Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-05
SENDING AMMUNITION.
The Navy Department Providing Things
for the Asatic Squadron to shoot With

The Navy Department Providing Things
for the Asiatic Squadron to shoot With.
Washington March 4-The Navy
Department is making preparations TO
replenish the supply OF ammunition Of
the United States warships on the Ash
attic station. To this end, orders
have been sent to the training snip
Mohican, now at Mare Island, to carry
the ammunition. The snip was just
about to leave for a long cruise with
the naval apprentices, going as far as
the Samoan islands. Her first stop
was to be at Honolulu, and the depart
ment has seized the opportunity 10
utilize her as a power ship without in
terfering with the itinerary already
arranged for her cruise She will car
ny thirty tons of ammunition for the
China. feet and will start almost i'm
mediately. II is said at the depart
ment that this is only part Of the reg
ular supply Of ammunition forwarded
to the United States naval stations
abroad when opportunity serves.
The only word received at the State
Department from Gen. Lee during the
past twenty-four hours came in short
cablegram received last night adj
dressed to Assistant Secretary Day.
The consul general had formerly noti-
fed the department that as one result
of his efforts to ameliorate the condi-
ton of the poor in Havana, he had
secured from the Spanish authorities
the use of a large store house which
he proposed to use as an orphan asy-
lum to shelter the many little children
left parentless by the war.
The War Department, it is under
stood will endeavOr 10 induce the
treasury officials to return the Tortu-
gas islands to it's jurisdiction, but at
the Treasury Department it is said
that no request has yet been made upon
the Secretary OF the Treasury Tor the
transfer Should the request be made,
it is stated that it would be complied
with at once. Some years ago this
island, then under the control Of the
War Department, was turned over TO
the Treasury Department for use as a
quarantine station with the stipuia-
ton that it would be retransferred at
any time upon request.
In its present defenseless condition
it is pointed out, Dry Tortugas is
positive source of danger. as it could
De CcCuDlbu Dy al tHSu1y d. q DcoS VI
naval and military operations. The
most essential feature of its defense
would be the mounting of heavy guns
and with these the harbor would give
one of the best protected roadsteads
in Southern waters. The main de-
lenses are on Tortugas, meaning Tur-
tie Island and occupy practically the
entire island, although a small mar
row coral reef sweeps around it, aft
fording additional shelter. The fort
is known as Fort Jefferson.
The Notifications board headed by
Cen Miles, some time ago, reported
that the Tortugas islands were neces-
sarv as a part of our system of coast
defense.
THE NAVAL SCHEME
of defense of the coast as laid down IN
tbe plans by the naval war college last
summer. also contemplated the Tortu-
qas islands as a base of operations,
while the board appointed by Secre-
+arv Long to select sites for dry docks
LAST autumn also devoted considerable
snace in its report to showing the i'm
nortance of the islands from strate-
o;c noint of view. The anchorage is
nrobablv better than that of Key West
= fact made evident by the preference
for Tortugas harbor shown by Admiral
Sicard during the southern redezvous
If The North Atlantic squadron now in
,,.cuvaSS