Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-03-17
WORK IN NAVY YARDS
Aiming and Manning of the
Merchant Marines.
MANY UNATTHENTIC RIMORS

The United States Not Buying Any Cast
on Varship-- Large Number of
Offers Have Been Made.
Washington, March l2.-The United
States government has not acquired Il
single additional ship for the navy.
This is true, not because of "A lack o.
offers of warshils from abroad, but
simply for the reason that the navy de-
partmcnt is proceeding with all the
circumspcction consistent with the
needs OF the case in looking to the
prices and qualities of the craft. There
is strong disposition to refrain from
being drawn into bad bargains and to
insist on getting good vessels at prices
not cXtOrtiOnate.
Secretary Long WIS in receipt of
large number of cable messages today.
almost all relating to offers OF ships.
Lieutenant Niblock, United States ma
val attache ut Berlin, st. Petersburg
and Vienna, is particularly active in
quest of vessels.
There was good deal OF talk during
the day about the assignment OF Off
GERS to the command of auxiliary cruz
sers, the st. Paul and st. Louis being
especially mentioned. but Secretary
Long set these stories at rest by the
statement that he had not made any
such assignments, and had only pro-
crossed to the point OF informing him
self of the possibility of getting the
ships differed and manned quickly.
While looking after new ships, the
officials of the navy department are not
ncglcctlng the other vessels. and ar
rangtments have been made to make
short repairs on several ships that in
the ordinary course would not be
treated in that fashion, but would re-
quire an entire overhauling. Thus, in
the case OF the Philadelphia, which has
had five years hard work and has never
yet been gone over. as is the custom,
orders have gone to Mare island to put
her III shape for sea within 40 days.
The Yorktown. at the same yards, is
not to be touched at present, not only
because she is in fair condition, but
also because she is not so formidable "a
craft rs to make it desirable to divert
to her repair the attention required
elsewhere. At Norfolk the Newark is
set down for 30 days repairs, and as a
good deal OF work has already been
done on her, she will be almost new
ship when she comes out of the yards.
The big monitor Puritan has practi-
cally completed her repairs. The
monitor Comanche at Mare island has
been examined and found in tolerable
condition. At League island the Mon
itor Miantonomoh and the ram Katah-
din went into commission today, al
though they have not yet received their
orders. They will probably remain in
the Delaware river or drop down into
the bay The torpedo boat Dupont
sailed today from Mobile to attach her
self again to tie fotilla ut Key West.
Again it was said at the navy depart
ment that nothing had been heard from
the court of inquiry at Havana. nor
from Admiral Sicard at Key West.
The presence in the city of persons
connected with steamship lines and
steel works led to the circulation OF Il
number of sensational stories during
the day, but perhaps none OF these had
the persistcncy of one, which met sum-
mary denial at the hands of Assistant
Secretary Day, to the effect that Minis
ter Woodford had notified the Spanish
government that the president intended
sending TO congress a message announce
ing his recognition Of Cuban independ-
ence
A conference was held at 3 o'clock in
the office Of Assistant Secretary RoOse-
welt, to map ont plans for arming and
equipping merchant vessels as auxiliary
cruisers. This work, it is said, could
be accomplished readily within two
weeks time, as all materials, except
the guns, are on hand. The bureau of
ordnance could not supply all the guns
required within that short time, al
though some 20 or more are now avail
able. The supply would be adequate,
however, for the most effective auxil-
larry cruisers and the complete arma-
ment OF the merchant ships could pro-
coed as rapidly rs possible thereafter.
AS ~ tllc question Oh manning the
auxiliary fleet, the navy department
feels that the most effective step would
be to enlist in the United States naval
service the present merchant crews OF
the several ships. These crews are
thoroughly familiar with the vessels,
and could handle them with far greater
effect than green crews of bluejackets.
The Ships would be differed from the
line of the navy. In the case of enlist
Ing merchant crew, the pay and allow
ances would be about equivalent to the
rates paid ordinary sailors, and the
time of enlistment would doubtless be
limited to short periods.
Tn bc Int