The age-herald., 1898-03-16
BUSY DAY AT
 THE DEPARTMENTS Allotment of Funds to the Va.
 rious Bureaus. THE TORPEDO BOAT ROGERS Will Be Completed and Turned 0Vtl
 By Next Saturday. THE NEW SER AMAzONAs Will Mozs $ ely Be Manned Entirely S the San Francisco. MOVEMENTS OF THE WAR vEssELl War Department Greatly Annoyed By th( Dilatoriness Shown By Contra ctors Who Have Undertaken to Construct Now Qualifications Along the Coast.
OF THE WAR vEssELl

Washington, March 15-This was anl obher busy day in the and navy dAl partments. Secretary Alger was enabled to make an allotment of funds from tha appropriation of $50,0Oo,O0O which will greatly facilitate the work of bureaus. The bureaus had not been able to con- clude any contracts for the procurement of war supplies because no allotment had been made, but this afternoon the ordinances bureau was given $2,5O0 600 and bllsinesa weGat forward with a rusA. It is true that this sum is already mortgaged under pro- vdstonal arrangements made during the past week. but with the assurance of more funds to come the work of the bureau Is now moving rapidly.
 Secretary Long was exceedingly busy to- day, having not only to give a good deal of time to the cabinet to which he was obliged to return twice, but also was ob- hged to see great many persons with whom the department has or expects to have contract relations Among the latter was MT. Herreshoff, the torpedo boat builder from Bristol, R. l. He turned two of these boats over to the department a few days ago and the secretary's purpose in consulting him was to learn how much he could hasten the work on one of tl1e boats remaining on his hands which in ordinary times would require about two months td complete. The secretary also spent a good deal of time at intervals during the day in consulting over the long distance tele. phone with naval officers in Ne~ York and dit is said much of this consultation concerned the procurtment of certain ves- selS from among the auxiliary n&vy foI war purposes.
 Another Boat Finished
 MT Malster of the Columbian Iron Works al Baltimore notified ha partment that he will be able to turn over to it the torpedo boat Rogers next Satur- day. The Rogers is a boat which smash ed her engines in the midst of a trial trip about six months ago. It necessary almost to replace the engines, but under the hurry orders from the navy department this has been done in good time. It is expected that the boat will be taken at once from Baltimore to Norfolk. The de- partment has no disposition to waste time at this juncture in making trial trips, but knowing the boat to be of satisfactory type, like her sister boat, the Winslow, and of good workmanship, according to the naval inspectors reports, she will be completed and out of hand as were the Gwynn and Talbot last week.
 The new cruiser AmaZonas, according to present expectations, will be manned en- tirely from the San Francisco. That vessel sailed at 6 o'clock this morning from Lis- bon and will arrive in the Tyne about Fri day. It is expected she will divide her officers and crew with the Amazonas, plac- ing Lieutenant Commander Arthur P. Na- gro, executive officer of the San Francisco, in charge of the latter vessel. Without doubt the Amazonas will be gotten across the ocean as soon as possible and it is ex- pected that the San Francisco will con- vey her.
 The Foote at Jacksonville
 The torpedo boat Foote arrived at Jacksonville Fla, this afternoon. The Machias sailed from Norfolk, Va., to Boston, where she will undergo some repairs made necessary by her long Asatic cruise. The Brooklyn went to New port News for coal The Marblehead, which is taking on stores at Tampa, sailed to re- join the squadron at Tortugas.
 Judge Advocate General Lemy received telegram this afternoon from Havana ans nouncng the arrival there of the derrick Chief, dn tow of the tug Underwater. It Is expected that this derrick will greatly facilitate the work of wrecking the Maine
 The war department is greatly dlsap- pointed and annoyed at the dilatoriness shown by the contractors who have under- taken to construct the new Qualifications along the coast. It is said that only ons among the whole number has finished his contract on time. The department has been greatly embarrassed thereby in placing its guns and has been obliged to extend tns time allowed the contractors. The depart ment has determined not to submit to fur- ther obstruction in prosecuting the work undertaken, but will do the work itself and refrain from entering into contracts.