The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-15
TWO NEW
WAR SHIPS.
Purchased BY Uncle Sam From the
Brazilian Government.
SPAIN HAD MADE A BID FOR THEM
But was Unable to Close the Bargain-The
Auxiliary Cruiser Board Examining
Vessels at New York-Unusual
Activity at Sandy Hook.
SPAIN HAD MADE A BID FOR THEM

Washington, March 15.-A weeks
negotiations closed yesterday by the
triumphant purchase by the navy de-
partment, in London, Of the two fine
cruisers built and building at Elswick
for the Brazilian government. Pos
sibly the officers took more pleasure in
closing up the business in this manner
because of the knowledge that the
Spanish agents have been striving to
secure these very ships, to whom it is
said they would be Of much greater
value in case of trouble than to the
United States. The United States flag
will be hoisted over the new ships
within a week, probably, and just as
soon as the crew can be put aboard the
Amazonas she will start for the Uni
ted States. The other vessel will fol-
low at the earliest possible moment.
The terms of sale are secret.
The availability of the two Brazilian
ships was first brought to the attention
of the navy department by Mr.. Lane,
agent of the Maxim -Nordenfeldt COM
pany, who was authorized to dispose Of
these ships and two others in course Of
construction in France. Mr.. Lane said
today that the two ships purchased
would be a most desirable acquisition
to the American navy, as they were
the latest and best products of the IA
nous Armstrong; yards. One of the
ships is complete in every respect, has
her coal supply and ammunition on
board, and steam can be raised at any
time. There will be no trouble in bring
ing this ship across, as an adequate
force from the local yards can be Sc
cured for the service. 1t is said the
coal and ammunition on board passed
with the sale to the United States. The
ammunition is not all of the kind in
use by the United States navy, so that
the supply of ammunition is a neces-
sary adjunct to the new ships.
The other ship has been launched,
but 1t will take some time to make her
ready for sea. Mr.. Lane believes, how
ever, that there will be no difficulty in
bringing her over Immediately if it is
desired to make the move without de-
lay, as the hull of the ship is so well
along that she could be towed and her
own sail power utilized for the trip
across.
The two Brazilian vessels will be ex-
tremely useful additions to the United
States navy in either war or peace, in
the opinion of Secretary Long. They
are steel, sheathed and coppered, with
twin screws, and will be the first
cruisers in our navy to embody that
most important useful feature of naval
construction, sheathing, for which
Constructor Hichborn has worked
| earnestly for many years past. He
finally succeeded in having some Of the
smaller gunboats constructed on this
principle. The AmaZonas is rated at
5000 tons displacement, with an indi-
Gated horse power under natural
draught of 1900, which is calculated to
! develop 20 knots speed. Thus, while
the ship is about the size of the
Charleston, she is much faster. Her
armament Is also much more formid-
able.
A dangerous deficiency in the engi-
neer branch of the navy has been
brought to light strihngly in the fact
that it is scarcely possible to secure a
staff Of engineer officers to bring back
to the United States any of the ships
purchased aboard. A short time ago,
when orders were given to rush the
work of putting the cruiser Chicago in
shape for active service, the engineer
in chief proposed that he would have
the ship ready in three months, in
stead of six, as was estimated. To do
this he would work forces day and
night, and to keep them at the work
he would place an engineer officer
aboard the ship, to stay there day and
night. Passed Assistant Engineer Dix
| on was chosen for the work, but he had
not been employed more than a week
before 1t was found necessary to de-
| tach him in order to find an engineer
officer to act as a member of the board
| appointed to examine auxiliary cruis-
ers. This state of affairs has been
| brought to the attention of the house
naval committee, but so far 1t is feared
without meeting that degree of sue
cess which it was hoped for in the
| shape of an amendment increasing the
number of engineer officers in the SER
| vice.
Colonel Haywood, the commandant of
| the marine corps, yesterday made five
details of marines for cruisers now be-
| ing repaired or ready for commission.
Two estimates of appropriations to
! meet the cost of the recently author
| ized addition of two regiments of artil-
| lery to the army were sent to con-
gress yesterday by Secretary Alger.
One was for a supplemental estimate
of Si91 163 for the appropriation for
the pay of the army for the next fiscal
year, and the other was for a dehcien-
cy of $154,17O in the current year ap-
propriations to defray the added ex-
peditures for the remainder of this
| year.
Senator Proctor visited the White
House and uptown departments yes
terday, and his calls excited a good
Of interest. He spent half an hour first
with Secretary Alger explaining it is
believed, the military situation in
Cuba, and afterwards had a conference
with Judge Day, assistant secretary of
state. He then went to the White
House, and was closeted with the presi-
dent for two hours and a quarter.
When he emerged from the room he
courteously declined to speak regard
ing the nature of the information he
| had communicated to the president