Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-16

l. y
do Company, of England, is in
Washington Offering for Sale De-
signs and Complete Working
Drawings of the Famous Torpedo
Destroyers Which England Has
Recently Built-These Make Thir-
tv Knots an Hour and Have Won
derful y-Administratio
MOI Alarmed by European Pro-
tests.
Washington. March 15.-The meet
ing of the Cabinet at an earlier hour
than usual to-day had the effect to
suspend most of the active operations
in the War aud Navy Departments
during the forenoon 1t was not long.
however. after the meeting began be-
fore some of the bureau officers of the
NAVY apartment were called upon by
telephone and messenger to supply in
formation on the technical points,
showing that the Cabinet was more or
less concerned in the situation.
The agent in this country of the
Thorneycroft Torpedo Boat Company,
of England. Mr. Platt has submitted
TO Secretary Long, a long proposition
for the sale to this government of the
designs and complete working draw
ings of the magnificent torpedo boat
destroyers built by his firm. Predict
ing that the department would find it
absolutely impossible to buy any of
these craft in Europe at this juncture.
Mr. Plat has urged the propriety of
having the government purchase plans
and Immediately have a number of
our ship building firms go to work on
the construction of these boats. The
particular pattern submitted by Mr..
Platt is that OF the torpedo boat de-
stroyer Fame, built for the British
government. This craft, the type of
these so strongly desired by the Navy
Department just now, is Of rirre than
thirty knots speed and 800 tons bur-
den, large enough to be thoroughly
seaworthy and carrying sufficient coal
TO run 1000 knots at economical speed.
This advantage is not possible in any
of our boats, and its Importance is
fully illustrated by the difficulties con-
fronting the Spaniards to get their tor
pedo boat feet
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
to Cuba. Based upon a number of
statements from shipbuilders who
have been approached on the subject,
the department has satisfied itself that
a number Of these boats can be built
IN from six to eight months.
We have now under construction in
the United States four boats rated as
Ihirty-knotters, but with the exception
OF the one built at the Union Iron
Works. which is sixty per cent adj
Fanced towards completion, very little
progress has been made in their con-
struction One Of the boats is building
at Horlan & Hollingsworth, one at the
Gas Engine & Power Co, and one at
Vol & Sewickers, Portland, Oregon.
Not much concern is expressed by
officers of the administration over the
reported intention Of European govern
ments, at the instigation of Austria, to
intervene between the United States
ana Spain in the settlement of the
questions pending between them. So
tar 1t can be stated that this has taken
no official shape, or at Ieast no indi-
cations of such design has reached
the State Department What the atti-
tlde Of our government would be if
representations in that line were adj
dressed to it by the European powers
Is a question that the officials do not
care to answer in anticipation. The
suggestion that the Spanish govern
ment has protested against the sale by
Brazil OF the two cruisers to the United
states likewise fails to cause any feel
ing Of concern, the naval officers hold
ing that there can be no question of
the right of the United States to in
crease its navy at any time
Washington, March 15-The nayiga-
uen bureau of the Navy Department
Is receiving reports of the results of the
eRorts making at the various recruit
ing stations to obtain men for the
Ha0y. Twenty boys have been re-
reWed on board the receiving ship
WABASH, at Boston, and thirty more
"ili be enlisted in day or two
ALL WILL BE TRANSFERRED
10 the training station at Newport.
V"lng to the limited accommodations
t1eTe, however, the department has not
ueen able TO progress as rapidly as it
GesIres in enlisting boys. So far the
.olumbia is about 200 men short of her
la!l quota of 402, but it is hoped that
me necessary men, mostly firemen and
veal passers, can be secured in the
course of a few days.
Lieut.. Very, the representative of
Vie Howard Torpedo Company. has
submitted TO the War Department a
proposition to supplement the defense
y Inc larger coast ports, such as New
York and Boston, by equipping a num-
oFi o. light draft and steam launches
N'Jh torpedo outfits. He urges that by
,Nt NIL use of this means OF defense the