The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-15

ing Alliance With Our Government
Washington, March 10.-The United
States government has not yet acquir-
ed a single additional ship for the
navy. This is true, not because of the
hack of offers Of warships from abroad,
but simply for the reason that the
navy department is proceeding with
all Of the circumspection consistent
with the needs Of the case in boxing
after the qualities and prices @ .-.e
craft.
Lieutenant Niblack, tine United
states naval attachee at Berlin, Sit.
Petersburg and Vienna, is particularly
active in the quest for vessels. There
was a good deal of talk during the day
about the assignment Of officers to the
command of auxiliary cruisers, the ST.
Paul and st. Louis being specially
mentioned, out Secretary Long set
these theories at rest by the statement
that he had not made any such as
signment and had only progressed to
the point of informing himself of the
possibility of getting the ships officer
ed n manned quickly.
While looking after new ships the
officials of the navy department. are not
neglectiRg the old vessels, and ar
engagements have been made to make
short repairs on several ships, that in
the ordinary course would not be treat
ed in that fashion, but would receive
a thorough and Understanding over
hauling. Thus, in the case of the Phil
adelphia, which mas had five years
hard work and has v yet been dome
over, as is the custom, orders have gone
to Mare island ITO put her i'm shape for
sea within forty days. The Yorktown
at the same island is mot to be touched
ait present, not only because she is in
fair condition, but alsO because she is
not SO formidable a craft as to make
1T desirable to divert TO her repair at
tentiOn required elsewhere. AT Nor
folk the Newark is set down for thirty
days repairs, and as a good deal of
work has already been done on her
she will be almost a new ship when sine
comes out of the yard. The big mCni-
tor Puritan has practically completed
her repairs. The mOnitCr COmanche
ait Mare island has been examined and
found in tOlerable condition. AT
League island the monitor MiantOnO-
moh and the ram Katahdin wen into
commission today, although they have
uiCN ~ iSN 'IAiO4d vi oCIos re- IIc"C-
ably Will remain in the Delaware river
or drop into the bay. The torpedo
boat Dupont sailed today from Mobile
ITO attach herself again to the f1Otilla
at Key West.
NOTHING FROM THE COURT.
Again it was said at the navy de-
Cpartment that nothing had been heard
from the court of inquiry at Havana
TnOp. from h6unifro1 SicEaIr6 at Kew West
The presence in the city of several
persons connected with steamship
lines and steel works led to the circu-
latiOn of a numiber of sensational
stories during the day, but perhaps
none of these had the persistency of
one that found currency at the capt.
ItOl until it met a summarily Denial ait
THE hands of Assistant Secretary Day,
ITO the effect that Minister WoodfOrd
had notified the Spanish government
that the president intended to send
ito a message announcing his
recognition of Cuban independence.
Commander HaWley left Washington
this evening for the south with Chief
Webster and Surgeon Persons to en-
list machinists for the navy.
TO ARM MERCHANT VESSELS.
"A conference was held alt 3 o'clock
i'm the office of Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt to map out plans for arm
ing n equipping merchant vessels
as auxiliary cruisers. Mr.. Roosevelt
presided and others present were Cap
tain CrOWnihShield, of the bureau of
naviSatiOn; Captain OiNeil, of the
bureau of ordinance; Chief HichbOrn,
of the bureau of construction, and
Commander Bradford, of the bureau of
yards and docks. This meeting had
been preceded by a call from President
GriscOl of the International Nav
igaltiOn Company which owns the ships
ST. Louis, st. Paul, Paris and New
York. The meeting brought out a gen.
eral discussion of the work the various
bureaus would be called upon to per-
form i'm making these and other YES
sells ready as auxiliary cruisers. About
80 per cent. of this work would fall to
THE lot of the bureau OF construction
which would have charge of installing
magazines, ~gun-mOunts, light prOtec-
tive aTmOr for the gun and maya
zines; and the circles ON which the guns
swing. This work, it is said, could be
accomplished readily within two weeks
time, as all materials, except the guns
are in hand. The bureau OF ordnance
could nOt supply all the guns required
within the ShOr time, although some
seventy or more are now available.
The supply would be adequate, how
ever, fOr the most effective auxiliary
cruisers and the complete armament
of the merchantShips could proceed as
rapidly as possible thereafter. On tine
question of manning the auxiliary
fleet, the navy department feels that
the most effective step would be to en-
list into the United States naval ser
vice the present merchant crews of the
several ships. These crews are thor
oughly familiar with the vessels and
could handle them with far greater eff
feet than greer crews of f~blue-jacketS.
The ships would be Differed from the
lime of THE regular navy In the case
of enlisting a merchant crew the pay
and allowance would be about equiva-
Tent to the rates paid ordinary sailors
and the time of enlistment doubtless
would he limited to short periods.
The proposed batteries for the aux
Hilary cruisers consist in the
case of the steamships ST. Louis of
eight 6-inch guns, four 6-pounderS and
four guns the Paris and New