New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-29
WAR PREPARATIONS CEASE.
NO USELESS WORK HAS BEEN DONE.


THE FITTING UP OF THE MONITORS VALUABLE
HE:ULT-wOEK OF THE ORDNANCE BUREAU
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE Tribune
Washington Ian 1S.-NOw that the danger Vi :"
war with Chilli has Disappeared there Is likely ~ w
some talk of the sOcaled :" useless expense w "
tho Navy Department has been put In the "o'n "a
ureparinc for an emergency. The informntioh WHY.
reached tie Navy Department from the iiist wac 'i
such "a character to render = peaceiui 'er',l
OF the controversy quite unlikely. Inc navy D9P
ment wasted no timc and spared no pans W ~.
the service in a condition TO meet any emcrse"'' nav
might arise TIE Department mas made no useless
changes In It's work Of preparation iic "'''''
up OF the monitors should have been done oeiorc
They aro being painted something that has not nap
uened 10 them I'm twelve years. They are Ie hi'e
means OF defence to which the authorities turn VINE"
this country IS threatened with hostilities
No less than three times since the War OF the Re
bel!on has the Navy Department made rahgemen''
for eaupplng them for service Attention was turned
to them at TIT time OF the Hayti trouble whie t'io
difficulty with Italy in regard to the New-orieahs
cases was pending, and now, when the controversy
with the Government at Santiago arose 1t As sus
gosted that the Department continue the present Worh
OF Hitting these valuable ships for adequate oeehcc
service. They In good condition ana thoroughiy
efficient for thelr.purpOscs They are amply protec,en
and each carry two 15-inch smOOthbore guns, which
hauling which they to receive was much neede ana
II the Gillian controversy had other result 1t VIII
have had the good effect OF resnrrecting the om
monitors. The Ohio Will probably be turned over 10
the owners Of the steamer, the American steamship
Company, from whom the Department chartered hcr
for four months. AS she stands today, she IS Oh
little use to the service. The need OF hoatihs
repair shop in time Of peace Is not apparent.
The main work Of preparation was done IN the
Ordnance Bureau but even here there was nothing
which will increase the expenses OF the service
Tho operations were mainly confined to rushing toward
completion the work Of naval construction ana Ok
equipment In charge OF this important once. Inc
fitting M OF tho Cushing with the necessary torpedoes
was something for which she was built and che was
ordered housed all for other reason than that
no necessity for equipping her was apparent
The contract made with n New England firm. nearly
900 I'm amount for pr0iectiles for the socalled
dynamite cruiser YcsuvGs IS something for which the
Department has been negotiating for almost year.
The terms OF the contract drawn so as TO require
the delivery Of "A portion Of the proeces within Two
months, 50 that In OF the Nesuvius might be
I'm condition TO discharge its peculiar weapons OF
something more than the condensed air which serves
~ the force for the 250-pound shot They Will be
used without charge and with gun cotton In the ex-
perlnents which the board who examined the recent
cst 81 her guns recommended necessary for the
perfect understanding Of their management.
The coal and supplies which have been purchased
will be useful Actual purchases were inconsidernble.
the bulk ~ the expenditure in this connection being
for III. poration and concentration Of the stores
nj san Francisco, which selected "a tho base OF
supplies.
Captain Schley, Of the Baltimore IS stu In the
city, He asked be allowed TO return 10 Valparaiso.
MANY naval officers had their hearts set on having
the flag saGted by the Gillian Government. Their
dc.lre f., none the less pronounced now that the In
telllecnco - come from Santiago that the Gillian
naval ofictr> ny they would rather see their ships
sunk than PAT this tribute to the flag OF the United
states They say that the feeling against the United
states among tie CHILEAN people Is still strong and
that tlcy do seek 60 hide it, Is shown by the
banquet they propose giving senior Malta. wao seems
have aroused the Gillian heart with his tOtorious
Giro ular.