The herald., 1898-03-14
QUIET SUNDAY
Spent by Officials at the
Capital
NO NEW INFORMATION
IS RECEIVED FROM THE MAINE
COURT OF INQUIRY
NO CESSATION OF ACTIVITY
The Board on Auxiliary Cruisers Finds
a Fleet of Vessels Adapted
to War Purposes
rs RECEIVED FROM THE MAINE
COURT OF INQUIRY
NO CESSATION OF ACTIVITY
Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, March 13.-Today, un-
like last Sunday, when the published
statements of the desire for the recall of
General Lee and the protest of the Spanish
government against sending war vessels
with relief supplies to Cuba caused much
excitement among official circles, was
comparatively quiet. There had been no
information bearing on the doings of the
court of inquiry on the Maine explosion
received during the day, nor any other dis
patches calculated to cause conferences
between the heads of the war department.
There were several experts of the
war department, ordnance officers.
at their desks for short time
during the morning to attend to some
pressing matters, while at the navy de-
partment the board on auxiliary cruisers
held final meeting preparatory to depart
ure of the special board to New York.
Secretary Long was at the navy depart
ment for short time. He stated late in
the afternoon that thre was no news of any
nature for the press, and added in response.
to a specific inquiry that nothing had been
received from the court OF inquiry.
| The board on auxiliary cruisers met in
Assistant Secretary Roosevelts room DUR
ing the morning. There were present in
addition to the assistant secretary, Chief
Constructor Hichborn of the bureau Of
construction and repair, Captain Frederick
Rogers of the naval board of inspection
and surveys. and Captain O'Neill, chief of
| the ordnance bureau; Lieutenant Sergeant
recorder of the board of inspection, and
7 <~ft ,faIIi
| bureau.
| Lieutenant Commander ]. Kelley and
Naval Constructor Towresy, the latter now
on duty at Cramps ship yard, were ex-
,pected, but their orders to attend had evil
IDENTIFY arrived too late to permit them to
do so. Each of the bureau chiefs present
was able to give the BOARD some informa-
tion incident to the work that may be re-
quired to fit out any ships that might be
obtained. Several of the members of the
board as originally appointed to look into
the matter are unable to leave the city at
the present time, so 1t was determined that
a special board, of which Captain Rogers
will be president should be designated to
proceed to New York tonight to undertake
the work in hand
THE AUXILIARY FLEET
An office will be opened at 26 Cortland
street, New York City, tomorrow morning,
at which owners and agents for ships will
be invited to make their proposals for
turning over to the navy such vessels as
are valued for conversion into war pur-
poses. The naval officers say there will
be no difficulty experienced in obtaining
all the vessels that are desired, as there
are hundreds available. Thanks to the
work of the naval intelligence office the
|
construction of all craft that could be
utilized in the event of hostilities, and just
now it has a record of forty such ships of
all sizes and classes which will be inspect
ed and examined, If their owners desire
to part with them. A number of these are
vessels which have been constructed under
the subsidy act of congress, and are en-
gagged in carrying the mails. The vessels
to be examined will include all classes,
from liners like the St. Paul to ocean
going tugs, which can be of great material
service for a number of purposes Ton
mage, draft, speed, condition Of boilers and
machinery and other attributes will figure
in the rough inspection which will be un-
dertaken by the board before any charter
ing or purchasing is recommended. Both
the ordnance bureau and that engaged in
the work of construction and repair are
ready to take their part in fitting out and
equipping such vessels as may be ac-
quired
CANNON OR CRUISERS
At Fort Washington factory are now in
various stages of construction no less than
$50 guns of formidable character on which
work is being done night and day, with a
view to their early completion. No new
guns are being started. but the entire force
of the factory Is devoted to finishing those
now under way. A naval officer said there
will be enough Of them when finished to
constitute fair armament for probably
thirty or more auxiliary cruisers, should
such a large fleet be found necessary to
supplement the regular warships.
| The gunboat Machias, which has just ar
rived at Norfolk from the Asiatic station
by way of the Suez canal, has been found
to be in fair shape a result of the ex-
animation by the navy inspection board.
A thorough overhauling will be unneces-
sary in the present instance, and she will
be sent to Boston, where all necessary re-
pairs can be made to her in about twelve
| days.
The ordering Of the Helena and Bancroft
now on the European station to the United
States will leave Admiral Powell, COM
manding that station, with but one vessel,
the San Francisco. No explanation for
the action is vouchsafed by the officials OF
the navy department, and Secretary Long,
when asked today, declined to say any
thing about the style, further than that the
two ships had been ordered home.
MOVEMENTS OF TROOPS
WASHINGTON, March 1S.-The govern
ment is perfecting its plans to make thu
movements of troops to the coast defensee.E
orders for which were issued by the war
department on Friday and published 81
that time. ST
/ oonference was held hera tnao~, -