The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-08
CRUISER FOR CUBA'S CAPITAL.
MONTGOMERY TO TAKE THE PLACE
OF THE FERN AT HAVANA.

The Fern. to He Used to Transfer the
Relief Supplies to Matanzas-The
Change in Orders Due TO the Re
quest of Spain That the Supplies
Be Not Sent in Warship-The
Montgomery COaIing at Key West
and VIII start To-day.
Washington, March 1.-THE decision of
the navy department concerning the send
ing of ships to Cuba, was made known at
o'clock this afternoon, when the follow
ing brief statement was posted by the
bureau of navigation:
Montgomery will relieve the Fern at
Havana. Fern will carry provisions to
Matanzas and Sagua la Grande."
This conclusion was reached after con-
ferences between officials of the state and
navy departments, and it is understood to
be such an adjustment as will not lead
to further objection by the Spanish gov
ernment The Fern is a dispatch boat,
| without heavy armament or guns, al
| though she belongs to the navy and is
| technically naval vessel. As she comes
as near being a transport as anything in
our naval service, her selection viii ac-
cord with the Spanish suggestion that
| transport or merchantship undertake car
| riage of relief supplies.
The sending of the Montgomery to 1Ia-
vana is primarily intended to replace the
| Fern, which is now at Havana. The Mont
| gomery is an unarmcred cruiser of 2,0S9
| tons, with an armament of ten guns.
| The plans of the navy department are
| to have the Montgomery start for Havana
at once, in order that the Fern may return
| to Key West in time to take on the relief
! supplies reaching there next Wednesday.
1t will be the second visit of the Montgom-
| cry to Cuba, as She has only recently re-
| turned from a trip to Santiago de Cuba
| and Matanzas.
Capt. Crowninshield, chief of the bureau
of navigation says that no time has been
fixed for the stay of the Montgomery al
| Havana, as the only decision thus far
reached is that she WIFI replace the FERN
there for the present. The Motgomery
will be the first United States warship at
Havana since the Maine disaster.
Key West, March NAVAL officers here
had scarcely learned of Admiral Sicard's
order directing the departure of the cruis-
ers Nashville and Montgomery for Ma,
tahzas and Sagua la Grande with supplies
for the reconcentrados before an order
was received resembling it.
A telegraph received from Washington.
was followed by hurried conference be-
tween Admiral sicard and Commander
Wort and shortly after o'clock Admiral
slcard countermanded the order issued at
noon, and directed that the Montgomery
proceed as soon as possible TO Havana
and the Fern was again assigned to the
duty of carrying supplies TO Matanzas.
The object of the Montgomery's going to
Havana is that she is merely to relieve
| the dispatch boat. A naval officer-one of
the few at the time this dispatch is sent
that are aware of the latest change cf
plans-said he thought it most significant
that a cruiser of the Montgomery's ca!iber
\ should be sent to take the place of a mere
dispatch boat
The torpedo boat Gushing will probably
have to be laid up for repairs, and the
Ericsson is in none too good condition.
The Mallory line steamer Alamo arrived
here this morning from New. York with
cargo of ammunition for the United States
fleet, q greater part of which is intended
for the cruiser Cincinnati.
The coast survey steamer Bache arrived
here from Havana to-day with the re-
mains of six more of the Maine disaster.
| They were buried with the same ceremo-
MES observed when the first body was
buried on Thursday last, and the funeral
| procession was also in the same order.
| The correspondent of the Associated
| Press went on board the cruiser Mont
gomery late tonight. The coaling had
been stopped, as the men were too weary
after packing away tons of ammunition to
perform this additional labor.
high officer on board said: mo, we do
not mind going to Havana "a bit. She VIII
be off in the morning unless we get an
other ountermanding order These
| changes have kept US on the jump, and
we hardly know where we are. With pro-
visions and ammunition aboard, however,
we are prepared to go anywhere.
"I have not the remotest idea how long
we shall be in Havana It seems only In
accordance with the naval departments
policy that we are going
"The department wants the Fern to
carry provisions to Cuba; the survey boat
| Bache is being used TO bring back the
bodies of the Maine victims, and so, with
the court of inquiry at Havana, 1t is alb
solutely necessary that some boats should
| be at the disposal of the American officers
there in addition to the lighthouse tender
| Mangrove."