The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-12-19
WE RE READY FOR WAR.
Preparations Made by the Navy
Department.
SEC. TRACY HAS BEEN WORKING,
Vessels In Hand to Transport Troops. for
Use as Golfers and as Torpedo Boats.
Now Let Chile Apologize or Come To
the Scratch.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-Active prepara-
tions for war still continue in the navy de-
partment Steps have now been taken to
secure the most available vessels in the
merchant marine for possible service in
Chilean waters. Arrangements have been
made in New York and San Francisco to
charter if necessary from thirty TO forty
vessels TO be used as transports and col
liers. Preparations so far as the regular
naval vessels were concerned having been
made as complete as possible, the bureau
OF naval intelligence, acting under ln-
structions, has prepared list OF merchant
vessels available in case war is declared.
An offer from a New York shipowner OF
IA score or more Of small vessels TO carry
coal has met with the thanks of the de
partment, and a request that he hold his
vessels so AS TO have them ready on twenty
four hours notice has been made.
Naval officials are also looking about in
New York for vessels to be used in the
torpedo service It has been reported by
them that the most available craft for this
service are the fast private yachts of the
metropolis. Ii is urged that these yachts
can be very quickly converted into tor
pedo boats and cruisers, and the belief Is
expressed that they will prove fully as eff
fective as the torpedo craft of the Chilean
navy.
The activity of the department with re-
spect TO torpedos aud general war material
has been known for some time, but the
fact was first made public this morning
that the navy department has taken steps
TO utilize the vessels of the merchant ma
rine IL is true that no formal contracts
have been entered into, but IL is a fact that
the department has selected the private
vessels best adapted for transportation of
troops and the carrying of supplies and
coal to points in the South Pacific, and
has gone so far as TO he able To lay its
hands on these vessels the moment they
may be needed
Activity is also displayed in the War
Department Informal consultations have
taken place between army and navy
officials az TO the cooperation of the two
forces in event of trouble. IL has been
represented that the army will be able TO
furnish on short notice 1900 men for
transportation either from San Francisco
or Galveston. The naval officials say that
fully that number of men will be re-
quired
In spite of the extreme measures taken
by the army and navy departments the
belief that there will be war with Chile
grows less and less here. No news has
been received to-day from the threatened
country, the finding of Judge Foster not
being expected until next week. The gen
eral belief is that Chile will yield TO the
demands Of the United States eventually.
When she will yield is a question of con-
siderable argument, the bulk of the opin-
ion being that she will go TO the very
brink before admitting that she has been
in the wrong.
III the reply of President Montt is not
thoroughly satisfactory, no one here
doubts that President Harrison will give
Chile an ultimatum which, in short, will
be Apologize or I'll ask Congress to de-
clare war" Just about then most people
believe that Chile will apologize and that
will end the matter.