The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-26
SPANS FLOTILLA.

WASHINGTON, March 26, 1ssS.-No pro-
test or representations OF any klnd re-
specting the advance of the Spanish lor-
pedo fiotilla have been made up to the
present time, so far as can be learned IL
the best posted quarters. Ine move
ments of this iotilla continue TO pc
watched with the keenest interest py
naval officials, and close estimates are
being made as to their location toaay
and the time intervening before their ar
rival at Porto Rico. The Navy Depart
ment calculates that the run from me ine
Canaries to San Juan, Porto Rico, wnist w.t
is expected to be the ilrst stoppalng pow pane
IS 2 500 miles It is believed they nave
already covered about 40o miles OF M, ini9
distance They are moving slowly, peils
retarded by a collier which accompaillSinl mp l..i
them and the balance OF the tr1p VIII
take from twelve to fourteen Gays.
Although the movements are gravely
discussed by the highest naval o1nclals,
that steps toward actually mtefceptlns
the flotiila have been matured or even
considered except in the most genera
way. 1t is stated on hlgh autnol,ay trnl I'D
the reports that the flying squadron uI,
der Commodore Schley might De utilizeu t
in this connection are not warranted Ny
any steps thus far taken. On the con- @
trary it is pointed out, the entlfe piaii
of the flying squadron was developed pc
FORE e'i the torpedo fIotilla left the Canaries,
and it was designed for quite anotner nne
of work. 1J,
born. of California, one of the senior
members of the House Committee on Ma
val Affairs, was at the Navy Dsparl- sI1iai +
ment today and talked with the ofnclais
concerning the movements OF the spanish
f1otilla. Mr. Hilborn presented "a new
phase of the case and one not IN line Win
the current view of naval officials.
for n
with the movement of the Spanish tor
pedo hotilla or other Spanish Vesseis,
said he. THE high seas are an open his s.1- n
way to the ships of the world, and wnlle
there is no declaration OF war we are
not in a position to say that these tor-
pedo boats shall not move as Spain sees
iii to direct them. When we are assem-
bling our own ships at Key West and oth-
er points, it is not the time Ior US 70 IN
tercept the movements or spanish ships.
That would be an overt act, ana not per
missible IN the absence Oh useiea oeioil
of war" .sau. a.,
day placing officers in command OF
number of the single turreted monitors
which have recently been called into SER
vice. Lieut. r. G. Peck will be in com
mand of the monitor Lehigh, winch rs TO
go to Boston; Lieut. J. MI N, irwln gaes WI, ~
Portland, Me-; Lieut.. H. F; F1ckpohm
will command the Jason, which goes to
New York; Lieut.. c. S.. Richardson viii
York and Lieut. M. E. Hull Will COM
mand the Catskill. which goes to Boston.
These naval officers will be first IN com, com,
mand of the several monitors, ana VIII VIII
be aided by officers and men from the
naval militia of Massachusetts, New YORK
New Jersey and elsewhere.
Anothe order issued by the Navy De-
partment today assigns Lieut.. Y. Noel
Eat once. to command the NezInscott:,,
This craft is a fine. new tug which VIII
be used as supply boat. "a She oi Is now ts,as a.
command she will proceed TO Key WSsl YES
to further argument the fleet there. To-
days orders also glve. the Nezinscoet d
The commanders of the various mon-
tors above referred to are drawn from
the faculty of the United stat states 81 s Mayal Gy
spection as the emergency is such tnat
these officers can be better utilized Tor
active sea service than for the educa-
tional work at the academy and Tor IN
The assignment of Lieut.. J. L. Jayne
TO command the torpedo boat Rodgers,
acceptance of this new boat and brings
her into commission. The Rodgers re-
Gently made her trial run from Baltimore
to Norfolk. but She has not formaily
been accepted although the assignment
of naval commander to her foreshad-
ows her acceptance and commission Sne
doubtless will be added to thes f1eet OF
torpedo craft at Key West.
Secretary Long had an early conference
today with Senator Hale, chairman OF the
Senate Naval Committee, lasting over nan
an hour The Secretary then had talk
with Lieut. Commander Mark, Judge Ad-
vocate of the Maine Court OF Inquiry.
Mr.. Mark spent most of the morning at
the Navy Department comforting with the
Jld ge Advocate General and with captain
CroWninshield chief of the Bureau OF
Navigation. He maintained the strict re-
ticence he has shown ever since the re-
mort of the court was confided to his care.
fob oSl Judge AdVO-
cate Generals office, and will remain IN
Washington while the report of the Court
of Inquiry is under consideration by the
President and Cabinet with view to
answering Inquiries which may be made.
The Navy Department was advised to-
day that the monitor Terror had arrived
where She will join Captain SIMPSONS
squadron The Vicksburg has also reach
ed Hampton Roads.
The flying squadron Will not complete
its organization until the middle or latter
part of next week, although its nucleus
will be at Hampton Roads when Commo-
dore Sch1ey hoists his pennant on the
flagship Brooklyn next Monday. At that
| time the Brooklyn and Massachusetts will
he the only ships of the prospective fly
ing squadron, the Texas being at the New
| York Navy Yard to receive ner arnmuni- 1.ll.c
and Minneapolis are expected to be ready
to leave in few days
large contract for disappearing gun
carriages WIS
iyer ca. of Cleveland, Ohio, whose inn
mense foundries and machine shops have
been placed at the disposal Of the Gov
eminent. Tho company will run y
rianf night and day to rush the work for
rrapjd delivery. 1t is probable that the
first' delivery will begin in about three
weeks This Use the first contract the
Walker co. has taken direct from the
Gavernn,ent. 1t has done such work for
other companies heretofore but has de-
oided now to take contracts direct.
Major S. S. Leach of the Engineer Di-
vision. u. S. A., stationed at New Lon
don Conn. has been in consultation with
Secretary Alger in regard to the FORTH,
cation Of Long Island Sound: Plans had
heen made for the defence of Gull Island
al he eastern entrance to the Sound,
and # is now proposed to greatly elabor--
ate ate these plans. SO as to give Long Island
| Sound a first-class defence, thus protect
ing New York.
IF was decided to assemble all of the old
smooth bore guns, now at Fort Griswold
and and other forts in connecticut and mount
them at the farbors of Bridgeport and
New Haven In each of these cities are
| large factories for the manufacture Of
arms and ammunition, and Major Leach
made this special point why the Sound
and these harbors should be better pro-
fected.