The San Francisco call., 1898-03-06

superior to that Ot the OIllted otdles' and the additions made yesterday have increased the superiority to a point which it should be the duty of this Government to overcome.
 Secretary Long confirmed to-day the Herald's exclusive announcement re garding the propositions received from foreign shipbuilders for the purchase ot men-of-war now nearing completion. The Secretary stated during the morn ing that he had no information respect ing the purchase by Spain of the Anna zonas and her sister ship, but at the close of office hours this afternoon l understand he had been officially ad- vised of the sale of these vessels and the information had been placed in the hands of the President Some chagrin Is expressed in administration circles at the failure of this Government to buy the two cruisers which Spain has gob- bled up. and administration officials who gave me my information to-day after having heard from the President. told me that the action of the Madrid Gov ernment had caused the officials to be come convinced that Spain was strengthening herself in anticipation of a conflict with the United States.
 The administration officials with whom talked gave me the particulars of the negotiations which have been carried on by shipbuilders of England with the President and Secretary Long The matter was first brought to the at tention of the Navy Department several months ago by Mir. Thomas F. Lane, agent in the United States of Vickers Sons and Maxim, Limited. of London. England.
 Mr. Lane at that time offered to this Government for sale two battleships and two armored cruisers There was then no apparent necessity for augmenting the United States navy and no action was taken upon the proposition. Since the Maine disaster, however. and the subsequent decision of the President to prepare for emergencies, the President and Secretary Long have considered MT. Lanes proposition, and the builders agent was at the Navy Department some days ago and went over the plans of the ships with Secretary Long. Gap tain A. s. Crowninshield. Chief of the Bureau of Navigation; Commander Richardson Clover, Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence, and other officials of the Navy Department and naval ex- perts. The authorities were particularly pleased with the Amazonas and her sis ter ship, andsit is believed the vessels would have been purchased ii the Pres ident had made up his mind before Spain finally closed the deal
 Of the vessels which the President is now considering with a view to pur- chase, two are under construction for the Government of Brazil, one for the Government of Japan, and the torpedo gunboat and the torpedo boat destroyer have probably been built on speculation. These ships have been offered to the United States, not at an emergency price. but at much cheaper rate than they could have been built in this coun- try. The Brazilian vessels which may be purchased are thus described by Brassey in his Naval Annual for 1897: "The two coast defense ships ordered from the FOrges ct Chantiers de la Mediterranee have been named Mar shal Deodoro and Marshal Floriano. Their construction was suspended for some time owing to the notifications which the Brazilian Government wished to introduce in the design Length. 267 feet 6 inches; beam, 4 feet } inches: maximum draught, I3 feet ? inches: dis placement, 3I62 tons There are two vertical triple expansion engines of 34oo horsepower, to which steam is sup piled by eight Lagrafel d'Alest boilers. Their speed, with natural draught. I4 knot; with modified force draught. F to I5A knots. Protection Is afforded by an armored belt ; feet inches amid ships, the thickness of which varies from 1884 to I.4 inch and by I.3 inch armor- ed deck. The total weight of ar1nor of 1853 tons. Armament comprises two o4- inch Armstrong guns, four 4.7-inch quick firing guns, two 6-inch howitzers. four 6-pOunders, two I-pounders, and two machine guns. besides two field pieces and two torpedo tubes The o4- inch guns are mounted on turrets pro- tected by S-inch Harveyized steel The 4 7-inch guns are in small easements of 2.o-inch armor. Coal capacity will be 236 tons and complement 200 men"
 The cruiser which has been offered to this Government was that probably laid down at Elswick several years ago for the Japanese Government and launched last May This vessel has a displace- ment of 4I5o tons and speed of 24 knots She is 36o let long, 46 feet inches beam and has mean draught of Y feet Her coal capacity is 1000 tons. Her armament consists of two S-inch rapid-fire guns, ten 4.7-inch rapid-ire guns, twelve 6-pound rapid-hre guns. six 212-pounder rapid-hre guns and five torpedo tubes She has a protective deck extending over the whole length of the ship IFS to 4.5 inches in thick ness, and the coming tower Is of steel and is 3 inches thick.
 The tOrDedO punboat IS said to he one