The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-10
HUNT FOR WARSHIPS.
Uncle Sam Has Perfected No Ar
rangements For Purchase.
PLENTY AMMUNITION TO BE HAD.

Washington, March 10.-The feature
of yesterdays events was the prompti-
tude with which the senate passed the
house bill carrying the appropriation of
$50,000,000 for the national defense, and
the haste with which it was put through
the formal proceedings, engrossed and
signed by the president. While the
matter has been considered 1t can be
stated that the fund has not vet been
allotted among the various branches
of the government service. Each of
these had prepared roughly and tenta-
dispose of to advantage, but upon look
ing over the ground the president con-
cluded that it would be well perhaps
to avoid making the allotment until the
necessity became apparent.
The reason back of this is that the
sum that can be profitably spent for
warships cannot even be guessed at
with any approximation to accuracy
Just now. AS the ships are to be first
choice in the steps for defenses until
their cost is ascertained it is not pos
sible to divide the remainder of the ap-
preparation among the other branches
of the military and naval services. The
secretary of the navy is making every
effort to secure from our naval at
taches and diplomatic officers abroad
all information obtainable respecting
the number of ships building, their
price and other data This does not
necessarily interfere with the execu-
tion of the plans confded to Captain
Brownson, who sailed for Southampton
yesterday, but rather promises to as
sist him materially in making speed
with his inquiries.
Up to this moment not only has the
United States government bought no
warships, but it has not even secured
an option on one. There are many
applications coming to the department
from persons and firms who desire to
sell ships to our government but in
most of these cases either the craft Of
fered is not suitable for naval needs
or the date of possible completion is
so distant that it cannot be regarded
as worthy of purchase to meet an
emergency.
There is less difficulty experienced in
securing tenders of war material such
as shot and shell and powder, and the
navy department has almost assured
itself of an abundant supply of certain
kinds of smokeless powder abroad at
short notice. The officials of the de-
partment are in daily correspondence
by mail and telegraph with agents of
ammunition houses, and besides are
now fully acquainted with the plans OF
domestic powder makers for enlarging
their plants to meet an emergency.
The representatives of the armor maxi
ing firms are in consultation with the
department steadily, generally relative
to the supply of gun forgings and such
material for use in the gunshops here
and at Watervliet, but the question of
armor is receiving little attention, as
the armor makers report that they can
not undertake by any known agency to
turn out such armor as would be re-
quired for a modern battleship in less
than seven months, for the reason that
tempering and face hardening cannot
be fastened without destroying the
value of the armor.
The statement was made at the navy
department today that the report of the
Maine court of inquiry probably would
come to the department some time next
week. 1t did not appear, however, that
this statement was founded upon any
direct report from the court, but was
rather an estimate based upon the
progress so far made as revealed by
the change of methods on the part of
the court. 1t is not expected that Lieu
tenant Commander Mark, the Judge
advocate of the court, will leave the
court until 1t has completed it's labors,
as 1t Is the custom for the judge ad-
vocate to assist in the preparation of
the final report of the court.
Admiral Sicard has been authorized
to enlist suitable men for the navy at
Key West if he can find the material.
He reported that he had received some
applications from machinists and sea-
men, and was Immediately given power
to take the men. The department is
still striving vigorously to secure ma
chinists, especially men who know how
to run stationary engines. These men
can be quickly taught how to run ma
rine engines, and require little other
training to make them valuable aboard
ship.
Official reports indicate that the au-
tonomy scheme projected at Porto
Rico has been put into successful oper-
alton. This is interesting mainly be-
cause of resemblance between the pro-
ject and the plan which it is now sought
to put in play in Cuba.
The war department is arranging to
secure large supply of the most mod
ern rifles, sufficient in time of emer-
gency to arm a force of 100000 men,
The need of these modern guns has
long been apparent but congress has
/
reserve of rifles for use by volunteer
| force in time of emergency Now, how
ever, an adequate supply of the most
effective rifles will be among the first
uses to which the war department will
put its share of the defense fund. Like
attention is being given to supplies Of
powder, cartridges, etc, for the army.
Those in authority say orders can be
filled without delay, and that about
the only branch of ordnance on which
the facilities are not fully UP to an
emergency demand are those for heavy
| fortification guns
Much conjecture has been INDUCED In
touching the visit paid yesterday to
the White House by the British ambas-
sador. The Washington Post this
| morning says on this point:
queen Nlclolld mas, through 81:
Julian Pauncefote, conveyed to Presi-
dent Mckinley her qualification at the
wise and conservative course which he
has thus far pursued in relation to tn
Cuban and Spanish situation. She also
expressed to him her thorough sym
pathy with the efforts put forth by the
United States to relieve suffering hu-
manity in Cuba, with the hope thai
these endeavors may be conducted to 8
successful conclusion without war"