The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-22

( was communicative Secretary Long
also had an extended conference with
the president, but so far as could be-
learned, it developed nothing additional
relating to the Spanish question.
No further purchases of warships
were concluded today, and the negotia-
lions are not assuming a promising as
pect, except in showing that the United
States car command the market as
! against Spain.
BUSY SCENE.
The ordnance office of the war de-
! partment presented a very busy scene
| today, when bids were opened for fur
nishing the department about LOGO cast
( iI0r Drojectiles for sea coast cannon,
/ With which 10 man the fOrtifications.
] The advertisement called for 1877 10-inch
! solid shot; $40 12-inch mortar shells,
weighing 500 pounds each, and 500 L.
inch mortar shells weighing 1.000 pounds
each. There was an unusually large
number OF firms who bid Tor the con-
/ tract, and the prices at which they pro-
posed to furnish the Drojectiles showed
a wide range. The contracts were not
awarded today.
The battleshio Texas started north
from Key West today, thus settling the
question n to the formation of d Sec
ond SQUADRON at or near Hampton
Roads. II is expected the Massachu-
sets will follow in a few days, but the
final orders for that move have not
been made.
The navy department received a pre-
liminary report today from one of its
agents who is at Havana watching the
progress Of the wrecking. 1t is UNDER
stood that this refers mainly to the
technical work of salvage, and not to
the question of cause. The judge advo-
cate general, where the report was re-
ceiYed, will not disclose the details of
the report.
REASONABLE EXPLANATION.
The short session of the senate today
was quite unusual for the first working
day OF the week. That no one was
prepared to go on with any pending
measure was given as the explanation.
but privately the opinion was stated
by some of the senators that while the
Cuban question remains in such sus-
pense there was no desire to take UP
important legislation
The outlook as to Cuba was dis
cussed among senators almost to the
exclusion of other topics and the be-
lief was quite decided that the adj
ministratiOn is preparing to take a
positive position within the next week.
Several senators made the prediction
that the United States would intervene.
Being pressed for a reason, they
stated that they had reached this con-
clusion after more or less conference
with executive officers, but at the same
time saying quite emphatically that
they had no positive information on
this point. Other senators thought the
recognition of Cuban independence
more probable than Intervention. AL
most everyone expressed the view that
some action will follow the report of
the Maine court of inquiry, regardless
OF its purport.
DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING SHIPS.
A high officer of the navy who has
intimate knowledge of naval affairs,
said today:
The greatest difficulty is being ex-
perienced by the government in pro-
curing ships abroad, but it is hard
at work and is making as much pro-
gresS as could reasonably be expected
under the circumstances. Spain is
pushing work on its war vessels. The
Pelayo, its largest and best battleship.
is practically ready for sea and its
second biggest ship, the Carlos V, will
be ready in a fortnight or three weeks.
The officials of the navy department
are doing everything in their power to
prepare for any possible conflict. Any
thing, however, which is gotten in the
way of tug boats and yachts will be
for a makeshift and our people would
do well to learn that the only way to
prepare for an emergency is to see
that the navy is put in first rate shape
before the emergency arises. and this |
can be definitely done by building
battleships and destroyers and by
adding permanently, 10 Jar naval lis >
of officers and men and by immedi- /
ately passing through congress the |
pending personnel bill which is abso- !
lutely necessary to the handling of
the new navy. The results, however, of 1
the preparations so far as made with |
the material at hand. are satisfactory. /
The greatest preparation that has 1
been made was the drilling of battle /
ships and torpedo boats last summer, !
and as a result the navy is now
doubtly as efficient as one year ago. |
The people of the United States may |
trust to the navy with absolute con-
hdence that it Will respond to our call |
with the highest credit to herself and |
the nation. The question of the pur-
chase of the O'Higgins is still in the
air. Spain will not get her. and if she
is sold it will be to the United States"