The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-03
A PUNY SUBTERFUGE
NATIONAL HONOR is HIDDEN
UNDER A BREAKFAST.
cRA,EN APOLOGIES FOR SENDING THEM
Montgomery and Nashville, It Is Promised,
VIII Stay 0nIy Long Enough to Unload
Supplies, and, if You Please,
viii Not Go to Havana.

Washington, March, 2.-The decision
of the Navy Department to send two
ships to Cuba with supplies for the suf-
fering reconcentrados caused some com
ment in official circles to-day until the
real purpose of the visit of the ships
came out. The cruiser Montgomery and
the gun boat Nashville were selected
for the purpose and orders sent TO -Ad-
miral Sicard TO put them in shape fol'
the required service. 1t is explained at
the Navy Department that this action
was taken at the instance of the Cuban
Relief Association organized through
the efforts of the State Department for
the relief of the destitute non-combat-
ants in Cuba. 1t was represented to the
department that great distress prevails
among the people in the vicinity of Sagua
La GI;lnde and Matanzas ON the north
ern coast of the island and that conSid-
cradle difficulty is experienced in send
ing supplies there because of the infre-
qucnt visits of the merchant ships On
this account. and because of the imme
date demand for supplies at the points
Indicated, the officers of the association
requested the Secretary of the Navy to
authorize the use of one or more of the
war ships at Key West in the trans
portation there of food supplies contrib
uted by the charitable people of the
United States in response to the APP
peals of President Mckinley and Sec
Rotary Sherman. Secretary Long con-
ferred with the President on the subject
and it was decided to comply with the
request The Montgomery and the
Nashville were selected as most suitable
for the service and the necessary orders
were dispatched to Admiral Sicard. The
Montgomery will go to MatanZas and
the Nashville to Sagua La Grande with
the understanding that they will remain
in those ports only long enough To de-
liver the supplies to the agents of the
association for distribution where they
viii do the most good. Although the
mission assigned TO the war ships will
take them both within a short distance
OF Havana, estimated at from TWO to
four hours, it is stated that neither yes
sci will visit the Cuban capital.
NO CLASH WITH BOUTELLE
TO remove the impression that had
gotten abroad to the effect that the re-
lations between the Navy Department
anu the HOUSE NaNd1 0Oul0lIlIee were
not harmonious. Secretary Long this af-
ternoon gave out short statement on
the subject. He said:
Congressman Boutelle has been mis-
understood. That Congressman who is
one of the most patriotic men in the
world, is always ready to do every
thing that can be done for the Navy
In his annual report the Secretary re-
commended that 1,500 men be added to
the enlisted force on account of the IN
crease i'm the number of ships. The
Naval committee, of which Mr.. Boutelle
is chairman, has already decided to
grant this increase in the regular Naval
Appropriation bin. Meantime, il there
should be any Immediate necessity for
more men, the same committee and Mr.
Boutelle as its chairman, are ready to
make provision to that effect at once"
A cablegrafn came from General Lee
during the day to the State Department
but it made no reference to the Maine
affair, being devoted to the periodical
statement of the amount of tobacco that
is being shipped from Cuba TO United
States ports, thus giving evidence of the
actual removal of the export prohibition
decree. The telegram was as follows
Filler tobacco February 26th, y
bales, Tampa: - Key West; 5S4 Chi
cago; 10 Milwaukee; 2Sth, 2S4 New
York
MIANTONOAIAH'S COMMANDER.
A commander for the monitor Milan.
t0nomah.' whivch was ordered into com
mission yesterday was selected in the
person OF Captain Mortimer Johnson,
who it int present on waiting orders.
Secretary Long says that the Miatono-
NAH, with the ram katahdin, will re-
main in the Delaware for the present at
least With the commissioning of these
two vessels there remain only the cruisers
Columbia and Minneapolis on the Allan.
tic coast available for immediate service
an case the department. should decide to
commission more ships. The Atlanta, al
New York, could be made ready in the
course of four months and the Chicago
in six months, in case emergency orders
for their repair were issued There are
a number of good ships on the Pacific
coast, however, whose repair is under
way, such as the Charleston. the Phil
adelphia the Yorktown and others, and
the pay rolls of the construction bureau
at the Mare Island Navy Yard has now
amounted to the large total of 100000
per month for wages alone.
The Navigation Bureau is still busy
with the preparation of the death GER
tificates for the families of the victims
of the Maine disaster. Captain Hawley.
who has the matter Immediately in
charge. says that owing to the necessary
formalities these certificates cannot be
issued before March H. and this answer
is returned to numerous letters daily re-
ceived at the department
1t is said in the Navigation Bureau
that there is a pressing need of able ma
chinists for the Navy caused by the here.
tof0re unnoted fact that every one of the
anachinists ON the Maine lost his life in
the explosion. Moreover, all the fire.
men but one were killed The bureau
has invited enlistments from men who
have had Naval service before in the
engine rooms and, as it is said that a
number of these men arc now enjoying
the three months period Of time between
enlistments during which they may