The sketch map printed above shows the centre of the prospective war area. The long, narrow island of Cuba, pointing lengthwise to the mouth of the Mexican Gulf, is the unhappy cause of the dispute. A large portion of the island is in the hands of the insurgents, and the stronghold of Spanish power is the port of Havana, which is situated almost directly opposite to and at a distance of about 100 miles from the southern point of the Florida promontory. Off this point lie several small islands, known collectively as ■ Florida Keys. Of these the most important is Key West, which is a United States naval station, and likely to form the basis of operations directed against Cuba. A little to the west of Key West is the Dr3r Tortugas, which is also of some strategic importance to the United States for purposes of maritime warfare. The other two rendezvous most frequently used of late by ships of the United States Navy are Tampa Bay, on the west coast of Florida, and Mobile, to the north-east of New Orleans. In the north-east of the sketch, map is Washington, which is situated near the famous Chesapeake Bay. This bay is fortified, and could be used as a1 place of refuge for smaller craft hard pressed by a hostile fleet. To the north of Cuba lie the Bahama Islands, which are British, and to the south is Jamaica, also British. To the east is Hayti, divided into two republics of very sorry repute. Beyond Hayti comes Puerto Rico, another of Spain's island colonies. There is little doubt that the United States will make both Cuba and Puerto Rico the objective of their first attacks, and that the brunt of the fighting must fall about the Gulf of Mexico and the Antilles, which is the generic name for the islands near its entrance. From a glance at the map it is easy to see that the United States will be fighting, so to speak, at home; in other words, that their own coaling stations will be within easy access of their fleet, whereas the Spaniards, especially with Cuba in the hands of the insurgents, will have considerable difficulty in getting their supplies. (Evening Post, 23 April 1898)

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The sketch map printed above shows the centre of the prospective war area. The long, narrow island of Cuba, pointing lengthwise to the mouth of the Mexican Gulf, is the unhappy cause of the dispute. A large portion of the island is in the hands of the insurgents, and the stronghold of Spanish power is the port of Havana, which is situated almost directly opposite to and at a distance of about 100 miles from the southern point of the Florida promontory. Off this point lie several small islands, known collectively as ■ Florida Keys. Of these the most important is Key West, which is a United States naval station, and likely to form the basis of operations directed against Cuba. A little to the west of Key West is the Dr3r Tortugas, which is also of some strategic importance to the United States for purposes of maritime warfare. The other two rendezvous most frequently used of late by ships of the United States Navy are Tampa Bay, on the west coast of Florida, and Mobile, to the north-east of New Orleans. In the north-east of the sketch, map is Washington, which is situated near the famous Chesapeake Bay. This bay is fortified, and could be used as a1 place of refuge for smaller craft hard pressed by a hostile fleet. To the north of Cuba lie the Bahama Islands, which are British, and to the south is Jamaica, also British. To the east is Hayti, divided into two republics of very sorry repute. Beyond Hayti comes Puerto Rico, another of Spain's island colonies. There is little doubt that the United States will make both Cuba and Puerto Rico the objective of their first attacks, and that the brunt of the fighting must fall about the Gulf of Mexico and the Antilles, which is the generic name for the islands near its entrance. From a glance at the map it is easy to see that the United States will be fighting, so to speak, at home; in other words, that their own coaling stations will be within easy access of their fleet, whereas the Spaniards, especially with Cuba in the hands of the insurgents, will have considerable difficulty in getting their supplies. (Evening Post, 23 April 1898)

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23-04-1898

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18980423.2.20.1

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