New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-01
EQUIPMENT OF MERCHANT SHIPS.

EQUIPMENT OF MERCHANT SHIPS
HOW LONG 1T WOULD TAKE TO MAKE THD
AUXILIARY FLEET READY FOR ACTION.
At the University Club last night retired Navy
officer. who has had wide experience. said:
"Of the vessels tina, will compose our auxiliary
feet over 50 per cent have been inspected and the
SUBSTANTIALLY maohine-powder. etc, 70 DO uscd
In their equipment are all ready In the cave O. the
ST. Louis the ST. Paul the Parts md Inc New
York the four great steamers OF the American Line
in all OF which the principle OF conversion into war
ships was adopted in their construction thcr
preparation for war would not require moro than
two weeks.
1.-THE rest of the auxiliary feet. which includes
all the Atlantic coast lines. the interval required
OF necessity depends on the facilities ut hand for
such conversion. 81
VERY broadly generalized the decks beneath
tho guns would have to be strengthened oy
sringers. the metal parts for mo instaHh-
ton Of the batteries. such as the sockets
for centre pivot carriages. would have 10 DO
put in the deck fittings for six. three ana ono
FOUNDER rapid-fre guns. and for the machine guns
would have to be finished temporary magazines
constructed, and such changes mace IN the per'h-
ing quarters as would accommodate tne hecessa''-
" larger crews that would have to,pe carried
Where the machinery is much above the water
line additional coal bunkers would have 10 ne
built for tho double purpose OF giving coal pro
lection TO tho exposed mechanism and also 10
AFFORD that increase OF coal supply which the
greater radius Of sea action would demand. Whcrc
these vessels have machinery very greatly exposed
a steel glacs Ian inclined belt OF steeD would
have to be constructed OF about an inch In thick
ness and extending about the neighborhood OF
the v!tals.
"A fair allowance Of time being given and the
mechanical resources OF the various ports not be-
ing overestimated at least thirty-fve ships could
be made ready in six weeks from the time they
were turned TO the various repair yards
This though would not be time altogether lost.
for at the Government yards and the many private
establishments the nucleus OF regular crews for
such ships would be ordered and officers and men
Of tho Naval Militia and volunteers would join
them. making up the complement required by
each ship. And then. while the work OF repair and
conversion was going on the organization Of the
ships would be established. man-of-war discipline
inculcated and tho drills pers,stently kept up.
The beneficial effect OF such plan would be
found In the opportunity it would give the oncers
and men to become acquainted with their particu-
lar vessel and with each other. and 1t would en-
able the commanding and executive officers par
tcularly to supervise the alterations on the spot
so that when the sailing day Of the ship arrived
everything would already be in fairly good fighting
An Army officer who had been listening. supple
mented this by adding: ~ 49,.
country we could place in the Gulf ports OF tampa:
Pensacola Mobile New-Orleans and Galveston and
tho two Atlantic ports o. Savannah and Charleston
within eight days one hundred thousand mon. with
ali the needed munitions Of war. in the mean time
TRANSPORTS could be assembled at these ports ana
owing 10 the short run 10 Cuba and the generally
favorabls weather conditons at this season OF tne
wear in the Gulf and sub-tropical waters. these
men could be landed in Cuoa, assuming mat our
ships could make landing place .or them nt Re
tween thirty thousand and fifty thousand week.
There is one point that enough does not seem 10
Spain is declared we have a ready-made and sea
soned army In Cuba already, although II IS lack
ing wofully in equipment. and especially In artillery
One of our first moves would be 20 supply hem
with all needed munitions OF war and 10 supple
,nant their existing force with a couple OF artillery
regiments They would then occupy the attention
Of the Spanish Army In Cuba while We iahoed IN
Havana"