The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-17

alorG the Atlantic and Gulf coasts now
III progress, and the other Is for $2,225.
oo0 for the use OF the Ordnance De-
partment OF this: army b., the acquire
ment Of arms and ammunition. Pret
ty much all u:e mCr.ey i5 needed to
cover contracts already made hyi the
rrdlitary establishment.
IAN encouraging telegram came
to the department from Admiral
Bunce, commandant OF the New York
navy yard. 1t was: NAVAL Core
structor reports dock No. 8 pumped
dry last night. Test of the strreture
satisfactory. Caisscn joint leaks but
easily rs,med!ed."
The department. places the date Of
the final completion of the dock al
April 30th in View of this report.
Surgeon Gensral Van Reypen, otf f.:.a
navy, returned to-day from Newport
News, where he went to examine into
the practiolbility c!f converting ths
Plant Lire steamer Grand Duchess.
into an ambulance or hospltar ship for
use of the navy h.r the event Of hostil-
ltl5S with Spain. This steamer, whicE..
General Van Reypcr says is large,
rSclE and airy, Formerly piled between
New York and Savannah, but was laid
"a, be;aus3n of the tlisarrnr2GS Sment of
her boilers. SO far as the accocnmo-
dations arc corcerned, the vessel after.
some necessary work. would mah an
a,'nirS5le amoull lnce ship, but rnc lack
or boilers, which It would take
several months ta replace. linz
its her GdzptablI;Ct for usc at
the present time. The Surgeon
Gen2ra. has In view several other ships,
which with but n limited expenditure
OF money, could be ch@mgad ln,o ambu-
Lance ships, hyi; k,a will be compelled
to await the report of the special beard
"i"tch IS examining into nv. question
OF auNiNaly cruis Ii, bsfcre iaki.s, any
acti-n.
The War Department IS making
ready. for ano;hcr big contract locking
tN the procurement Of a lot of sho and
shell. AN advertisement has just been
issued calling for cast iron proiectilcs
Tor sea coast cannon" The bids are
made rcturnahlc next Monday az 3
O'Clock at the Ordnance Office War De-
pa!tmcnt. The shot ana Shell ure of
the heaviest description, 1877 ten-inch
solid shot, 40 uwclve-inch mortar
shells. Weighing 500 pounds c,sloh, ,snd
900 twelve-inch mortar shells, weigh
.:.S 1000 pounds each. bciag wanted.
These pr-ject.lcs are entirely different
from the millions dollars worth ordered
yesterday. Those were wrought steel
shoc ana shell known as armcr piercers
anu lh'chHcd Tor attack upon battle
ships, monitors and such armorcd ves-
sells. These called for now are for use
either against lightly aTmored or un-
nrmored ships or alse far deck
pscrccrs," being fired from mortars
with plunging fire into the deck of
vessels lying out at sea. Being OF cast
metal these project!les. 1t is expected,
Will be much cheaper than the armor
picrcers already ordered
hn
Department has prepared itself fer the
'2t very short notice Of any
vessel OF the auxiliary navy that may
be acquired with til. most approved
signalling devices c!ow employed
Considering the competition offered
by the navy and marine corps IN the
enlistment of recruits, the War De-
partment feels that is II doing very
well in securing mon. far the artillery
regiments. The adjutan:-gcnemIs ~
INrt today was that go men had beca
secured. This is at the rate OF 500 per
month and about as fast as the men
can he properly taken care Of
Adjutan;-Ge COrbn yesterday
received a. military visitor who said he
was fresh from the battlcfclds of Cuba
and desired 10 arrange with him for
the immediate Invasion of the port of
He was dressed In Il military
uniform of green cloth and said h, was
ready TO a.ilc the field at once He
gave his name as Lieutenant-C Colonel
Jorge \. Rivera Y. A3nc, Fourth
Array Corps, Cuban Army. and said
he had come from Ganeiul Mayra
lfNlrigucz. second in command. To
use his oW,. words he was just from
the field and had blood on his boots"
and he g2we every INDIGESTION of being
earnest and eager for the fray What
hr desired was acr army Of 5000 men
from the United states with which Il,
begin the invasion cf Cuba. and his
pal WAS to fire on MOrro Castle and
sack the city Of I'2mlna General
Corbin treated him cOurtcouSly ana
said he would see him later about the
army Of invasion