Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-25

nauoh h",, on during the day that the squadron
80 S"',eu from Key West to the Tor
'ugas, this being in accordance with Tho
south. ""' 'ee''"
THE NAMES OFFICERS.
me commander OF the Maine Captain
s'ss'Ve' II favorite In the Navy De-
partment. For wears no vas chic, =,
the photographic ONCE. and by his
entrgy brought the Office up TO a high
standard He was lucky 10 get so inn
pV'.aht snip as the Maine is considered
:" ne' considering his rank. but he has
'""uaid. lie was lucky TO get so i'm
oy running his ship straight into dock
IN New York harbor TO avoid running
uown packet excursion-boat This was
ulsplay OF quick judgment. nerve. and
PLUCK, that pleased the department so
nlghiy that the Captain was sent COM
piimentary letter.
ms ofiicers are also a good lot. includ-
ing Lieutenant Commander Richard
Wainwright. Lieutenants G. Il. Holman.
John Hood and c. w. Yungen; Lieuten.
ants Ounior grade) G.. w. Blow. j. T.
biandin, and +. W. Jenkins: Cadets ]. II.
Holden. W. I. Cluvcrius. Amos Bronson.
ana ID. +. Boyd, Jr.; Surgeon l.. c. Hene-
berger. Paymaster G. W. Littleneld.
Chiet-Engineer G. p Howell Passed
Assis,ant-Engreer r. c. Bowers. AS
slstant-Engineers j. r. Morris and u. r.
Merritt Cadet-Engineers Poe Washington
ana Arthur Crenshaw. Chaplain j. Z.
Chldwlck, and Lieutenant of Marines A.
w Catlin.
The Maine is battlcship OF the Sc
cond class. and is resaTdcd as one OF the
best ships in the navy. She was built
az the Brooklyn navy-yard. and is 5la
ieet long and of 81 feet beam. n o mean
oraught, and 6,6S2 tons displacement She
mas TWO lO-inch vertical turrets. and mill
tary masts and her motive power is fur
nished by twin-screw, vertical. tripls-eN-
pansion engines. having maximum
horsepower OF 9,2e3, capable Of making
speed of l745 knots. She carries four
lo-inch and six 6-inch brecch-loadng
guns in her main battery. seven 6-pounder
ana eight l-pounder rapid-hre guns. and
four Gatlugs in her secondary battery,
and four Whitehead torpedoes.
OUR FLEET AT KEY WEST.
While administration officials miss no
opportunity OF declaring confidence in the
promise Of the maintenance of peace, ii
may be a matter OF interest that the
United States now has assembled near
ANte NfTl the most loinllOtDlt meet VI
warships that has been gotten together
ia our nome waters for many years. 1t
is made up OF the North Atlantic squad
ron. under command of Admiral SicrdH
and made up of the flagship New York.
the first-class batteships Iowa. Indiana.
and Massachusetts. the second-class bat
tleships Maine and Texas, the cruiser
Detroit and Montgomery. the Dispatch
boat Fern. and the torpedo-boat fiotilla,
composed Of the Cushing the Ericsson,
the Dupont and the Porter, which Will be
reinforced in a few days by the Foote.
The big protected cruiser Brooklyn al
most equal TO battleship herself. is
fitting out at the New York navy-ytId
Captain Cook, who commands the ship,
was at the Navy Department this morn
ing and expects to sail the latter part
of this week, TO join Admiral Sicard's
squadron.
The gunboat Nashville and the training
ship Essex are AT Port Royal 5. c., with
in easy call and the entire navy may be
said to be in a state Of preparedness that
is gratifying TO the officials IN view of the
limited resources placed A. its disposal
by Congress.
CONGRESSMEN PLEASED.
To-day the members of the Senate Com
mittee on Foreign Relations were in ses-
sion when the Associated Press bulletins
announcing the orders to the Maine were
issued. They expressed great satisfaction.
Senator Foraker was particularly
pleased TO hear the news. He said he
wished the Texas and the other vessels
of the squadron might be ordered to fol-
low the Maine
Senator Cuhom said: 81 am glad to hear
IT, I hope the Maine will be followed 10y
other vessels
Senator Teller said he would like to see
the harbor Of Habana filled with Ameri-
can ships.
Senator Daniel said: Il am glad TO hear
of it, Ii ought 10 have been done TWO
years age"
There was qualification expressed
among the members Of the House COM
mittee on Foreign Affairs, especially by
Messrs. Smith and Pearson who had eX-
pressed some unrest AT the non-action Of
the committee or the House in the mat
ter of Cuba.
SPAIN AGREES TO RECIPROCITY.
WASHINGTON. January 24.--Minister
Woodford has cabled TO the Department
of state that the Government of Spain
has consented 20 negotiate a commercial
treaty with the United States on the
basis of reciprocity, with schedules for
Cuban and the Peninsula.
The negotiations viii be conducted in
Washington at a time yet 10 be agreed
upon.