The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-08
SP AIMS REQUEST
PROMPTLY MET
President Mckinley Refused Perernptorily to
Recall Gen. Lee.
THE OBJECTION WAS AFTERWARDS WlTNDRAWN
WAS AFTERWARDS WITHDRAWN
The House and Senate Practically Unanimous in Support Of
the Administration $50 900, 900 tor Defenses-Bond
Issue Not Neccessary-Several Offers for
Ships-A Crisis Averted

now open to purchase, and It is under
stood MIR. Lanes visit was i'm This con-
nect!on. The two cruisers a..o $50 feet
long, 43 feet beam and IL ccSt Graft
ihey carry six 6-inch and four I.irch
guns, and an auxiliary battery. The
1roncIads have q 1874 inch belt of Ilar-
veyizcd steel Their armament is two
lo-Hnch guns, four 5-inch. two 6-:nch, 81;
o-pounderS and four l-pounderS Mr.
lane regards these ships IA frs. class
In, every particularly as they ysic d.
SigNed on mOdern principles ana are be-
ing huilt by one Of the leading shin
nuild4ng firms of Europe. They are well
a'"ns toward completion and all fnur z
IS sad, could b. in commission within
rev monlhhs. Thsy were ori-sinlu; de-
signed for one Of The SOu., An. ,.f,.,u
repu hlics but there is said 20 he no OBJ
nEfWlon which w-mld prevent :he.r &C
QUESTION by the United Stats Mr.
Lane recently sold tn Nav Depart
ment sixty Of the Maxim NordcnfeI,jt
rapid lire guns ana his standing; with
onlc'ais is such as to give his rcp~gscn-
l".,onS as TO ships much weight
mere are things wanted much more
than warships In case of trouble. and
the army shares these needs, so ma;
iair proportion OF the $4,000. 900
would nave Ia 20 to the War Depart
mcnt. There are abundant supplies OF
! shot and shell ana powder. The army
| Is as short as the navy OF these essen
| tial stores. j has hcen found. greatly
! 10 Inc qualification OF the army officers
that there will not be nearly 1S n,ucr
ulillculty In securing modern arms for
the army. even on a war footing as
was anticipated. This is because Ger
tam private gun makers have luz.
Drought out type Of repeating rifle
very similar in general features 10 the
army rifle, using the same cartridges
or the 80 gauge, ana with about MS
great rapidity of fire The plants Of
these companies are so extensive ,hlt
they could turn ont the arms very rap
id!N. so that the SpringicldS in The
hands OF the militia could be replaced
in short order
In connection with the subject Of
purchasing naval ammunition. /: Is
SAID that no contracts have been closed
nut IN" Department has Informed itself
fully $ 10 how speedily it could secure
every Kind Of ammunition ANA supplies
in case of an emergency. This inquiry
mas shown. in general way, that the
iac!It!eS of this country are ample to
meet any demand for powder. proiac-
Tiles, cartridge cases. primers fuses
etc. These supplies are not kept in
ftock, however, and in case of cmcr-
Eency they would have TO hc mldr on
orders. II IS said that the cauacfty of
one firm for turning OUT the brown
rrismatic powder required by the navy
is 100000 pounds month, which
would more than meet the demands Of
n conf ct
$l0,000,000 FOR AMMUNITION.
While no exact estimate has been
made of the share Of the 5000 900 ap-
preparation to be allotted TO ammuni-
ton il is roughly estimated that at
least $4,000, 900 would be assigned. owing
10 the enormous cost of rctillng the
ammunition chests of the warships
now in service. At present there is
not enough ammunition on hand for
one rcfli!ng beyond that now on board.
Il single rchlling costs $4,000 900 Each
first-clasS battlcship carries 400 tons of
ammunition. With the amounts on
hand and the rcfills which are being
calculated on. the navy would have an
ample supply of ammunition. even If
the ships were called into frequent ac-
ton. Naval officers explain that Il re-
fill will last through several engage
mentS, owing to the limit of endurance
of men while in action. If the guns
could be worked constantly refill
would be exhausted In one heavy en-
gagcmcnt but the guns. as well as the
These considerations have all been
taken into account in the rough gene
raj estimates that have been made us
to the rcfils requisite for a suitable
equipment of the American fleet.
BOND ISSUE? NOT NECESSARY.
The appropriation of 600 for
the national defense, for which provi-
sion was made in the bill introduced in
III" House to-day by Mr.. Cannon. will
not involve the issue of bonds. This
announcement was made by the Trca-
sury officials. who stated that the Trca-
sury was amply prepared to meet any
demands that W!!l likely be made upon
IL. On February lst the cash in the
Treasury amounted to $S56,57l ,766, OF
| which $2Oi .0G3.971 was gold, s5ll, SIS, ,S3i
silver, $I07. .5Gi, ,95S in paper currency
and 33,0Si,0 ,002 in dishurs!ng officers
balances, etc. The net available cash
on hand. above all liabilities, amounts
to S225, ,5Gi 203.
NO UNEASINESS FELT FOR THE
MONTGOMERY
II is r'St felt at the Navy Department.:
that the people of The MOnt gomcry are
taking any particular risks in going
TO Havana at this ..inc, for Il is said
that even should hostil,Hies break out. it
is Il rule of honorable warfare that they
be given saNe convey Cmt of the waters