The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-19
TRANSFER OF THE AMAZONAS
STARS AND STRIPES HOISTED ON
THE NEWLY-ACQUIRED SHIP.
Cruiser San Francisco, Which Is Now
Brazilian Across the Atlantic.


Brazilian Across the Atlantic.
WASHINGTON, March 1S.-The new
naval policy embodied in the creation of
another squadron to rendezvous at Hamp-
ton Roads was discussed at the Cabinet
meeting at length to-day and received unan-
imous approval. The San Francisco re-
ported her arrival from Lisbon at Gravesend
to-day Under his orders the commander
will divide his crew with the Amazonas and
sail at the earliest possible moment for the
United States. conveying the new ship.
Beyond the Amazonas, her sister ship Abb
reuall, and the Mayflower, no purchases of
ships have been made by the Navy Depart
ment. A number of fleet steam yachts
owned in the United States are being Of
fered to the department, and it is probable
that some of these will be purchased. Sec
retary Long takes the view that failing to
secure the torpedo boat destroyers he wants,
the best plan is for him to equip some of
these speedy boats with torpedo tubes and
light batteries and improvise torpedo boats.
The Navy Department is convinced that
the Spanish government has not acquired
possession of the Varez the Italian armored
cruiser. 1t would not, however, be matter
of deep concern if the report were true
The department itself had the vessel in
mind as a possible acquisition, but aban-
doned the idea on learning that she could
not be made ready for service in less than
three or four months, which practically put
her out of consideration as an emergency
purchase. No official notice of the stoppage
of the Spanish torpedo boat fiotlla at the
Canary islands and their turning back from
that point has reached our government yet,
so that any assumption that movements of
that flotilla have influenced the Navy De-
partment to withdraw the fleet at Key West
is said to be without basis of fact
Some idea of the activity prevailing in
naval circles is given by the statement
that the pay roll of the construction
department, only one of several depart
ments in the Mare Island navy yard
for March was $4,000. This great ex-
penditure per month, it is said, was not
eoualed during the late war. 1t Is said to
be the purpose of the President and his
advisers to keep a separate and distinct ac-
count of all funds expended from the $780,
coo 900 emergency appropriation made by
Congress for the national defense. In ac-
cordance with this intention a separate
form of requisition has been prepared, and
all amounts allotted from the fund are made
on the direct order signed by the President
himself "The President wants to report to
Congress Just how every cent of this money
is spent" said member of the Cabinet to-
day. land for this reason is adopting the
course above outlined" The amount paid
for the Mayfower was about 100000
RECRUITING FOR ARMY AND NAVY.
Recruiting is going on apace at all sta
and the Tle
Michigan, at Erie, Pa, has enlisted fifty
five men so far and good reports come from
all quarters The Columbia and the Mime
apolis are still 210 men each short of their
proper force This is accounted for by the
| fact that flremen, machinists and coal pass
ers are wanted. An officer at the depart
ment said that five thousand landsmen
| could be secured in a day if they were de-
! sired.
The Marblehead is at Tampa. The little
| Bancroft on her way across the ocean re-
ported by cable her arrival to-day at Horta,
| Fayal, where she will coal. She appears to
| be making about as good time as her arg
| er consort, the Helena. The Samoset ar
rived at Key West to-day, as did the Mont
gomery, while the Detroit sailed from that
port for Tortugas. The Machias has ar
rived at Boston, where she will have slight
1
ported her arrival by cable to the Navy
Department from Greytown. She will bring
back to the United States the Nicaragua
canal commission and then will be attached
| at once to the North Atlantic squadron.
The board of strategy of the Navy De-
partment has decided that the navy must
be reinforced by a number of torpedo
boat destroyers not torpedo boats. These
are vessels of about three hundred tons
| displacement and able to keep the sea al
most as well as a cruiser With the eAor-
| nous speed of thirty knots an hour and
| an offensive armament of quick-fring guns
equal to the average gunboat, it is said
that the power of such craft is certainly
very great, and that perhaps they may
prove to be the ideal naval craft.
One distinguished naval officer, an ex-
| pert in ordnance matters, expressed the
opinion to-day that two such torpedo de-
stroyers might annihilate the biggest bat
tie ship in the world if they stood ready to
run the risk of being sunk themselves. All
that would be necessary for them to do,
said he, would be to hold the battle ship
in sight during the daylight hours. which
they would do easily, owing to their super
ior speed, and when darkness has come to
attack the battle ship from opposite direc-
eiOAiS SAAAiuA'nASooS4S Sll Aull speeu Win loE-
pedoes. Such considerations as these have
influenced the board to recommend the
procurement Of as many of these boats as
possible, and as soon as possible.
THINKS WE ARE STINGY.
So far the department has been unable
to buy any abroad. and while four torpedo
boats of the largest class of thirty knots
speed. almost equal to the destroyer type,
are building in this country, they cannot be
completed for many months to come. A
representative of one of the largest English
torpedo boat firms now in Washington crit
icised our government to-day as having been