The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-03
sAMoA's NEW FLEETS.
rra German Vessels superior to Those
Of This Country.


WASHINGTON, April 2.-Orders have
80, given by the navy department to
~ Extra hours in preparing the Adams,
1.oo,,ois and Pensacola for sea. The Iro-
ne is az Mare Island, Cal, and can be
g,5e ready for sea in six weeks. The Pen
LA is a. Norfolk, and one months work
9~,II make her ready. The department has
'ot vet decided where tie Iroquols and
Pensacola will be sent, but they VIII De
10 available for service in Samoa If there
should be any necessity for their presence.
GERMANY's NEW CRAFT.
Tba German vessels Sperber and Alex
ondrin. which are now on their way to
Snr,oa TO replace the wrecked vessels, are
20 verv formidable SHIPS, but at long range
arb+ing w-uld have a decided advantage
nt,er the American vessels, owing to their
srnerior armament and speed. The Cor
lite Alexandria is wood, iron and steel, Of
o 913 tons burden, 236 feet long by AZ feet
ham and IS feet draft. She is of Is
Innts speed. Her battery is made up of
srroIve 5l6-inch Atom breech-loading rifles,
two 315-inch ditto, four revolving cannon
and a torpedo tube and equipment.
THE sPERBER.
The Snerber is new cruiser of the COM
roeite type. 1,120 tons burden. AZ knots
plnaad and is armed with eight f. l3-iuch
Tr,nn rifles. four Hotchkiss revolving
cannon. and two torpedo tubes. Neither of
the vessels is armored, but it will be noted
that their speed is about so per cent.
oreater than that OF the American vessels
ordered to Samoa, and their guns of greater
range.
OUR SAMOAN COMMISSIONERS.
John A. Kasson gave a dinner last night
IN honor of William Walter Phelps and
George II. Bates, his colleagues on the
samoan commission, at which Secretary
blaine. Senator Sherman and Others were
present The commissioners are about to
get their Instructions, which have been de-
isved and will have to be altered by the
disaster at Apia, which they agree will sim
nifty their task somewhat The instruc-
tions will not transcend the limits fixed by
secretary Bayard n his letter of January,
1888. The secretary of state has endeavored,
it is said, to devise safe departure from
Secretary Bayard's line Of policy, but has
not been able to do so.
A STEAMER AT KIMBERLY'S DISPOSAL.
AUCKLAND, April 2.-The government
of New Zealand has placed the steamship
Hinemoa. a yes ell of 542 tons, at the dis
posal of Amiral Kimberly, in consequence
of the loss of the American men -of-war at
Samoa, during the recent hurricane there.
The British cruiser Rapid, of |, APO tons, and
mounting twelve guns, has sailed hence for
Samoa. One hundred and twenty officers
and men belonging to the German war ships
wrecked at Samoa, have arrived here en-
route to Germany.
MERCHANTMEN WRECKED.
The recent hurricane in the South Pa
cific ocean swept over 200 geographical
miles, embracing in its track the Hervey
and Society groups OF islands. The Amerl-
car shin Rcd Cross from New South Wales
for San Francisco, was driven ashore at
Raratonga and wrecked. The crew was
saved. The American ship Ada Owen, was
wrecked at Ouara. Her crew was saved.
Wreckage from the British ship Suakim,
from New South Wales for San Francisco,
was seen at Aitutaki. 1t is supposed that
the crew persisted.