The evening times., 1898-06-10
sHlPs fDR COAST Pl1RgI
The Minneapolis Nay Assist the
San Franciscsss :
REPAIRS TO The COLUMBIA
The Auxiliary Eruiser Dixie. Ma-aea
by the Maryland Naval Reserves,
May Joln se.pson's Fleet OF
xantiaws-ThsPefeentaEe of Cora
pletio. Of wsesdAsft p.aidi.s.

There IL a strong Probability that the
Dixie. manned by the Maryland naval
militia. which Is pow lying at Hampton
Roads. viii join AaWiral sampson at
Santiago. Tho Yankee and Yosemite.
which are now with tie American armor-
clads there. wereoofi9inally sent to con-
vey ammunition. 1Thts may also be the
mission of the Dixie. provided Admiral
Sampson informs 1he department that he
Is in need Of more ammunition.
As a result of the employment Of the
naval reserve ships on this mission. Conn
nodore Howelrs Coast defense feet has
been considerably reduced. 1t was In
tended that he should have the cruisers
San Francisco and Columbia. the auxil-
larry cruisers Prairie. Yankee. Dixie, and
Yosemite and the ram Katahdin. The,
Columbia is now undergoing repairs and
will not be ready for service before the
latter part of the month. The Katahdfn
has been undergoing repairs for several
days at the Boston navy yard. The Dixie
is at Hampton Roads. SO that the San
Francisco and Prairie are the only ships
which Commodore Howell has under his
command to patrol the coast
Recognizing the need of additional YES
sells for this service. the department has
determined to utilize the cruiser Minne-
apoiis. The Minneapolis left Key West
on Sunday for Northern waters. arriving
at Hampton Roads. She will be placed
under Commodore Ho&ells command un-
til the Columbia Is again ready for ser
vice.
On account Of the uncertainty of the
destination of the auxiliary cruisers which
Spain hz4 been adding to her naval force.
the officials say that 1t Is necessary that
there shall be available for service along
the coast men-of-war which can oyertake
the enemy's fast ships and destroy them.
The auxiliary cruisers Columbia and
Normannia can make an average speed
of nineteen knots. OF her own merchant
marine Spain has thirteen vessels. rang
ing in speed from 13.5 to Is knots, which
have been transformed into auxiliary
cruisers.
Chief Naval Constructor Hichborn is
sued today his monthly statement. CIV
ing the percentage Of completion Of the
vessels under construction. The ships
under construction include five battle
ships. ten torpedo boats and one subma-
rine torpedo boat. OF the battieships.
the Kearsarge and Kentucky are each
80 per cent completed: the Alabama is
IS per cent. and the Illinois IS per cent,
and the Wisconsin 80 per cent.
The rush orders Tor haStenlng the COM
pletion of the torpedo boats resulted In
the practical completion Of the Macken-
zie and Rowan. each of which is 80 per
cent completed. The Mackenzie has al
ready undergone her contractors trial.
with marked success, and the Rowan's
official trial is expected to occur, daily.
The Davis Is IS per cent completed. and
will be ready for service next month.
The six other boats under construction
are each ''3o-knotters." and of them the
Farragut is so per cent completed: the
Dahlgren Is % per cent completed: the
T. A. n. Craven. 80 per cent: the String
ham. 49, the GoIdsbbfough. 1 per cent.
and the Bailey. 2 l-2 per cent. The SUBJ
marine torpedo boat Plunger Is - per
cent completed.
Acting Secretary Allen appointed today
a board to select a site for a dry dock,
to be located at Mare Island. Civil En-
gineer NJ T. Endicott. chief of the Bu-
reau of Yards and Docks. after consulta-
ton with the Secretary. has determined
to examine the Boston. Portsmouth and
League Island navy yards himself and
select sites for docks to be located at
these points.