Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-10
Now that President Has the
Chief Sinews of War.
Capt. Brownson Sails for Europe Where
He Will Purchase Warships.
Expected that the Court Of Inquiry Will Re-
port Next Week.

/
House bill carrying the appropriation
| Of $50 600, 900 for the national defence
and the haste With which it was pui
through the formal proceedings, en-
| crossed and signed by the President.
While the matter has been considered,
it can be stated that the fund has not
yet been allotted among the various
| branches of the government service.
Each of these had prepared tentatively
an estimate Of the funds ii could dis
pose of to advantage, but upon looking
! over the ground the President conclud-
ed that il would be well To avoid max
ing the allotment until the necessity
| became apparent.
The sum that could he profitablv
| spent fer Warships cannot even be
guessed at with any approximation to
| accuracy just now and the ships are
| to be first choice in the steps for de
| fence. The secretary Of the navy is
making every effort to secure from
| our naval attaches and diplomatic Off
| GERS abroad all information obtaina bic
| respecting the number Of ship building
| THEN price and other data This prom
| ises to assist Captain Brownson. who
| sailed for Southampton. today. mater
tally in making speed with his inpuir-
| les.
| Up to this moment. not only has the
| nlted states government bought no
| Warship. but It has not even secured
an option on one. There are many ap-
| plications coming from persons and
| firms who desire to sell ships to the
government, hut in most of these cases
| either the craft offered is not suitable
| Tor naval needs, or the date of possible
| completion is 50 distant that ii cannot
he regarded as worthy OF purchase to
meet an emergency.
There is less difficulty experienced in
securing tenders OF war material. such
as shot, shell and powder. and the navy
department has almost assured itself
Of an abundant supply of certain kinds
ol smokcless powder abroad at short
notice. The officials Of the department
| are IN daily correspondence by mail
and telegraph with agents of ammuni-
ti"n houses and besides are now fully
acquainted with the plans Of domestic
powder makers for charging their
plants to meet an emergency.
The representatives Of the armor-
! making firms are in consultation with the
department steadily generally relative To-
the supply Of gun forgings and such ma
trrial for use i'm the gunshopS here ana
at Watef1Iie, htt tha question III ar,1or
IS receiving little attention. as the urmor
makers ran0rt that they canunf ,,nI,r
take 10 turn out such armo- as would be
required for a modern battleshjn i'm less
than seven months II has baan demon
Strated "a the navy department that Il
VIII not he possible 10 make the armor
f11. tha si1uarf, me-, .gt;,,a ~ ~, -,
her n1xy h,,i}dirr- . Eco.,,l.,., So
,.,,,r,s ,,'.J AZ r. l,,'' -Nt"S,
y, tNil d'.i ~ tif / mon iron " prkS III
.S.'ht = ,ti'3'Srp' ~ I'''e 7" render these
~ It'll = '''i', .i' ~ "'i' emergency lhat
III - az iSe ilIiS ear
tf,,.i,t,,,,,t 10 H'",'t az lh' navy
u, l''t tiiltH' 'od'tH' tHal the report OF the
NdlHe court 81 inquiry probably would
come 70 IN" department some time next
week. u old not appear however, that
W. statement was founded upon amy
"HN't report from the court. but was
rather Hn estimate based upon the nru-
;.roSs 3" far made us revealed bv tho
change uf methods on the part Of the
court
Many concentrations ara coming ia tha
White House ana thn state denertment
from all parts of the country i,nnn tbo
patriotic Spirit exhibita,I in ds.I;rg n;,t
the latest nh,sns ~ no f ~ neai ins MN
Most of thrn1 arn oiH,i,i il ,l,i,rt rt
many arc nrrenn,l ~, iir,, - ~
jdcnf ''' ''' - Wy rs
Admired cio,ra ~. 49,, |
enIitt n,'it IN az nds n'h authorized I"
W.T. # ~ ititH ~, .pr me navy at Hey
VEST u ne can una the material. He re |
npIted lhat ne mad received some applica
UioiiS from machinlSts ana seamen. and |
M given the power To take the men. |
NJ "VPdrtntllt Is Stlil STRIVING vigorously |
know how t" run stationary engines
o'ficlal reports indicates that the au- |
lon"hl scheme projected for Porto Rico
IA nas been put into successful operation
ms IS interesting mainly because of the |
resemblance between the project and the
hlan winch II is now sought to put in play