Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-11-26
HOsT1L1T1ES IMMINENT
The Navy Department Putting Forth
It's Strength for War!
Positive Orders for Speedy Preps-
rations in All the Yards
Great Britain viii Demand the Release
of Her Captive Subjects and Repa-
ration for Her Murdered Nine.
she is to strike an Independent Blow,
From the New York Herald.l

ltfom tHe new 1Ofh DeEiiul
WASHINGTON, Nov. %, l773.-The mask has
fallen. Between dupiicity and diplomacy the
information impaired to correspondents in Wash
iDgton during the past week has been but series
of positive statements counteraeted by positive
denIals Of what the waTlike purposes OF the gov
ernmsnt really meant. It is now beyond con-
cealment that every effort is being put forth in
anticipation of actual hostilities with Span.
A telegram was sent to the commander OF the
East India squadron informing him of the gravity
of the situation, and to issue orders at once to
every vessel of the feet to prepare for any emer-
gency.
The Macedonian r, lie Of the war Of 1912,
was ordered to Key West as a storeship for ordi-
nance supplies an Commadore +. II. Smith to-
duty a. that point as inspector of ordinance. A
chief engineer was ordered, with large detail
of founders and mechanics, to report at the same
point, to look after the repairs Of the irOn-clads
equipped with apparatus for distlling water for
the use of the feet, and all the parapher-
ualia for keeping the vessels in complete order,
similar to what England did during the Crimean
aM. - - e..
out at New York, was assigned TO the haTbor
delence Of that city. The Dictator 10 Key West
dered to be changed 50 as to allow an increase
Of armament of IL inch gans.
SeYce4ary Robson at nine O'clock took the
train for Philadelphia, where hepersonally di-
rected the work TO be done on the iron-clads at
League Island, and tomorrow will reach
Brooklyn to inspect the work already finished
aud give such orders ia his judgment may be
necessary
To-day telegrams were sent to the eomman-
dauts at Portsmouth, Blstoa, Norfolk, Pensaco-
Ia and Mare Island, directing them to hasten
with the utmost despatch the work already as
signed them.
In the War Department the Engineer Bu
relu was engaged in preparing plans for the
placing Of tOrpedOes for all the harhor defences
ofthe coast.
When the news was received at the Navy
Department that the British government haC
actually ordered her largest and most efficient
vessels IN the North American squadron t.
proceed at once to Cuban waters, there was NJ
mistaking the feeling which found expression
in such terms as "ThRt Is the best news yet )
"England Is always ready for whatever MAJ
happen ;"1'' She keeps first class lrOn-clad II
Ihe most remote waters - ''lf the British
government has done this 1t means that GU
sluggish government will receiYe lesson no
soon forgotten.
ordinate naval officer remarked that the news
papers inslsted that every hing was pacific
al should say that everything was Atlantic,
said venerable officer, as he brushed ava
the dust from tho covers OF copy OF IN
'.Britlsh Admiralty Navy List" The list wa
quickly scanned for the name OF the Royi
Alfred, the flagship of the North America
and West India squadron. She is armOr pla
ed, OF 4, ,O6s tons, and 800 horse power, con
manded by Captain Henry +. Nicholson, an
hears the board pannant of Vice Admlra
Edward T.. Fanshawe. The Danae, WhiC
has already arrived at Santiago, to carry OF
the order OF che British government is OF p
TINS, carrying six guns, and the WOodlark, {
$50 tons. and three guns, Is also there. III
BellerOphOn, now on the way to Cuba,
0gentually relieve the Royal Albert, IS an q
lnor-plated shlp carrying 10 guns, and cor
manded by Captain Il. Wells, and will be II
fiafs1ip OF Rear Admiral Wellesley. On q
rivinQ at Bermuda she will also be assigned {
duty in Cuban waters until the present troubl
a-e over. The same preparations are bell
made under orders from the British gOVer
ment that are now being carried out by OF
government