Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-26
are necessary for fighttng service. The new

are necessary for fighting service. The new
cutter Gresham, recently built at Cleve-
land, in a brief time can be transformed
into formidable commerce destroyer or
torpedo boat
She was built expressly for such an emer-
gency as she is now called upon to meet
She is equipped for a torpedo tube, and
can carry an ugly battery of rapid fire guns.
All of the vessels are first-rate seagoing
craft and all of them are fitted with small
but effective batteries. Their speed varies
from IA to 20 knots.
All officers of the revenue cutter service
now on duty with the life saving service
are being withdrawn to-day, and assigned
to duty on the vessels ordered to Norfolk.
Their orders are made Immediately effect
i've in every case, and they will report to
the commanding officers Of the ships as
soon as the vessels arrive at Norfolk.
Orders were issued from the navy depart
ment to-day to the commandant of the
Norfolk navy yard, directing him to pre-
pare the revenue cutter vessels for service.
He was directed to expedite the work as
rapidly as it could be done efficiently. That
the navy department officials are anxious
the revenue vessels should be equipped for
sea duty at an early date was evidenced
by request made upon the revenue cutter
service of the treasury department for in
formation as to the length Of time it would
require for the vessels to report at Nor
folk.
As soon as they are prepared for service
they will be dispatched to Key West and
placed at the disposal of Commodore Samp-
son, in command of the naval squadron at
that station. The cutters will be employed
as scout or picket boats, ana will be pre-
pared for both offensive and defensive ser
vice. 1t is thought they will prove to be
pretty formidable ships even in aggressive
tactics.
Baltimore several weeks ago for duty on
the Pacific station. going by way Of the
Mediterranean sea and Suez canal. She is
now somewhere in the vicinity of SinGa-
pore and will be used as 4 dispatch boat
on the Asiatic station. Unless present plans
are changed, cable message Will be sent
to her commander at Singapore, directing
him to proceed to Hong Kong and place
his vessel with officers and crew under the
command of Commodore Dewey, in charge
of the naval forces on the Asiatic station.
The navy department has taken active
steps to utilize the naval militia of the New
England states and of New YORK In mani
ming the old single-turreted monitors re-
Gently called into service To that end As
sistant Secretary Roosevelt wrote some
days ago to the heads of the naval militia
in Massachusetts and New York asking
them how quickly they could furnish offi-
GERS and men to take the monitors from
League island to their respective posts at
Boston, New York and Portland. The an
swer of Massachusetts stated briefly that
the naval militia of Massachusetts could
furnish officers and men Immediately Tor
the manning of the monitors intended for
New England points.
At noon word was received from New
York that 1t would furnish officers and
men to man the monitors. 1t is intended
to utilize about three officers for each OF
the monitors and sufficient complement
of men to operate them with the assistance
of some of the sailors from the regular
navy. Aside from this reliance on the
naval militia. the navy department Is per-
fecting plans for detailing officers of the
regular navy for service on some of the
monitors. The first order in this connec-
ton was issued to-day. when Commander
Strong was ordered to take command of the
monitor. Nahant.
No definite arrangements have been made
by the department for the calling of the
naval militiamen into service. but such
arrangements will be made perhaps before
tomorrow night. 1t is not unlikely that
the naval militia of New Jersey also will
be called upon to assist In manning the
old monitors. AS to the rumored likelihood
that the naval militia of Ohio. Illinois and
Michigan would be called into service, navy
department officials said that no steps to
that end had yet been taken. but the inti-
nation was broadly conveyed that they
would be called upon to serve upon the
monitors. The department is satisfied that
not only the vessels themselves, but also
the crews inexperienced though they may
be, will give good account of themselves
if any emergency arise that would put
them into action.
Arrangements nave Deen mace ZOE put
ting the torpedo boats Gwyn and Talbot
into active service as soon as possible
These vessels were built by the Herreshofr
company and were accepted by the govern
ment recently after satisfactory speed
trial. They are now at the torpedo sta
ton recruiting. Lieutenant C. 8. Williams
| was ordered to-day to duty in connection
with the outftting of the Gwyn, and Lieu
tenant w. r. Shoemaker was ordered to
perform a similar service in the case of
| the Talbot. These orders are preliminary
fn n officers
! Of the respective torpedo boats which 1t is
| expected will be ready for active service
/ in few days.
Newport News, Va. March 25.-The bat