The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-08-26
A VAST WAR FLEET.
Seventy American Ships of War to
ASSEMBLE at Fort Monroe.
WAITING FOR NEWS FROM MANILA.
The Efforts to Restore the Manila Cable
Not Yet successiui-Few Develop
ments of Importance in the
POST War situation.

POST war situation.
Washington, Aug. 20.-One of the
largest fleets of warships ever assem-
bled in an American port will be
brought together in the next few days
at Fort Monroe. Already 81 warships
are under orders to rendezvous there
and the orders still TO be issued will
raise the total 90 the neigh borhood of
20. Naval officials say it is difficult to
realize the extent of such a marine
aggregation in one harbor. The or
ders began issuing last Monday, when
FIVE ships were ordered TO Fort Mon
roe. On the 10th another ship was
added. On the 18th eight more were
sent and on the 18th II ships were
added. Yesterdays orders include Is
more ships. Before the orders began
issuing there were eight warships at
Fort Monroe SO that the total up to
to-day is 81.
Those included in yesterdays orders
are the Newport, Rodgers, Lebanon,
Wompatuck, Morris, Grim, Lancaster,
Machias, Osceola, Peoria, Massasoit,
Sioux, Cheyenne. Waban, Chickasaw,
Helena. Detroit and Yankton. These
are the ships previously ordered and
are mainly small craft, although there
are a number OF large cruisers and
gunboats, including the San Francisco,
Helena, Detroit, Topeka, Marietta and
Castine.
The movement of these ships north
ward is due TO the close of hostilities,
a 81, a 10
get the ships away from points of pos
sible fever infection. They will now be
put in thorough repair and their crews
will be gradually changed from naval
militiamen TO sailors of the regular
navy.
The navy department has not yet de-
termined what ships will go to Ha-
vana, San Juan and other points of
Cuba and Porto Rico. There is felt to
be no hurry about this until the au-
thority of the United States is fully
established throughout the islands.
In the meantime, the matter of polio
ing the shore points is being considered
and in due time a number of the light
draught auxiliary craft and some of
the single turreted monitors will be
used for this coast patrol. 1t is found,
however, that only four of the ola
monitors of the civil war are fit for
this service in southern waters.
AS MANY naval vessels will be CEN
tered about the West Indies from this
time forward, the navy department
will send the new floating dock re-
Gently bought in New York down the
ID. ,u,t1
be kept for docking the warships. AT
that point also there are good naval
workshops TO be used in conjunction
with the floating dock. The dock is
now being coppered, and will be towed
to Pensacola as soon as the Septem Der
gales are over.
There were few developments of inn
portance in the postwar situation.
The authorities are still waiting for
zen. Merritt's report on the list OF
casualties and the state, war and navy
/ department. are interested in knowing
the exact terms on which Manila was
surrendered whether the city alone
or IL all the Philippines were included.
| 1t was stated by officials that nothing
additional on this point had been re-
eeived up TO the close of office hours
yesterday.
The efforts to restore the Manila
cable continue, but they have moi
proved successful thus far. The claims
made in Madrid that the protocol, and
not the capitulation. controls the
status of affairs in the Philippines
will not be discussed by the state de-
partment officials. The Madrid dis
cussion is looked upon as rather AGA
demic. as il is taken for granted thai
claims will be made on both sides, anC
that the Paris tribunal will be the
final arbiter of the case
Neither the state department MOI
the French embassy has yet received
word that Spain has chosen her military
commissions for Cuba and Porto Rice
and some doubt is expressed as TO tn,
accuracy of the names given in Lon
don press advices The names giveI
in these reports are those of Spanish
generals and admirals now stationed
in Cuba and Porto Rico, so that, If III,
names are correct, no time will be los
in bringing the commissioners TO
gether The understanding here Il
that the sessions will begin at Havana
and San Juan about the first week il
September.
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