The record-union., 1898-03-27

LII ASeu VI projecting tue CITY ~ sun
able armament and first-ciass ships, as
well as the two single-turreted old lnon;-
tors to be sent there Mr.. Long fully
shares this sentiment of his fellow
toVnsman. but there is little prospect
that the better class Of ships can be
used north of Hamoton Roads, except
in times of emergency.
Commodore Schley came to bid good
by to Secretary Long before going 10
Hampton Roads to assume command Of
the flying squadron. lie leaves Wash
| ington tomorrow, and will raise his
Commodore's flag on Monday. His
heart is in this particular assignment
and he expressed the greatest satisfac-
tioE on starting for this service.
PAINTING OF WARSHIPS.
Late in the day another shift was
made in the plans for painting the war
ships, and Captain Crowninshield for
mally determined that all the ships Of
the navy should be painted a dull tea
color. This was the color of all Federal
ships duI ing the civil war and is said
to be the best fighting color
MOUNTS FOR TORPEDOES.
The Naval Bureau of Ordnance is pre-
pairing new mounts for number Of
Whitehead tOrpedoes, in order to place
them on the revenue cutters, the newly
acquired yachts and tugs. The tor
pedo tubes were originally intended to
go below deck, but with the new craft
tubes and mounts must be changed for
service on the upper decks. When this
work is done, Captain ONeil, head of
the Bureau. expects to be able to equip
sixty craft if occasion demands, with
torpedo tubes.
IMPROVEMENTS AT DRY TORTU-
GAS AND KEY WEST.
! The contract for the big steel PIERS,
coal sheds and extensive coal appliances
for loading war vessels at Dry Tortu-
gas and Key West We're let to-day. The
Union Bridge Company of New York
Will build the steel piers, etc, both 1T
Tortugas and Key West, the contract
price being $4,000 The tracks, cars,
machinery, etc, will be furnished by
the Brown Hosting Company of Clevc-
land, Ohio, for $131 600 The contract
calls for completing the extensive work
ct Tortugas in $50 days and at Key
West in 1870 days.
! ORDERS TO REVENUE CUTTERS.
Formal orders We're issued to-day by
! Captain Shoemaker, chief of the reve-
rue cutter service, for the eight revenue
cutters called into the service Of the
navy, to rendezvous at the Norfolk
navy yard. The instructions given 70
! commanders of the ships were to report
/ at Norfolk between the Goth of March
and the 9th of April. Some difficulty is
/ anticipated in getting the cutter Ores
ham out of the Great Lakes. She is
To long to pass through the locks Of the
canal, and it may be necessary for the
Department to cut off the stern of the
vessel in order to permit the passage Of
the locks.
Preparations are making for the
Lighthouse Board to turn over to the
Navy Department five lighthouse tend
efs now in service on the Atlantic: in
structions We're issued to-day by the
board to the commanders of the tend
ers to make complete inventory of
the present furnishings and equipment
OF the vessels. It will be necessary. of
course, that these vessels be reftted to
some extent and equipped with suca
light small-caliber guns as they are
able to carry. The equipment of the
vessels and other necessary work upon
them will be done at the Norfolk yards.
TO COMMAND TIE NEW ORLEANS.
1t IS regarded as not unlikely that
! Commander w NJ. Folger. now in
charge of the New York lighthouse
district, may be placed in command of
! the newly acquired Brazilian cruiser
Amazonas, now the New Orleans. but
the detail has not yet been made or
even determined upon.
TO AVOID CLASHING OF ARMY
AND NAVY.
For several days a proposition has
been under consideration by Secreta-
RES Long and Alger TO form a board
composed of one Of each of the army
and navy, to systematize and harmon
ize the defensive operations along the
Atlantic seaboard, in order that there
might be no clashing between the two
great arms of the Government. Tt is
understood that the proposition was
considered favorably by both Secreta-
ries, and they proceeded so far as to ap-
point the board, the representative of
the navy designated by Secretary Long
| being Captain Barker. his naval aid
and the representative of the army
named by Secretary Alger being Cap
tain Dorst, one of the attaches of the
Secretary. Some objection was made
by the army officers to the creation Of
the board, and day or two ago Cap
tain Dorst was withdrawn from the
proposed board
1t seemed yesterday that the whole
proposition would be abandoned. but
to-day was revived, and Lieutenant
Colonel A. W. Wagner. Chief of the
Bureau of Military Intelligence, was
designated by Secretary Alger to act
with Captain Barker as the represen-
tative of the army.
Late this afternoon Captain Barker