Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-11
PREPARATIONS PROCEEDING.
The Navy Department Getting Into
Shape for Emergencies.

lit navy Oopdi bulCuL uOttIuS 1AtV
Shape for Emergencies.
No Battleships Have Been Bought,
Though There Have Been Offers
to Sell-Looking Carefully After
Values and Prices-Old Vessels
Undergoing Hurried Repairs.
The Katahdin and Miantonomah
| Went Into Commission Yester-
day Making for
Aiming, Manning and Equipping
the Auxiliary Cruisers-A GOOD
| Supply Of Anto- Mobile Torpedoes
on Hand.
Washington, March 10-The United
States government has not yet acqulr-
ed single additional ship for the
navy. This is not true because of
/ lack OF offers of war ships from abroad
I but simply for the reason that the
Navy Department is proceeding with
! all the circumspection consistent with
1 the needs Of the case in looking after
! the qualities and prices of the craft.
Secretary Long was in receipt OF
large number af cablegrams to-day, al
most all relating TO offers OF ships.
T Lieutenant Niblack the United States
naval attache at Berlin, St. petersburg
and Vienna, is particularly active IN
the quest OF vessels
There was a good deal of talk dur
ing the day about the assignment or
officers to the command or auxiliary
cruisers the st. Paul and st. Louis pc
ing specially mentioned. but Secretary
Long set these stories at rest by the
statement that he had not made any
such assignments and had only pro-
crossed to the point OF informing hlm-
self of the possibility or getting the
ships Differed and manned quickly
While looking after new ships the
officials Of the Navy department are not
neglecting the old vessels and ar
rangements have been made TO make
short repairs on several ships, that il
the ordinary course would not be treat
ed in that fashion. but would receive
thorough and Understanding over
hauling.
AT LEAGUE ISLAND
the monitor Miantonomah and the
ram katahdin went into commission
to-day, although they have not yet had
their orders. They will probably re-
main in the Delaware river or drop
down into the bay.
The torpedo boat Dupont sailed TO-
day for Mobile to attach herself again
to the fiotilla at Key West.
Again it was said at the Navy De-
AZ, Ta "A 1anr
from the court of inquiry TT Havana,
nor from Admiral Sicard at Key West.
The presence in the city Of several
persons connected with steamship
lines and steel works led to the cir
culation Of a number of sensational
stories during the day, but perhaps
none of these had the persistency OF
one that found currency at the Capt.
tol. until it met with summary de-
NAL at the hands of Assistant Secre-
tary Day to the effect that Minister
Woodford had notified the Spanish
government that the President intend
ed to send to Congress a message an
nouncing his recognition OF Cuban in
dependence.
A conference was held at 3 o'clock
in the office of Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt, to map out plans for arm
ing and equipping merchant vessels as
auxiliary cruisers.
On the question Of manning
THE AUXILIARY FLEET,
the Navy Department feels that the
most effective step would be TO enlist
into the United States naval service
the present merchant crews of the sew
eraI ships. These crews are thorough
hn Ic nd
handle them with far greater effect
than green crews of blue jackets. The
ships would be officered from the line
Of the regular navy. In the case of en-
listing a merchant crew the pay and
allowance would be about equivalent
to the rates paid ordinary sailors and
the time Of enlistment would doubt
less be limited to short periods.
The proposed batteries for the aux
iliary cruisers consist in the case OF
fine steamships St Louis and St. Paul
of eight six inch guns, four six
nounders and four machine guns; the
paris and New York twelve six inch;
SIX six-pounders and six machine guns.
It is designed to give vessels of this
Caracas and Seneca type main bat
try of eight four-inch guns, and from
SIN 10 eight ldpl1 III $780,
Those Of the Vigilance class are de-
signed to have main battery Of six
five-inch and four four-inch guns. four
one-pounders and three machine guns.
The batteries of the auxiliary cruisers
on the Pacific coast, if those should be
called into use, are substantially sim
liar, six inch guns being the largest
designed for use in that service.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT
finds itself in comparatively good con-
dition as to the supply of automobile
torpedoes, which constitute one Of the
most deadly engines of naval destruc-
ton The Whitehead torpedo is now
in general use, although few OF tia
Howell class are still on hand. Fifty
Of the Whitehead torpedoes were se-
cured a short time ago, and with these
there is a total Of $50 on hand This
gives not only full outfit for vessels
now in commission, but also the neces-
sary reserve supply.