The San Francisco call., 1898-02-26

NEW 1OtIh, rep. Zo.-A WaSn1ng- ton special to the Herald says: Elmer gency preparations of the most import ant character yet attempted by the Navy Department were formally de- cided upon to-day and necessary orders carrying them out were issued by Chief Acting Secretary Roosevelt. These pre- parations include:
 First-Orders to vessels in different parts of the world, looking to their bet ter strategic disposition.
 Second = Shipment of guns and mounts for auxiliary cruisers from the Washington foundry to the New York Navy Yard, where in few hours they can be placed on board vessels of the International Navigation Company, Columbia Steamship Company. Red 'D" Steamship Company, and New York and Cuba Mail Steamship Com pany.
 Third-Collections of stores and com pletion of repairs to cruisers Mime apOlis and Columbia, monitor Mianto- nomoh and ram Katahdin.
 FOurth-Shipment to works of the Herreshoffs of torpedo tubes and appli- ances and torpedoes for the torpedo boats Talbot and Gwin, which will shortly undergo their steam trials.
 The authorities have given up all idea of keeping secret the preparations which are being made, and while de- clining to go into the details as to or ders which are being given, it is gen. orally known what steps are being taken to put the country in condition to meet any emergency that may arise It has not been denied that orders have been issued to vessels which entail their movements to different points. but what vessels are affected and where they go are questions which the department officials decline to answer.
 As the Herald has stated, the Asiatic squadron is assembling at Hongkong. 500 miles away from the Philippines. It is generally believed that before decis- i've action is taken by the administra- tion the cruiser San Francisco and gunboats Bancroft and Helena will be ordered home, it being appreciated that these vessels would not be effective against the armored cruisers of the Spanish navy. The cruiser Cincinnati and gunbOat Castine will probably re- main at the Barbadoes until the arrival Of the Brooklyn at Santa Lucia, sixty miles away, when Captain F. C. Cooke. commanding the armored cruiser will communicate with Captain C. M. Ches- ter, senior officer commanding the Gin cinnati and the Castine, and these three vessels will then probably proceed to La Guayra, where they will join the gunboats Wilmington, Vicksburg and Annapolis
 Quite large number of guns and mounts for auxiliary cruisers will be shipped, commencing tomorrow, to the Brooklyn Navy Yard. There are now available for auxiliary cruisers forty nine finch, forty 5-inch and forty-one 6-inch guns. There is also on hand a large number of six and one pounder guns and machine guns. The Herald showed several days ago that the St Paul, St. Louis, New York and Paris would require forty 6-inch guns. twenty 6-pounders and sixteen machine guns. It is evident that these vessels could be transformed into auxiliary cruisers without delay.
 The Advance and Alliance of the Co., lumbia Steamship Company will re- Quire twelve 5-inch and twelve ma chine guns. Twenty eight 5-inch guns would thus be left, and eight of these would be placed on board the Segur- ance, Vigilencia and Concho. A total of eighty finch guns will be needed to equip the remaining vessels which would be available for duty as auxil- iary cruisers, forty-nine of which will be shipped to New York. The gun foundry is now assembling number of finch guns, and 1t is expected that within the next few months forty-fve guns of this caliber will be ready for service.
 For six and four inch guns for aux Hilary cruisers the department designed some months ago pedestal mount. Sixty-six feur-inch and twenty-seven f1ve-inch guns were reported as com pleted some months ago, at which time forty-five were being pushed to com pletion. The Columbia and Minneapo- lis are commenced -destroyers. They have been in reserve for some months, the idea being when they are assigned that they could be got ready and placed in commission in ten days. Their stores have been assembled and are now ready to be placed on board. This VIII probably be done, so when the de- paftment directs that they be placed III commission all that will be neces- sary for officers and crew is to go aboard
 The monitor Miantonomoh, which is also at League Island, has been re- paired, and minor repairs required will De made as rapidly as possible. Like the Terror, she has a displacement of 5SsO tons. The ram Katahdin. which was placed in ordinary some months ago, IS also in need of some minor re- pairs. These will be completed as quickly as possible, her stores will be assembled, and, like other ships at League Island, she will be put in condi-