The San Francisco call., 1898-03-12
NEW V ARSHIPS
 FOR OUR NAVY Offers for Vessels Now Building Probably
 Accepted. Department Believes 1t Has Acquired the An1azonas
 and Another. From
Axv.itino Final Notification From the Naval Attache at
 London.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House

Call Office, Riggs House, Washington, March II.
 The Navy Department has now req son to believe that it has secured the two war ships, the Amazonas and her sister ship, now building in England for Brazil. It was stated at the Cab inet meeting to-day by Secretary Long that the naval attache at London, Lieu tenant Colwell, had almost competed the negotiations of the sale. So far, however, final notification from him that his offer has been accepted, has not reached the Navy Department.
 The day passed again without word from the Court of Inquiry, according to the statement of Secretary Long, who says that he had received nothing whatever from the court itself, nor from Judge Advocate Mark. The Sec retary has determined that there shall be no Wasteful extravaganza in his department in the expenditure of the funds so generously provided by Con- gross, and to this end he has ad- dressed the following letter to the As SiStant Secretary of the Navy and the commandant of the marine corps and to each bureau chief of the Navy De- partment
 Sir: Under the emergency appropriation O. $50.000, 900 made Wednesday you will incur no expense or liability, except after written statements made and eSti- mate made by you and approved by the President and Secretary, all in writing. A special record must be kept of every expense has been incurred by you by oral direction make such written state ment and estimate and submit it at once for approval
 Dxrn nr1ar of Drnciddfnf
 JOHN D. LONG, Secretary. In anticipation of a rupture between the United States and Spain many of ficers of the retired list have notified the Secretary of the Navy of their will ingness and readiness to perform any duty in the line of tfeir profession that seems to be considerable misapprehen- sion on the part of the general public as to the availability of officers on the retired list for active duty in times oi war Section 1462 of the Revised Stat utes, bearing on this subject, provides as follows:
 No officer on the retired list of the navy shall be employed on active duty except in time of war.
 Under this section it is apparent tha, if war should break out all officers or the retired list competent to serve vii l be subject to the orders of the Secre- | tary of the Navy. Another statute i bearing on this subject, contained iI sections 1463 and 1464, is as follows 1 In time of war the President, by anC | with the advice and consent of the Sen. | ate, may detail officers on the retired list 1 to the command of squadrons and single | ships when he believes that the good o1 l the service requires that they shall be SC placed in command. In making said de i tails the President may select any officer not below the grade of commander an6 | assign him to the command of a squad. 1 ron with the rank and title of flag off 1 cer,'' and any officer so assigned shal | have the same authority and receive the same obedience from the commanders oi i ships of his squadron holding commits
 sions of an older date that he will be en | titled to receive if his commission was l the oldest.
 It thus appears that the President ha; power to assign any retired officer oi the navy to duty during the progress of war, but that he can assign him tc the command of squadrons or ship: only by and with the consent of the 1 Senate. There are many officers or the retired list in the full enjoyment of health and mental vigor, despite the 1 fact that thev are now past 62 years of age, whose ability and experience would undoubtedly be of great advan. 1 tage to the nation in case 1t proved ne cessary to go to war in the defense o | it's honor and dignity. Notable amons these is Rear Admiral John G. Walker recently retired for age, and who i. now engaged in special duty as presi dent of the Nicaragua Canal Commis l sion