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

The State Department Has Re-
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 is
not to be supposed that he has
neglected his duty and failed to
nform his government of an event
f such Importance. In answer to
ne suggestion that the Germans
Fould control every avenue by which
he news could reach the United
.tates, it is said that they could
sot prevent the information from reach
lg England though some of the En-
sllsh vessels at Samoa, even supposing
nat the reported engagement had been
0llOwed by declaration of war, which
hight have resulted in cutting off Con-
nj Blackjack from the cable at Auck-
and. Naval officers here without ex-
option also discredit the story, although
hey admit that the Nipsic would have
zen overmatched by the Olga in sea
lght. They are rather inclined to the
lew taken by certain English papers,
hpO ShO HI blIO HCIUidn
newspapers was thrown out as feeler
0 learn how an attempt to
hastise the Mataafa forces for
he killing of the German seamen
would be received In Germany and
America. The NipSic has been at Apia
four months, relieving the Adams. She
was put in commission Oct. 10, 1887, at
New York, and sailed from that port
for the Pacific Jan. IS, 1883. She finally
sailed from CallaO for Samoa. Sept 90.
1888,
ARRIVING AT APIA NOV. Z.
In the naval register the Nipsic is de.
cruiser type, having wooden hull,
bark rugged. She carries six guns
mostly smooth bOre) In her main bait
terry, and has a displacement of 1870
tons. The Trenton and Vandalia,
which 1t is believed have already
'eached Apia, though second-rate ships,
ire larger than the Nipsic. The Tren-
on is ship-rigged wooden cruiser Of
en- guns, of $500 tons displacement.
he Vandalia is also a bark-rigged
'ooden cruiser of 2.1O0 tons. with q
lain battery of eight guns. mostly
noothbOre. AS far as known, the
lga is
THE MOST FORMIDABLE
f the German vessels at Apia. She "a
n unarmored and unprotected single
ecked cruiser of 1900 displacement.
nd was built in 1880. Her principal
artery consists of eight six-inch Krupp
:fies and number of HOtchkiss re-
diving cannon. 1t is thought at the
aYy department that she carries about
half-dozen Schwartzkoff torpe.
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 or as
strong as the Olga-the Adler carrying
four and the Eber three Krupp rifles.
The great strength of the German feet
lies in its possession of torpedoes. In
the United States navy there is not a
torpedo, except few of the variety
regarded by naval experts as practi.
caily useless.
THE GERMAN NAVY
consists of about seventy-five vessels.
while twenty-five more are in course Of
construction. These are all vessels Of
the most formidable type, heavily
armed. many of them armor-plated and
carrying superior rtOrpedoOutfitS. About
twenty ancient vessels and 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 reii-
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 inforina-
tion whatever in regard to the reported
sinking of the United States steamship
Nincio