St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-10
THERE Is NOTHING oFFlCIara
The State Department Has Re-
ceived No News of the Fight.


ceived No News of the Fight.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-In the state
department the fact that they have not
been officially advised of the blowing UP
of the Nipsic is regarded as sufficient
evidence that no such thing has hap
pened. They have not telegraphed the
acting consul, for the raason that it Isl.
not to be supposed that he has
neglected his duty and failed to
inform his government of an event
OF such Importance. In answer to
the suggestion that the Germans
would control every avenue by which
the news could reach the United
States, it is said that they could
not prevent the information from reach
ing England though some of the En-
glish vessels at Samoa, even surprising
that the reported engagement had been
followed by declaration of war, which
might have resulted in cutting Off Con.
sui Blackjack from the cable at Auek-
land. Naval officers here without ex-
ceptiOn also discredit the story, although
they admit that the Nipsic would have
been oyermatched by the OLGA in a sea
fight. They are rather inclined to the
view taken by certain English papers,
that the publication In the German
newspapers was thrown out as feeier
to learn how an attempt to
the killing of the German seamen
would be received in Germany and
America. The Nipsic has been at Apis
four months, relieving the Adams. She
was put in commission Oct. 10, 1887, as
New York, and sailed from that port
for the Pacific Jan. IS, 1888. She finally
sailed from Callao for Samoa. Sept. %.
1883,
ARRIVING AT APIA NOV. z.
In the naval register the Nipsic is de-
scribed as a second-rate vessel of the
cruiser type, having a wooden bull,
bark rugged. She carries six guns
mOStly smooth bore) i'm her main bat
terry, and has displacement of 1,37O
tons. The Trenton and Vandalia,
which it is believed have already
reached Apia, though second-rate ships,
are larger than the Nipsic. The Tren-
ton is ship-rigged wooden cruiser OF
ten guns, of $500 tons displacement.
The Vandalia is also bark-rigged
wooden cruiser of 2.1O0 tons, with
main battery of eight guns, mostly
smoothbOre. AS far as known, the
Olga Is
THE MOST FORMIDABLE
of the German vessels at Apia. She is
an unarmOred and unprotected single
decked cruiser of 1900 displacement,
and was built in 1880. Her principal
battery consists OF eight six-inch Krnpp
rifles and number OF HotchkisS re-
volving cannon. 1t is thought at the
navy department that she carries about
half-dozen Schwartzkoff torpe-
does, which are similar to the
Whitehead torpedOes in that
they are projected from tubes beneath
the water line. The speed Of the Olga
is somewhat superior to that of the
Vandalia. her maximum trial speed
having been IA. The Germans also
have in Samoan waters the Adler and
the Eber, which are not as large OF as
strong as the Olga-the Adler carrying
four and the Eber three Krupp rifles.
The great strength of the German fleet
lies in its possession Of tOrpedOes. In
the United States navy there is not q
torpedo, except few of the variety
known as "Spar torped0es," which are
regarded by naval experts as practi-
caily useless.
THE GERMAN NAVY
consists of about Geventy-iVe vessels,
while twenty-five more are I'm course Of
construction. These are all vessels OK
the most formidable type, heavily
armed, many Of them armOr-plated and
carrying superior torpedo outfits. About
twenty ancient vessels ana few mod
ern cruisers, not ready for service, rep
resent the American naval strength.
They are generally armed with smooth. .
bOres, and are slow and widely distrib-
uted over the face of the globe. The
monitors are incomplete. In the event
of war they must form our chief reli-
ance. but it would take many months to
put on their turrets and make their
guns.
Secretary Blaine was seen tonight
and said he had received no informa-
ton whatever III regard to the reported
sinking of the nited States steamship