Esmeralda, the first Elswick protected cruiser, leads into USS Atlanta and the early steel U.S. Navy. Atlanta is identified as the first American cruiser and one of the service's first four steel ships. Its success helped create the cruiser force that won distant actions in the Philippines and Caribbean during the Spanish-American War. The battleships probably could have won through blockade, but more slowly and with a chance for Spanish recovery. The comparison shows how cruisers supplied reach, mobility, and decisive action away from the main battle line.
Notable Point · 15:10-17:13
Protected cruisers and the U.S. Navy's distant war
Esmeralda and USS Atlanta lead into an argument that cruiser forces, not just battleships, shaped the Spanish-American War.