The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-20
Mosquito Fleet Not Destined for
shore Guard. but to Protect Battle
Ships from Torpedo Boats.
KEY WEST EXCITED AGAIN
FURRY AMONG REFUGEE CUBANs
AND NAVAL OFFICERS.
Personal Effects of Latter Sent Ashore
The Topeka Coming Home.

WASHINGTON, April 19-Naval prepara-
tions continued to-day with undated vigor
Seven feet steam yachts, suitable for navi-
cation in Cuban waters, were procured, and
several bids for steam Golfers were made.
Arrangements are making to utilize a num-
Der of the powerful converted smoth-bore
guns survivors of the late war as arma-
mept for the auxiliary cruisers. Many
agents for ship owners were at the Navy
Department to-day offering to sell crafts to
the government, but where the vessels are
suitable the prices are said to be excessive
and no purchases were made. The names
of the yachts purchased to-day are: Thes-
pia, Restless, lila gar Viking, Hiawatha,
TUNA and Al Nevoir. great deal of in
dignation has been expressed by naval off,
GERS over the cold-bloded attempt of per-
sons owning vessels or acting as their
agents to extort from the government sums
of money largely in excess of the value of
their craft. The same complaint is also
made as TO many kinds of military or naval
supplies, although 1t is gratifying to note
that in few exceptional! cases the tube
makers and boiler making firms and some
ammunition and gun-makng people. every
disposition has been shown to give the gov
eminent the best terms in p.fce and time of
delivery.
The Navy Department has arranged to
place some light armor on the four vessels
acquired from the Morgan line, the Prairie
Yosemite, Yankee and Dixie The Car
negie Company has undertaken to roll i'm
mediately light steel plate, ~ inches thick
Two layers of this plate Will be placed
around the boiler and engine rooms of the
boat, making about go tons of armor in
each case. T1s will be sufficient at least,
&c repel the fire OF machine guns and per-
haps to keep out the murderous FOUNDER
shells. -
The Navy Department has received salts
factory informa ion that the coal loaded at
Newport News upon the British tramp
steamer Hampstead is not, as was supposed.
intended for the Spanish naval craft at the
Cape Verde islands. but is for q line of mer-
chant steamers. so that appre hensior from
that score has been removed. The depart
ment Is still reaching out for vessels suita-
BILE for Golfers. and several cable messages
were sent to-day to its agency in Europe
looking to the purchase of some of those
vessels.
Rear Admiral Sicard reported at the Navy
Department this morning and was assigned
place at the desk in the office of the sec
rotary of the navy to act as official adviser
to the secretary. Nearly all naval officers
on detached or shore duty have put in APP
piications to be restored Immediately to sea
service. An illustration of the alacrity with
which they are coming forward was afford
ed by the case of Lieut.. A. H. Baker He
has Just returned from Paris where he ac-5
companied Assistant Secretary Cridler as a
naval aid in preparation for the Paris ex-
position. Before shaking the dust of travel
from his clothes the lieutenant reported to
the Navigation Bureau and asked for sea
assignment BY virtue of his rank he prob
ably will receive command of one of the
vessels of the mosquito feet. There APP
pears to be mistaken Impression in some
quarters as to the functions OF this mos
quito fleet 1t is not destined for shore
guard, nor yet for attack, but, as explained
by one Of the naval strategists, the primary
use Of the vessels of this fleet viii he to pro-
tect the battle ships and Other ironclads
from attacks by torpedo boats and destroy
ers The purpose is to create in the navy
something like the same system that pre-
walls Ia the army i'm conducting hostile OPP
erations. The battle ships correspond TO
the heavy artillery the mosquito fleet to in
1antry and the torpedo boats to cavalry
The board of naval bureau chiefs is con-
sidering the advisabilty of utilizing some
q the old converted smooth-bore guns for
the auxiliary cruisers. Working oav and
nlsht and using up the raw material for the
produced the Naval Ordnance Bureau Is
uhdole 10 supply the enormous demand now
maze maze upon It for guns OF medium ealibre.
tnat almost all available ordnance of this
character in foreign markets has been pur-
been set apart for the auxiliary navy have
pen absorbed by the recently purchased
NJ ,n line vessels. and il Is the intention
OF the board to supply deficiencies
IN the armament of the Remaining yes
sels. by the use of the converted smooth
pore. lhese guns are really not smooth
btfeS az all. but are caSt-fron guns with y
steel tube fully rified. There are two classes
~ sIlese guns: FIRST an eighty-pouqd muz-
zle-ioaalng PARROT gun. such as was used
~ the civil war, converted into a breech-
loader hy cutting of the base and fitting
pfeecn piock. These are light and effective
pieces, although their range necessarily. is
nnllteu ny reason of the light charge of
projectile Is reduced i'm weight 10 y fifty~
pound shot or shell. The other class is made
up q what We're eleven-inch smooth-bore
naNal guns reduced 10 the caliber OF eight
inches by the insertion OF a steel rified tube
1hey are not however, breech-ioaders so
Their weight Is eight tons and Ali thnt
W"uelu Ds, necessary TO ft them 10 vessels of
the ~. PAU and New York class would be
the laying 81 deck track and the fastening
OF a couple Of heavy ring bolts for each
gun Ihey fire a solid armor-piercing shot
with ten pounds of powder weighing i56
pounds Win an accurate range of from
Weapons against any unarmored shin n IS
the intention of the Nayy Department to.-
replace them upon the vessels hy modern
weapcns just as fast as the new guns can
be turned out
Superintendent Kimbatl. of the life-sav-
Ing service. has conferred with Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt on employing me men
or the coast IN a regularly organized sys-
tenn Or reporting war vessels sighted AT
points remote from ordinary ports of en-
tfs. such system will he Il yalua biz adj
Jhnct 10 the regular observation service A
novei departure In naval practice is the
formation Of a marine battalion which win
accompany the Nerth Atlantic squadron and
be used IN landing operations
lhe assignments 70 naval commands
were announced In the published orders to-
Gay, comraander J. J. Eaton taking CONF
nland Of the Resoiuse. lately the Yorktown
and Lieutenant Commander r. r. Jasper,