The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-17
NEED MEN FOR NEW SHIPS
Navy Department Hampsred in En-
forts TO Get New Vessels
Into Services.
And Still More Recruits viii Be
Needed a Fow Months
Later On.
sundry Civn In the House-Ths ssirnior.
age BiI WIN Reich the PresI-
dent Tuesday.

wAsHsoros. March l6.-Ihe number OF
shiIs OF tho navT available for active ser
vice will be augmented in the next three
weeks BY six more vessels. and probably
by eight. Lack OF men 10 mAa them. how
ever, IL serious question which the depart
ment is now contending with. and may
prevent some OF them from being assigned
30 a station for a number Of months.
Many Of them will require q large number
Of sailors 10 give them their full oompl0-
ment, especially . vessel like the Colum-
bia, which carries nearly 900 men
all told. The frat of the lot so be com
missioned will be the Columbia, which
will be temporarily attached 20 ths
home station, and may become flagship
pending the arrival Of the New York or San
FfEnoisco from Brazil. The ship Ia now In
condition for service. and this week the
remaining officers 20 be assigned to her will
receive their orders 20 report for duty
Capt. Sumner will be in charge. and will
have the honor of flying his pennant over
the taffail Of the second vessel with three
screws in any navy. Her sister ship. the
Minneapolis. launched last summer. will
probably be year bshind the Columbis ia
commission.
The Raleigh at Norfolk and the Cincin-
natl at New York will be the hrst ships
built for the new navy At our navy yards
and under government supervision since
the days of the old wooden tubs. They are
to join the home station early in April.
The Atlanta. whose condition last sum NOR
created a scandal, and came near resultin Q
in the oourt-martial of several Office for
their carelessness In allowing the ship 10
become seriously injured. is about ready al
Norfolk and will be commissioned on April
l. Csut. Bartlett hes been ordered TO com
mAnd her. Her sister ship the Boston.
has been laid up at the Mare is
land navy yard since her return
last October from Honolulu. and for lack
OF funis mhy not be overhaulsd until the
next years appropriations become available
in July. The Alert is reported ready for
ssrVics. and will be attached to the Bsring
sea patrol first. Tbs yorktown requires
repairs. snd has been dry-doeked at Mare
Island prepatstofy 10 service also With the
patrol Tue Marion, which was counted
upon to arrive At San Francisco this month
has been delayed By her encounter with a
Chinese typhOOn. and will not reach home
until April.
Each one of these vessels requires full
complement of men. but the number 90
draw upon will not admit OF all being com
nisEioned with the number they should
have 10 properly man them. The crews OF
the AaohiAa and Castine will be trans
forred TO some. end the receiving ships
drawn upon to make mp the rest. The
Columbia will probably be 100 men short
when she is commissioned, aad the Atlanta
will suffer likewise. While the department.
IL seriously embarrassed just now for lack
Of men, the situation will be still farther
mef. when several new vessels will be ready
for service. The Montgomery, Aaohiaa
Castine, and the crack cruiser Olympia will
all be ready for commission. but viii prob
ably be held back until men can be secured.
The present outlook is unfAVorable 10 any
increase of the enlisted force by coz greas.