiser Reina Cristina, damaged in battle of the Strait of Gibraltar

Ships in Ceuta and Melilla

Cruiser El Mansour, 3300 tons
The ship sank in the roadstead of the port of Ceuta, at a depth of 23 meters. A survey of the cruiser by divers gave the following results:
- the ship is divided into two parts in the area of the midship-frame, the two parts lie on the right side
- front part has considerable damage to the hull, deck seats raised, the left side in a relatively normal state
- the rear part of the outwardly intact
- mechanisms spilled from a ship, they are in ruins around the remains of the ship
- two funnels separated from the body, as well as masts, lying at some distance from the main wreck.

Having studied the obtained data, the Commission decided that the ship is in poor condition, can not be restored, the ship does not interfere with the navigation. It was desided to leave the ship at the place of death.

Gunboat Fes, 560 tons
The ship sank in the roadstead of the port of Ceuta, at a depth of 37 meters. The survey of the ship is impossible.
The Commission decided to leave the ship as is. the ship does not interfere with the navigation.

Gunboat Abu Bakr Ibn Omar, 560 tons
The ship is in waterlogged condition at berth No 2 of port of Ceuta.
During the examination of the ship it was established that:
- freeboard part of the hull - superstructure, mast, rigging, equipment decks - burned to the ground
- the underwater part of the hull has some serious damage on the port side.
The Commission decided to raise the ship, transfer to the Moroccan party in accordance with the Pact of Lissabon. Transfer should take place until the end of October 1904.

Gunboat Mullah Ismail, 560 tons
The ship sank in the waters of the port, near pier No. 1 at a depth of 12 meters.
A survey of the ship by divers gave the following results:
- ship lays at the bottom at an angle of 45 degrees on the keel.
- the hull of the ship has no significant damage
- the mast of the ship is missing
The Commission decided to raise the ship, transfer to the Moroccan party in accordance with the Pact of Lissabon. Transfer should take place until the end of October 1904.

Gunboat Tangier, 560 tons
The ship is at berth No. 3, afloat. Examination of the ship showed that:
- the ship has badly damaged boilers and destroyed engines
- has partially removed masts
- there are no guns castles
- there are no navigation instruments
- damaged steering
The ship requires costly repairs and coud not enter the the Royal Spanish Navy.
The Commission decided to raise the ship, transfer to the Moroccan party in accordance with the Pact of Lissabon. Transfer should take place until the end of October 1904.

Cruiser El Bashir, 1150 tons
The ship washed ashore on the beach of Melilla.
The cruiser has heavy damage of the bottom.
The ship requires costly repairs and coud not enter the the Royal Spanish Navy.
The Commission decided to afloat the ship, transfer to the Moroccan party in accordance with the Pact of Lissabon. Transfer should take place until the end of October 1904.

Cruiser El Kebir, 1150 tons
Located at pier No. 1 at port of Melilla.
The ship is in good condition, afloat.
- the ship has badly damaged boilers and slightly damaged engines
- there are no guns castles
- there are no navigation instruments
The ship requires costly repairs and coud not enter the the Royal Spanish Navy.
The Commission decided to transfer the ship to the Moroccan party in accordance with the Pact of Lissabon. Transfer should take place until the end of October 1904.

Cruiser El Massaneh, 1150 tons
Located at pier No. 2 at port of Melilla.
The ship afloat.
- the ship has badly damaged boilers
- there are no guns castles
- there are no navigation instruments
- damaged steering
- destroyed cockpit
The ship requires costly repairs and coud not enter the the Royal Spanish Navy.
The Commission decided to transfer the ship to the Moroccan party in accordance with the Pact of Lissabon. Transfer should take place until the end of October 1904.

Gunboat, Yudar Pasha, 830 tons
The ship sank in the port of Melilla at a depth of 11 meters.
Examination of the body showed that the cause of the flooding was the detonation of a boiler and engine rooms: the body is severely damaged.
- Mechanisms destroyed
- There are no gnns castles
The Commission decided to raise the ship, transfer to the Moroccan party in accordance with the Pact of Lissabon. Transfer should take place until the end of October 1904.

