The herald., 1898-11-23
LONG LOOKS FOR PEACE
BUT DILIGENTLY PREPARES
FOR WAR
REPAIRS ON WARSHIPS RUSHED
As Spain Has Neither Time to Build
Nor Money to Buy Navy She
Must Yield
Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wirea
NEW YORK, Nov. ga dispatch to the
Herald from Washington says;
Though confident that hostiities will not
be resumed, Secretary Long made 1t point
since the peace protocol was signed to put
the men-of-war in the service in the best
possible condition During the latter part
of last week instructions were sent to the
commandants of the navy yards at which
ships were undergoing repairs, directing
them to expedite the completion of the ves-
sells in order that they might be in condi-
ton for immediate use should developments
in the international situation require their
employment.
The departments attention was first di-
rected to the battleships and armored cruis-
ers and as result of the extra work put on
them they are well advanced and some are
ready for service The Indiana is the only
armor-clad which is now undergoing extern
sive repairs, and in case of necessity over
time work would promptly place her IN con-
diton to join gunboats and f1otilia OF col
licrs. The battleships Iowa and Oregon,
which are at Rio, are also available tor OPP
eratons in Spanish waters, being about the
same distance from Spain as are the ships
now at New York.
Should hostilities be resumed, it is ex.
pected that Secretary Long will again call
| together the Naval War Board, consisting
of Rear Admiral Sicard, Captain Crownin-
shield and Captain Mahan. Before the ad-
journment of the board plans had been pre-
pared for the dispatch of Rear Admiral
Sampson and q squadron under his COM
mand to the Spanish coast. 1t was not con-
templated last August that the Canaries
should be seized, but there is reason to be-
lieve that if the peace negotiations are in
terrupted the authorities will seriously con-
slider the advisabilty of directing the cap
ture of these islands.
The withdrawal of the Spanish commits
sioners from Paris would be the signal for
the dispatch of instructions to Rear Admiral
Sampson to come north on the gunboat To-
peko and resume duty as commander-in-chief
of the North Atlantic squadron. 1t may be
that, as a result of an agreement between
Spain and the United States, decided through
the medium of the French government, the
protocol referring to the evacuation of Cuba
would be carried out without molestation,
the squadron to be sent to Spain.
Secretary Long is now endeavoring to get
the smaller vessels away from navy yards.
He has given instructions to commandants
of navy yards to rush the smaller cruisers
and gunboats, which are wanted for service
in Cuban and Porto Rican waters for patrol
purposes. The decision not to use the old
single turreted monitors for service in south
ern waters has caused the officials to look
around for more serviceable vessels and the
smaller cruisers and gunboats will be used
for this purpose. 1t is authoritatively stated
that no overtime work has been AUTHORIZED
on any of the ships, except in the case of the
Indiana, and this was only for few hours
each day.
So far as the North Atlantic squadron is
concerned, therefore, it would not take
long to mobilize strong fleet. The New
York is now at Hampton Roads, fully coaled
and ready for sea; the armored cruiser
Brooklyn and the battleship Massachusetts,,
which are at New York, can sail within
ship Texas is having her propeller repaired.
BESIDES these vessels. the department
would probably attach to fleet sent abroad
the cruiser New Orleans, which will be ready
for service in the course of few weeks
Rear Admiral Dewey would send his ves-
sells to destroy Spanish Notifications at H.
oilo; troops would be transported to that
point, the last Spanish stronghold in the
Philippines would have disappeared, and
it would be an easy task to place troops
among the various islands to protect Amer
lean interests. Besides the Philippines, the
American men-of-war would also hoist the
flag over the Carolines.
1t will be impossible for Spain to prevent
the United States from carrying out its
will either in the Atlantic or the Far East.
In expectation of the arrival of the German
Emperor and for the purpose of impressing
him, as well as the people of Spain with the
size of the remnant of the Spanish navy,
Admiral Camera has been directed to mob
ilize his ships at Cadiz.
There are now at that port the battleship
Pelayo, the armored cruiser Carlos ', the
protected cruiser Alfonso XIII, the battle
ships Numaca and Vittoria, besides tor
pedo boat destroyers and torpedo boats. In
the Philippines Spain has several small gun.
boats and one auxiliary cruiser, the Buenos
Ayres.
Since the war the Spanish government
has done nothing toward completing the
armored cruisers of the Asturias class which
are under construction, her neglect being
due to lack of funds. 1t is because she has
no money and because of her total unpre-
paredness for war that the authorities do
not believe tonight that there will be a re-
sumption of hostilities, and it is on account
of this belief that no extensive prepara
tions or plans are being made.