St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-21
ARE NAVAL VESSELS.
Plans of Canadian Revenue
Vessels Secured by the
Treasury.
They Are Shown to Be Naval
Vessels in All Essential
Features.
Officials Of the Treasury De-
partment Not Alarmed
by the Report.
Foster Taking Steps to Re-
plenish the TreaSury's
Supply Of Gold.


WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-The con-
-struction of revenue cutters OH the great
lakes by the Canadian authorities has
received renewed consideration by the
officials of the treasury department
within the past few days, since the re-
ceipt of a report made by one of the
lieutentants in the service to Capt Shep-
ard, of the revenue marine service. In
this report the lieutenant writes at con-
siderable length of the new vessels
which have been built by Canada with
in the past year or so, and which are
now all ready for service. There are
three of them-the Constance, the Cur
lew and the Petrol. The first two were
built at Owen sound, and the Petrol
has just been launched at Hamilton.
Designs of the ships have been Sc
cured, and accompany the report.
They show that, in all essential feat
ures, the boats are naval vessels. They
have steel protective decks, ram bows,
are fitted for the reception of torpedo
tubes. have fittings for the mounting
of four one-inch Hotchkiss
! Rapid-FIre Guns,
and carry three guns. one on either
b0w and one at the stern,of the Maxim
Nordenfelt type, very effective weapons.
Tie designs for the boats were fur
nished from the British admiralty; the
construction was superintended by Off
GERS from the admiralty, and the officers
of the vessels, IG is understood, Will
ooona frop, tho Rrifich paVV The Com
stance is already in commission. and
the Curlew nearly ready for service.
The building of these vessels affected
the shipyardS on the American side of
the lakes. Mechanics employed on
them were induced to 20 to Canada and
work on them, the foreman of Wheeler's
establishment at Bay City being one of
them. Now that the work is finished,
these men are seeking unemployment
at their old places. The report states
that English and Canadian officers and
citizens explained that these vessels
were built with view to protecting the
WefIand canal from destruction III case
of attacks. And in this connection the
statement was made that there are fifty
vessels in the British navy that can be
introduced
Into the Great Lakes
Via Itl6 Ol. LdWIclCt diu Cdudi IOutO.
Contracts have been let for enlarging
and deepening the Cornwall canal near
Montreal, which is the shallowest and
contains the smallest locks, so that
when completed vessels 230 feet long
and drawing twelve to fourteen feet
may be transported through the canals
with practically no loss of time. The
Constance, the Curlew and the Petrol
can 90 through Welland canal about
full speed-fourteen and a half knots
an hour.
The report does not excite any appre-
henson or alarm at the treasury depart
ment. Assistant Secretary Spauldlng
SAYS he has no fear that England will
at any time endeavor to rush feet of
fifty vessels through the st. Lawrence
to the lakes. nor that the British vessels
new on the lakes will ever seriously
menace either the commerce of the In
| land seas or the great cities that lie on
the borders thereof. Owing to the alb
sence from the city of Capt. Shepard,
the report has not yet been officially
communicated to the officials of the
treasury department, and hence It's con-
tents have not been transmitted to the
department of state.
Treaty Not Violated.
Secretary j. W. Foster stated today
| that no information of the building of
vessels on the lakes by Canada had been
received by his department since the
date of his recent report to the presi-
| dent, upon the treaty of 1917, regulating
| the fleet of armed vessels be maintained
| Oh the lakes, which was transmitted to
| congress week before last.
| rs it the policy of the United States
| to meet an increase of force or the lakes
| by Canada by similar increase of our
own armaments?" was asked.
| Speaking only for the state Depart
| ment." was the reply, 81 should say the
| United states will not build any reve-
nue. cutters on the lakes unless it needs
them. That is question Tor the treas
ury department to determine. When,
| additional ships are necessary IN the
current business of the country, they
| will be constructed, and not before.
The treaty of 1871 as construed by both
| the United States and Great Britain.
| places no restrictions upon the force of
revenue vessels that may be maintained
on the lakes by either party. But The
| document should be amended in some
important particulars to make 1T con-
| form to modern conditions. In Its
/ present shape it is out of date, and
some of its requirements are ignored by
mutual consent"
| A Canadian Denial.
TOLEDO, O., Dec. 2O.-The Toledo
! Commercial says that the story sent out
by the Toledo Blade regarding the sup
| posed Dominion revenue cutters at
| Owen sound turning out to be armed
cruisers is fake. The Commercial
gives a dispatch from Editor Ruther-
| ford, of the Owen Sound Times, show
ing that two of the ships named are on
the Atlantic, and that it is only for the
purpose of watching illicit fishermen,
| and none exceed 100 tons burden. The
Canadian government owns all three
ships.