The Commission makes the General conclusion that the Spanish Navy was able to destroy by their fire only two ships of the Moroccan Navy: cruiser El Mansour and gunboat Fes. The rest of the damaged ships were destroyed or disabled by their own crews during a landing operation of the Spanish forces.
It is therefore recommended that the Ministry of the Navy during conduction of similar operations in the future must anticipate the enemy's actions and seize located in the port ships together with their crews.
It is necessary to develop tactical actions of quick seizing the enemy ships in the port. The Ministry should undertake appropriate training.


Cruiser Reina Cristina
The cruiser was heavily damaged, towed to Cadiz first, then was transferred to the port of Valencia, where he now is.
Members of the Commission, after inspecting the ship, found the following damages:

Damage to the topside of the ship
- destroyed casemates of the 140 mm guns No. 1 and 3 on the starboard side, badly damaged casemate guns No. 2 from the port side.
- the basement of the right deck 164 mm guns destroyed, the weapon sank 10 cm
- damaged the second funnel, all boats from starboard are broken
- the rear cabin was damaged by fire
- on the starboard side there are holes in the region of cluses, at the basement of the nose deck 164 mm gun, in the area of the wardroom

Internal damage to the ship
- destroyed anchor room
- destroyed saloon
- ruined chimney of the fourth, the sixth boiler rooms
- destroyed boiler No 4
- destroyed the main steam pipe from the first to fourth boiler rooms
- destroyed cockpit room
- disabled cockpit machine
- destroyed the area of the casemates No. 1 and No. 3 starboard and No. 2 port side

Underwater damage to the ship
- there is a breakdown in the aft of the ship, in the area of casemate No. 4 on the starboard side 10 cm below the waterline
- there is a breakdown in the stern, the cockpit level office, partially over water
- there is damage to the hull plating on the starboard side in the central part of the ship, the sheets are bowed inwards, the flow is missing

Assessing the damage, the Commission concluded that there are no reason of the restoration of the cruiser in its present form and with the same purpose.
It is proposed to develop the project of restoration and rework of the ship in the minelayer.

For these purposes it is proposed:
- remove armor
- remove deck 164 mm guns and ammunition stores to them
- remove casemate 140 mm guns and ammunition stores to them
- close up the dungeons
- to equip the second (gun) deck with eight series of mine rail for storage of mine equipment
- to equip the main deck with four series of mine rails for storage of mine equipment
- to equip two lasport on each side to receive mine equipment
- to equip freight elevators for hoisting mine equipment on the main deck
- to equip the rails for laying mines

It was desided, that works should start as soon as the suitable dock will be released.


The High Commission members signs

[olekit24]

Late October, 1904

The Spanish Cortez passed a law on the formation of permanent colonies in Africa.

Thus, in accordance with the law, the settlements on the West Sahara in Africa will be united into one colony under the name of Rio del Oro. It will include the towns of Marsa, Boujdour, Dakhla, Cabo Blanco and Nouakchott, as well as the town El Aayun, the land between them along the coast, and the inland to a distance of 100 km from the coast. The population of this colony in the total amount to 190 thousand people.

In a single colony will be merged settlements and land in Cameroon and Nigeria. The colony named Costa Ecuador Espanola will include the cities of Douala and Calabar, as well as the towns of Kribi, Limbe,  settlements of Warri, Brass, Ataba, Okrika, the land between the coast and the inland to a distance of 100 km from the shore. The population of this colony in the total amount to 280 thousand people.

The Cortez also decided to merge the enclaves of Spain in Morocco under the General administration with its capital in Ceuta. A new territorial unit called the Enclaves Moroccan Espanola will include cities of Ceuta and Melilla and fortress Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera. The population of this colony in the total amount to 80 thousand people.

The law will come into force on 1 January, 1905.

[olekit24]

January, 1905

Spain gets the loan from China
The credit line is set for a year and half, the money will be spent on the development of the country's civil infrastructure: construction of roads, civilian goods factories, etc. Meanwhile, the development of infrastructure will create good preconditions for the development of seaports and establishment of a modern naval infrastructure in them.
Signed with the Chinese government the agreement gives impetus to economic transformation of the country, lags far behind its European neighbors.

