Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-15

20 make the move without DELAY as the
nui, on the chip is so well along that she
oouid be towed, and her own sail rover
"'ihzed Tor the trip across.
ENGINEER OFFICERS WANTED
dangerous deficiency in the engineer
i,a la"'n OF the navy has been brought to
hps s". ih 'he iact tina: II is scarcely possi-
% ~ 10 secure a staff OF engineer officers to
DIihs BACK to the United States any Of
ene smps purchased abroad. This state
Vi aialrs has been brought to the at
.ehtioh OF the House Naval Committee
% Det 50 iar, II Is feared without meeting
win mat degree OF success which IL was
hoped TOT, In the shape of an amendment,
increasing the number OF engineer ofIcers
IN the service.
Colonel Haywood. the comman1ant OF
.he marine corps, to-day made five de-
talis OF marines for cruisers now being
repaired or ready for commission. There
are TWO drafts Of IS each for the Philadel-
phla and the Charleston, one of 50 for
the Newark at Norfolk and two of 30
each for the Columbia and Minnea polls,
at League Island.
PROCTOR AT WHITE HOUSE.
Senator Proctor visited the White House
ana uptown departments to-day. and
ms call excited a good deal of interest.
lie spent half an hour with Secretary
Alger, explaining. IL is believed the mill
tary situation in Cuba, and afterward
had conference with Judge Day. Assist
tant Secretary of State. Then he went
TO the White House. and was closeted
with the President for two hours and
quarter When he emerged from the
room he courteousy declined TO speak
regarding the nature of the information
10 ha
n. +. Palmer, representing the Quin-
tard Iron Works, Of New York, which
built the engines of the Maine was at
the Navy Department to-day in consulta-
tion with the officials respecting the con-
version Of vessels of the merchant marine
into war craft
While not a shpbuiding firm, the Quin-
tard works have done a great deal Of
work on the engines and interior fit
tings of ships which is just the class of
work that would be required In the case
of the auxiliary cruisers.
DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI
Because of a protest from some of the
western people. the Secretary of War
has modified his order OF last week,
changing the names of bounds of the
new military departments so as to retain
the name of the Department of the Mis-
souri,. To do this, however, ii was neces-
sary TO abandon the naming of THE De-
partment of the Platte" and the terri
tory included within the present limits of
that department will be known as the
Department of the Missouri. The old
Department of the Missouri continues it's
new name of the Department of the
Lakes.
Senior Polo Bernabe, the new Spanish
Minister, received a number Of dispatches
to-day from the Minister Of State at
Madrid and from Captain-General
Blanco. Those from General Banco
were reassuring in tone, and stated that
the situation at Habana and throughout
the island was quiet and satisfactory.
The Minister of State cabed, saying IN
substance: THE uprising in the Philip
pines is so Insignificant that it will be
ended by the time you receive this"
DENIALS FROM BERNABE.
The Minister asked that an emphatic
denial be made. in his name, of the re-
ports that Senor Juan Ceballos had been
in Washington, as a commissioner from
the Spanish Government, to make over
lures for terms of settlement with the
Cuban INSURGENTS.
Senor Polos attention was called to
the reports from Spain as TO the pros
pective sailing of the Spanish torpedo
fotilla for Habana, and 10 the signih-
canoe which had been attached in this
country to this movement. The Minis
ter said that the movement of torpedo
craft had been long contemplated. Their
coming had no relation whatever, he de-
clared. to recent conditions, as they were
wanted for work along the Cuban coast.
SPANISH MAINE INQUIRY.
The Minister has received no intimation
as TO the findings of the Spanish Naval
Commission which is investigating the
Maine disaster. He says this commission
Is proceeding with the same formality and
secrecy as the United States court of in
quiry. and that no intimation Of its find
ings would be justified until the formal
report is presented to the Spanish Gov
ernment.
NJ Polo added that his personal belief
however, was that there is no doubt the
Spanish commission will report that the
Maine explosion was due to accident, ana
says he was convinced that this also
would be the conclusion reached by the
people IN this country when all the facts
in the matter are made known.
The recruiting branch of the Navy De-
partment is naturally one of the biggest
in the temporary command Of Captain
Hemphill during the absence in the South
of Captain Hawley, and he was busy to-
day with representatives of the railroads,
i'm arranging for terms for transportation
of recruits to the seaboard and Of sail
ors already in the service from one port
to another, made necessary by the com
mission of new ships problem that
confronts the recruiting office is to pro-
cure the necessary force of enlisted men
for manning the two ships which have
been purchased from Brazil.
COLONEL PARKER'S REPORT
Colonel Myron NJ. Parker one of the
leading businessmen Of Washington, who
Senator Proctor in his recent
visit TO Cuba, said to-day that the Ameri-
cans on the island had no doubt that the
disaster TO the Maine was caused through
Spanish agency. Their belief, however.
ne said. could not be traced 10 any au-
tboritative source. The insurgents, Colo
mel Parker thought, were in better shape
than ever before, and would be able to
accomplish their independence in time.
The Cubans, as a rule, he believed,
would be glad to see the island come
under the American flag, and would do
what they could TO bring about that re-
suit.
The Colonel reiterated mis- statement of
last night that the situation of the re-