The record-union., 1898-03-04
AT THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
Secretary Long Confers With
Chairman Boutel1e.

Chairman Boutelle.
WASHINGTON, March 3-Secretary
Long spent good portion of the morn
ing in communication with Chairman
Boutelle of the House Naval Commit
tee. He denied himself to all callers,
and from time to time sent for thu va
rious bureau chiefs of the department.
The conference between the Secretary
and Chairman Boutelle proved to be IN
reference TO the regular naval bill, AMI
had no connection with emergency
measures Mr. Long said that they
had gone over the question of docks,
equipments etc. as provided in The
regular bill Captain Crowninshield had
been called in to discuss the matter or
additional men and apprentices which
had been recommended. In no sense,
| the Secretary said. had emergency Ques-
| tons come up. There was no need OF
considering them now. he said, as no
doubt existed that Congress would act
promptly should any emergency arise
| requiring supplies beyond those of the
regular appropriation bills.
Up to noon no word had come to the
department from the court of inquiry
at Key West. 1t is said the court Is
not obliged TO inform the department
as TO when it has concluded this branch
of the inquiry, nor is it necessary -
seek permission of the department to
return to Havana. The orders under
which the court is operating carry sut-
fcient authority for change of base at
any moment though the department
may be informed as a matter of court
esy If the progress of the inquiry III
Havana depends upon the work of the
wreckers. as seems to be the case for
nothing of substantial Importance can
be achieved until the heavy debris is
removed from the wreck, considerable
delay must inevitably occur To tow
the large derricks from Boston and
New York to Havana is never a speedy
and seldom a safe undertaking.
AS matter of fact, the derrick
Chief, at Norfolk. is now storm bound
just inside the Chesapeake Capes, al
though it was fully expected that by
this time she would be far below Hat
teras. This makes it improbable that
/ the derrick can reach Havana H3rbCr
/ and get al work much before the mid
/ die of next week AS for the big der
rick Monarch, which is expected to raise
! the turrets and extremely heavy
weights from the hull, the date for her
| sailing has not been set, and the Ge-
| partment has inquired on that point.
Some private letters are coming to
| Washington from officers in Havana,
! but while they have something to say
| touching the Maine explosion, it cannot
! be seen that the statements are based
upon any recent and generally known
developments
| \ Sllbct nfia1 evidence of nv
/ for the survivors of the Maine AMI the
| families of the victims came to hand
! at the Navy Department to-day III the
| shape of check for $500 from Presi-
| dent Dole of Hawaii. The money was
! turned into the Maine relief fund.
II IS denied at the Navy Department
| that any request has been made upon
the Newport News Shipbuilding Conn
| pany to hasten the launch of the bat
ueships Kearsarge and Kentucky. set
! for the 9th of this month. All that
| the Department has done IN the mat
| ter IS to authorize a delay Of ten days
| in the execution of the contract for
! dredging the Norfolk navy yard. in ord
er that the contractor might employ his
| plant to clear away the silt that has
/ accumulated in front Of the launching
|
! ships now lie. The contractor will
get at his work March 14th. and must
/ finish by the 9th 1t is said at the
Department that no purpose will be
| served by Fastening the launching OF
! the battleships. as a large part Of the
/ fitting out of a ship is more speedily
performed while she is on the WAYS
than when she is aioat These two
! ia flaShfrS ba 10
! me United States navy, are to be COM
] pleted and turned over to the Govern
ment within ten months under the
/ terms Of the contract. If finished. They
/ are now under construction by the
! Newport News Shipbuilding Company.
I and are to be launched on the oath
inst. On the LIST of February the
/ monthly statement issued by the Blu
reau Of Construction showed them to
/ be - per cent. finished
The company" a prominent naval
| officer said to-day would have to work
! hand and disregard the eight-hour day
! rule in order 10 complete them in con-
| tract time"
| the coal mining companies through
out the country. especially those near
/ the seaboard have been prompt III
/ their offers to the Navy Department ID
furnish coal in the event of trouble
+ with Spain. and the Department has
/ taken stems to ascertain the probable
/ supply and its location. etc, available
/ in the case Of an emergency This
| branch Of the naval supply comes un
der the Bureau Of Equipms and
aside from the steps above noted. the
officials VIII not admit that anything
unusual has been done Captain Brad
feTd, the Chief Of the Bureau, said to-
day, however. that no extraordinary
| contracts for coal had been entered into
| as 4 result of the excitement over the
Maine disaster, nor any greater amount
purchased than was usual for the navy
on peace footing.
The State Department has ascer-
tanned O. the instance of the Japan
csc Legation that the following Japan
csc We're on hoard the Maine at the time
of the disaster: l. Sugaski. O. Ishita.
s. CHIME. NJ. Dye. L Kitagata. t. Nag
anime and X Suguki
There was disposition in some quar-
/ tiers 10 attach considerable significance
to this statement. but so far as could be