[olekit24]

February, 1905

Spain is building something big?
The spanish main newspaper "El Mundo" correspondent slipped on the shipyard "Astilleros del Valencia" in Valencia as a worker.
"They're building something big! The largest slipway in Spain - 170 meters, occupied by no less in lenght skeleton of the ship, which towers over the city by as much as 10 meters. Around - the work goes on. I saw in the shop casting at least three huge propellers, and in a gun shop they builds a turret which not likes to those semi-circular shields, which are on our ships. Spain builds a monster?", - he wrote in his report.


The newspaper had printed a photo allegedly from the plant. However, it does not say what kind of a ship specifically, and what size Spain building there...

[olekit24]

February, 1905

Kingdom of Portugal run buncrapt

His Majesty King of Spain, West Africa and other overseas territories Alfonso XIII received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Portugal Juan Franco. Kingdom of Portugal is ready to declare bankruptcy, and Franco asked the King of Spain to provide possible assistance to the normalization of the neighboring state, providing a medium-term loan. In addition, Franco, for fear of possible riots and provocations among the population of the country, asked the Kingdom of Spain for military assistance in case of need.
However, Alfonso XIII showed restraint in these matters and said that Spain will follow the developments in the neighboring country.

[olekit24]

March, 1905

Spain established governatorate at her African territories

Spain civilizing Africa. Lands on the west coast of Africa has received the official status of the Kingdom of Spain colony. In the near future there will be established governorate, residents of the territories, occupying lands belonging to Spain, get the official status of the colonial population. It is supposed to transport up to three army divisions and create The local fleet, based in the cities, most suitable for this purpose.

[olekit24]

April 1905

Spain will build up to four modern battleships

Ministro de la Marina Pascual Cervera y Topete has officially announced the start of construction of two modern battleships in the Spanish shipyards. The new ships are expected to enter into operation in 1908. Their main purpose - service in metropolitan waters. However, they can make long passages and distant Spanish possessions. It is planned to build at least four of these ships in the next six years.

[olekit24]

May, 1905

The biggest city at Spain Africa has been burnt

A major fire occurred in the city of Douala, Costa Ecuador Espanola. The fire completely destroyed the market, barns and storage of military supplies in the city. The merchant squadron were immediately sent from Spain under escort of four destroyers, which would delivered to Douala necessary products, supplies and construction materials. A separate steamer of RCNE fleet were brought 1,000 workers and specialists, who will be engaged in the restoration of urban infrastructure.

[olekit24]

June, 1905

New agreement with China

The ministry of Commerce of China has proposed the Spanish government to conclude a new agreement on cooperation in the field of engineering. The contract was signed. And in July the Chinese manufacturers will supply much-needed mechanisms for the Spanish shipyards.

Spanyards trains and occupy little more of Africa

Spanish training squadron composed of one battleship, two cruisers and three destroyers, completed their training trip along the African coast of the Atlantic. A squadron visited several Spanish towns and cities of other nations in Africa. The most outstanding achievement of the campaign was the landing of the expedition party to the shores of the African Congo. The temporary camp were equipped there. Expeditionary forces will remain there until the arrival of the next training squadron.


New ships to the Navy

Spanish Navy received two new ship - armored cruiser "Aragon" and destroyer TB-5. Both ships finishes their trials and will be ready to join the fleet in July 1905.
Armoured Cruiser "Aragon" is the fifth and last in a series of ships, designed in the late XIX century by Spanish engineers. It combines good protection, balanced weapons, high class speed, excellent seaworthiness and cruising range. It is expected she will enter into a detachment of ships, based on the spanish main Naval base - Valencia.
Destroyer TB-5 is the first ship of a new series of ships that combines the features of a mine cruiser and the gunboat. Its main purpose - protection of water area and the coast. It is expected that she will be based at port of Ceuta.

The Army news

Two regiments of 1st Colonial Cazadores Division were formed and stationed in Melilla and Ceuta in June 1905