The evening times., 1898-05-31
MORE MOSQUITO SHIPS
Ten Additional Patrol Boats 10
Guard the Mines.
FIVE YACHTS AND FIVE TUG
They VIII BE Manned by Naval Re-
servcs-But Little of the Three
sIiiIion-Dollar Appropriation Will
Be Expended TIL the Nccessity
Arises.

Arises.
New York, May H.-Rear Admiral Err
ben, commanding the coast defense feet,
received official notice from Washington
yesterday that the President had signed
the bill appropriating S3.00o.000 for the
purchase of vessels to patrol the coast
and the harbors which have been mined
and authorizing the mastering Of the Ma
val Militia to man the vessels. Accom-
panying the notice were directions from
the Secretary of the Navy limiting the
purchase of vessels at present to ten. five
of which are to be yachts and five to be
tugs.
As told some days ago. the Administra-
ton has arrived at the conclusion that
the elaborate scheme for an inner line of
coast defense extending along the ATTAIN
tic seaboard is hardly needed at this time
It having been conclusively learned that
Cervera's fleet is bottled up at Santiago.
the other Spanish war vessels not daring
to venture out of the ports In which they
are hiding. and there being little prospect
of the reserve squadron at Cadiz being
sent this way. the War Board has de-
cided to save the outlay of the greater
part of the S3.000. 600.
The bill having become a law. the mon
ey will be Immediately available in case
the coast is threatened at any time IN the
future but at present only such boats as
are needed to patrol mine fields in har-
bors will be purchased.
Upon receipt of the instructions from
Washington. Admiral Erben called upon
the Naval Auxiliary Board for list OF
five yachts and five tugs suitable for har-
Dor work. The members of the board
promptly furnished the names and de-
scriptions of the ten boats from the list
Of yachts and tugs which had already
been inspected. The names of these boats
will not be made public until they have
been approved by the authorities at
Washington.
1t was learned that John Jacob Astor's
Nourmahal and George ]. Gould's Ata-
lanta are not on the list. Both Of these
yachts have been offered to the Govern
ment and have been inspected by the
board. The yachts selected are smaller
and less costly than the two named The
tugs are wooden harbor tugs. of suffi-
cient size to mount one small caliber ra-
pid fire gun forward.
These yachts and tugs are ready for
prompt delivery to the Government. As
soon as their purchase is completed they
will be manned by naval reserves. and
with the yachts Alicia. Free Lance, Vik-
ing and Restless. now in commission. will
form the MOSQUITO feet. These vessels
will be distributed along the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts. In addition to the boats now
patrolling the approaches to this harbor.
one of the yachts will be stationed OF
Gardeners Island, at the entrance to the
Sound.
Marines and sailors now on the boats
of the patrol fleet will be relieved by ma
val reserves and will be available for the
fighting ships of the Navy. 1t is expect.
ed that the Naval Reserves. who have
been waiting for the bill to become a Law
authorizing their enlistment in the United
States service for one year, will be mus
tered in before the end of the week and
assigned for duty.
Owing to slight disarrangement of her
machinery the yacht Viking. which has
been patrolling the Narrows. was sent to
the navy yard for repairs yesterday. Her
Place was taken by the Free Lance
The Monterey Is COaling.
San Francisco. May 31.-The coast de-
fense vessel Monterey came out of the
dry dock yesterday and for the next two
days will be engaged in coaling Not only
will her bunkers be filled, but also all
available space on deck will be occupied
by coal. New hydraulic pipes are being
put In the turrets. and towing bride
Is being rigged on her bow This is a
new device invented by Foreman Fur
long. and is SO arranged that the towline
can be slipped at a moments notice in
case of a sudden storm.
The Monterey will not be ready to sail
before the end of the week. Work on her
consort, the Brutus. will probably be fin
ished about the same time.
Two Golfers Sail. -
New York, May 31.-The collier Leonidas
left the Brooklyn navy yard at II o'clock
yesterday forenoon. and the collier POM
pey. in command of Capt. Sturley. steam
ed out at 3:3o in the afternoon. The des-
tnation of neither vessel was made
known in the yard, but it is understood
they are bound for southern waters.
The Columbia.
The cruiser Columbia, which had a big
hole stove in her hull on Saturday night
in collision with the British steamer
Foscolia, off Fire Island, was foated into
dry dock No. at the Brooklyn navy yard
at O'Clock yesterday afternoon. As
stated in The Times. the Columbia reach
ed the yard on Sunday evening, having
come into port after the collision. under
her own steam.
Capt Gilmore. of the commandments Of
flce. in the navy yard, could give no in
formation he said, as to the extent of the
injuries to the Columbia, nor how long
the repairs would take. Work upon her,
he said. would begin at once, and be car
ried on night and day.
As the cruiser was being docked it could
be seen that the hole in her starboard
side was big one. 1t seemed to be over.
six feet wide, and extends to within a
few inches Of the upper deck. After the
warship had been lightened of her coal
and some ammunition she rose in the wa
ter. so that it could be sc D that the hole
extended about five feet below the water
Ane.
The steel plates at this point present
Jagged appearance. The protective steel
OF the collision, as 1t is bent backward
deck. four inches thick. shows the force
Of the collision. as 1t is bent backward
nearly double Naval officers said that
the thin sides of the Columbia would have
permitted the Britisher to cut clean
through her had it not been for the heavy
frames and protective deck.
There was no trouble in docking the
Columbia. All her coal was first trans
ferred to a lighter which was moored
alongside. The general opinion among the
mechanics who were watching the pre-
parations for docking was that there was
at least ten full days work ahead before
the warship could again go into active
service.
Capt. Sands is to make an official re-
port of the collision to the Navy Depart
ment. Admiral Bunce will appoint
board of survey which will make an ex-