Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-11
STILL NO NEWS FROM SAMOA.
The Alarming Reports About the Nipsic
Generally Discredited.

Saturday by fresh reports that the United
States steamer Nipsic had really been sunk by
the Germans in Samoan waters. For Q time
the city was in ferment, as some of the news
papers posted bulletins declaring they had con-
hrmation of the news. This confirmation con-
sisted of reports from Mare Island navy-yard,
saying that the Secretary Of the Navy had tele-
graphed inquiry as to how soon the cruiser
Charleston could be got ready for sea- Later
the baselessness Of the alarming reports be-
came apparent and the excitement subsidized.
1t is said the original canard about the sink
ing Of the Nipsic was set flying in San Fran
cisco by a German house engaged in the
Samoan trade for speculative purposes. This
hrm Is said to have telegraphed the story to
their correspondent at Breslau with instructions
to give 1t the widest publicity.
Naval Constructor Fernald, who il superin-
tending the construction of the United States
steamship Charleston at the Mare Island navy
yard, says he has received no orders from the
Secretary of the Navy, but has received tele-
gram from the chief Of construction of the
naval burea, asking when the Charleston would
be ready for trial. Mr.. Fernald said the Charles
ton would be ready for trial in five weeks, but
in case of necessity would be ready in two
weeks, and her armament could be mounted in
ten days additional. Regardless of expense she
could be made ready for service in twenty-five
days.
The novelist, Robert L. Stevenson, writes to
London from Hawaii commenting strongly on
the high-handed action of the Germans in Sa-
moa. He asks: ''who is Knappe? Ry what pro-
cess has he become the Bismarck Of the Poly
nesian Islands? What spell has been cast over
the cabinets at Washington and London that
Blackjack has been SO long unsupported and
Coetlogon has been compelled to bow his head
under public buffet?"
Mr. taafifaa fo K1aip,o INN
He says that Klein only hailed the approach
ing German boats in the darkness and warned
them of the Samoan ambush. He also says
that an English artist who was sketching Ma
German guhboat Adler, and that he was
leased only when the British man-of-war in the
harbor cleared for action.
REAssURINa TALK FROM BERLIN.
The London Standards Berlin correspondent
says: MIR. Kasson, the American represents
tive, will not arrive here before the Goth inst,
therefore the Samoan conference cannot meet
this week. For the rest, the difficulties are al
ready removed by diplomatic negotiations and
the recall of officials. It is now expected that
the African squadron Will not 60 to Samoa, but
will return to Germany in May after the depar-
ture of Capt Wissmann."
HOW THE GERMAN NAVY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED.
The report that an American man-of-war
had been sent to the bottom by a German
vessel opened up a very serious prospect for
this government Attention at once turned to
the strength of the German navy and even a cur
sorry examination of the records revealed facts
Of a character to make Americans blue. The
great advantage which the German navy pos
sesses Is entire modernness. The whole estab-
hshmert Is OF recent creation, and hence
almost every ship and every appliance is of the
most recent design and construction. The first
Prussian gunboat built for the German navy
was launched at Stralsund in ls4S, and when
hostilities were renewed with Denmark in the
following year Prussia had sailing corvette,
steamers. Il cutters and 6 launches, armed
with 81 guns and manned by 81 officers and
1,521 men. Fifteen cutters were added in the
fall Of 1S49, and these Sc cutters and launches
were enumerated as part of the navy until 1870.
Prince Adalbert of the imperial family is con-
sidered TO be the real founder of the German
navy, and in 1866, at the outbreak of the war
with Austria, he had increased the navy to
armored vessels, IS steamers and sailing YES
sells, carrying 422 guns This fleet, with the
addition of three armored vessels, constituted
the naval force of the German empire on April
16. 1871.
rated in 1878 to build up the German imperial
navy in the course of the next ten years. This
policy was established IN order to provide for a
gradual increase in the number of ships and
personnel, together with gradual increase of
shipbuilding plant and facilities at the two
dockyards of Kiel and Wilhelmshaven.
The expenditure of money to afford this was
regulated to be gradual in order that the bur-
den might be as light as possible, but nothing
was permitted to impair the thorough eff
cheney OF the new navy, and q law of substi-
tute construction was enacted to maintain the
navy up to the prescribed strength contem-
plated in the shipbuilding policy. This sub
stitute construction is based upon the SUPPOSE
ton that the life of wooden ships is sixteen
years and that of an iron vessel thirty years,
and when a vessel reaches the age limit a SUBJ
stitute shall have been built and ready to sup
ply her place, even if the vessel should be
found to be efficient after reaching the age
limit.
In consequence of this provision the actual
strength Of the navy is somewhat greater than
contemplated, because some Of the vessels for
which substitutes have been built are still in
active service on different stations
All the features of German military disci-
pline have been introduced into the navy in
every department, and the naval organization
Is thoroughly adapted to the duties required
% for the protection and development of COM
merce, (2) for the defense of German coasts
and harbors, go for offensive operations in
places beyond the reach of the army.
The policy Of 1878 provided for the building
OF armored frigates, 6 armored corvettes
monitors, floating batteries, 20 corvettes 6
despatch vessels, Is gunboats, % torpedo YES
sells, and school ships. The rapid progress in
iron and steel shipbuilding. in steam engineer
ing and ordnance necessitated a change in the
PAOSIdlu " WHICH tue seven uOullOrs anu Two
floating batteries were substituted by eleven
armored gunboats, and the development of tor
pedo warfare caused the building of $50 tor
pedo boats in addition to the fleet originally
contemplated
The naval budget Of 1ss9-'90 provides for
another bodybuilding program, by which, in
the course Of five years. the German navy will
have log vessels, including 16 armored battle
ships, "a armored vessels, cruising frigates, 8
cruisers, protected cruisers, 8 corvettes,
gunboats, dispatch vessels. 10 school ships
and miscellaneous types. The torpedo iotilla
will consist of torpedo division boats and $50
torpedo boats. Vessels for harbor and light
house duties, numbering 30, are also available
for the navy, and all German mail steamers
are subsidized and required to be built in
accordance with German admiralty designs, to
be available as cruisers and transports in case
of war
The personnel Of the navy at present consists
OF $50 officers and Is, $40 men, which will be
gradually increased the vessels are built to
carry out this policy.
WHITE Car OUTRAGE NEAR RrcHxoSp.-while
driving from Richmond to their homes in
Henrieo county Saturday night, c. G. Christian