New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-17
MORE SHIPS FOR THE NAVY.
THE YORKTOWN AND THE JUNIATA
ADDED TO THE FLEET

FORMER As A CRUISER. LATTER As A REPAIR
SHIP sIGsBEE TO ASSUME COMMAND OF
! rHB Sr. PAr-r. TO pAY-No MORE
FIG LINERS NEEDED.
| tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBrSE1
Washington. April 16.-The contract for the
! charter OF the four American liners. the st.
I Paul. the ST. Louis. the NewYork and the
! Paris. was finally executed to-day. the con-
sideraton being, 1t is understood, $3.50 day
each az long as the Navy shall require the YES
sells. which are to be delivered at the Cramps
! shipyard TO receive their guns and some llsht
! side Captain Sssbee received orders to
! command the st. Paul and started tonight for
! New-York where he will board the vessel 90
! morrow and go Mt once with her to Phiia-
! delphia He has been directed to determine the
I best arrangement Of battery for the ship and re-
/ port TO the Department The vessel is 70 be made
! ready in two wceks. Captain Sgshee will on
dcayor to retain all her officers and crew. enlist
! ing many as desire TO enlist. and holding the
others until volunteers arc authorized.
The st. Louis which sailed to-day from South
/ anpton. will Immediately 20 TO Philadelphia for
/ har guns and changes. and will BE- delivered 70
the command Of Captain Caspar V. Goodrich
now presiden, OF the Naval War College The
Paris and the New-York will reach Philadelphia
before the end Of The month. and will oe hurried
into condition 10 join the other two vessels
! The Paris and the NeW-York will be co:n-
manded By Captain 4. S. Barker and Captain
/ Frederick Rodgers respectively. The latter -
! now the president Of tho Board ~ Inspection Of
! Auxiliary Vessels
| The Navy Department has bought the steamer
! Yorktown. OF the Old Dominion Line. The at
tention OF the Department has been called to the
value Of the Yorktown and tho jamestown as
/ auxiliary cruisers by tho successors Il John
! Roach & sons their builders. This Hrn built
the first ships Of he new Navy the Chioago
! the Atlanta the Boston and the Dolphin, and
| Secretary Long and Assistant secretary Roc So
| Welt are both of the opinion that the firm was
! unlusily treated in regard 10 them. and are de-
/ sirous OF resurning relations with th"ir success
! sors In view OF this fact together with the
value Of these vessels at this time. tho York
town has been purchased. She is comparatively
new having been in the service Of ire Old
/ Dominion Line passenger steamer for less
than five years The great objection TO this
| craft az with tho Now York and tho Paris. IS
that She offers too broad and unarm"d n side
| for the craftsmanship of hostile guns, hut IN
! spite OF this fact she will be yauab" acQuis-
! ton as a commerce destroyer an tho event OF
war
| The Navy Department has decided not n buy
the Hamburg-American Line steamship Fuerst
Bismarck which has been offered to this Gov
! eminent The conclusion docs not apply to the
J Fucrst Bismarck alone. but TO all large Atlantic
I liners as Secretary Long is satisfied with the
present equipment ~ large auxiliary steam
ships The aim % the Department from this
| tirns forward will he 70 get small steamers.
tugs Transports etc. The decision not 10 buy
any moro large ships applies only 70 those ~
! the merchant class. "a tho Government IS still
anxious 70 acquire any battle-ships or cruisers.
such az m. O'Higgirs. which arc nearing com
! rlo,ion Negotiations IN that direction cor
I tim"
Authority wns given today FOR the immediate
rur,has~ - tho Junata OF the Merchants and
Miners Line. plying between Baltimore and
pos,on - 10 used as machine and repair ship
| ON the plan ALREADY described IN Tho Tribune.
! Tho Juniaia "a 7 raw vessel built by tho Harlan
& Hoilingsworih Company AZ Wilmington.
! Dol Her Dimensions are Length, 30 feet;
! hoam. A. feet; dragght. With -" tons or coal,
/ realy FOR cargo. 13 feet inches Fully loaded
! her displacement IS 1850 tons She is admirably
| adapted for shop purposes having ;our decks
on which tools may be placed. and che IS all
/ ready equipped with four tanks having total
capacity ~ 60o5 gallons She "a lighted ~
q 4
which viii enable her 20 keep up With a squad
ron She will go at once TO Boston. whore tho
! necessary tools viii - taken our u tho Navy
| Yard plant AMI PLACED aboard - her. orders
vent forward to day to purchase the melting
! clpola forgos and other apparatus md ~ as
scrnhle tho stores she IS 10 carry which Will
! enable her TO make quick repairs on tho ships
| 4 Captain SIMPSONS feet, 10 which she viii be
| attached
/ CAPTAIN Phil0 Of the Texas telographed the
| Navy Department to-day bret report on the
/ performance + lis vessel AZ sea With the Flying
! Spuadron which shows that her fighting capac-
/ ny was almost cuadrupled by tho changes made
! ~ her ammunition HOSTS A. tho Brooklyn Navy
! Yard d couple Of weeks ago on tho plans =
/ Lieutenant Haeseler. Tho heavy guns. which
/ had formerly boon fired at a minimum interval
/ of eight minutes. were fred yesterday With the
/ now HOSTS at .rtorvals ~ two minutes and six
! teen seconds The Texas also proved horsolS the
/ best sea boat q the feet
I II was announced ~ the Navy Department TO-
day that there MAS no intention or necessity
/ flr tho assignment ~ naval vessels for the
/ transportation Of troops 80 cuba in case such
! q step f. determined On. 7, was eXplain that
/ tho War Depar.rnenr would have entire charge
and direction - tho transportation ~ tho mill
tary forces both hv land and by water and
that the quar- srnaster- General Is now engaged
T i'm inakine preparations for ;he charter q a
feet - steam vessels for use IN Transporting the
! Army 20 cuba. The only part thai the Navy
would play IN = case Of this kind would be 20
send n suitable neof Of warehins along With
/ tho expedition FOR rs protection and safe CON
duct
Tho general understanding among military
and naval officials ~ thai tho Army and Navy.
~hen tho proper time arrives. 50 ~ mako iOln'
l demonstration IN crcat force against Havana.
! and that smaller expeditions VIII be- orcani2nd
FOR the purpose ~ landing troops ar Matauzas.
Santiago de cuba. CicnfuoEoS and her places
on the island with View 10 the capture or
surrender ~ tho Spanish Army and the estah-
rehrent ~ stable government IN cuba
&I.W ARRANGEMENTS FOR ENGLISH MAIL.
Washington April 10 rhc Postmas'sr-C General