The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-30

lishcd with Commodore ". 5. Schley
in command He will hoist his com
modore' flag on the flagship Brook
lyn next Monday The squadron is to
consist of exactly five ships. Those
of the squadron will be the crack ar
mored cruiser Brooklyn, the battle
ships Massachusetts, and Texas and
the cruisers Columbia and Nlinncapo-
lis. Other ships which are, now or
hereafter, at Hampton Roads. will not
be of the flying squadron, but will be
long to the North Atlantic station un-
der Captain Sampson. The flying
squadron is to be small, compact
fleet of the best ships in the navy, Tor
quick service at any point along the
Atlantic.
At the same time the North Allan
tic station, under Captain Sampson is
to be further augmented. The cruiser
Cincinnati, which left Port Antonio
three days ago under sealed orders, is
to report at Key West and become a
part of Captain SIMPSONS fleet. The
gunboat Wilmington, also en- route
from Port Antonio, will likewise re-
port to Capt. Sampson at Key West,
as will the gunboat Vicksburg, now at
Hampton Roads. Late to-day the
navy department gave out the follow
ing list Of vessels, as showing the ex-
act character of each fleet:
The following vessels compose the
North Atlantic squadron: New York,
Iowa, Indiana, Miantonomoh. Fern,
Puritan, Terror, Marblehead, Mont
gomery, Castine, Nashville. Helena,
Wilmington, yesuvius; torpedo boats,
Foote, Dupont, Ericsson, Gushing,
Porter. Winslow tugs, Leyden and
Samosct
The following vessels compose the
flying squadron: The Brooklyn, Mas
sachusetts, Texas, Minneapolis and
Columbia.
Some of the other important devel-
opments of the day may be sum
married. as follows:
acquisitions were made on the
naval ordnance bureau for large
number Of quickfre four-pounder and
six-pounder guns to be mounted on
the revenue cutters and the steam
yachts about to be purchased. The
bureau determined to use the quick
fire guns for these craft which had
been originally intended for the At
lantic liners, St. Paul and St. Louis.
Cant. Bradford, chief of naval equip
ment, completed plans for securing a
naval coaling station in waters south
of Cuba, and the papers are now
ready for final action. The station
will not be on Navassa island, as has
been suggested, but is likely to be at
one of the several fine harbors of
Haiti or San Domingo, or else on the
Danish island of St. Thomas. which is
open to purchase from Denmark for a
considerable sum.
Late to-day the battleship Texas
was ordered from Hampton Roads to
the New York navy yard to repair her
machinery for hosting ammunition
and guns. Favorable answers were
received from the New York naval
militia Of their readiness on short
notice to supply officers and men to
man the single-turret monitors now
called into service.
Orders we're issued to-day to have
all the warships painted black, color
that is better adapted to hostilities
because the vessels will not afford as
good a target.
The navy department was informed
by cablegram from Lieut.. Colwell,
naval attache to the United States EN-
bassy at London, that agents Of this
government had purchased "Schls-
chau" torpedo boat that had been con-
structed for the German government:
The new acquisition is of the general
type of German torpedo boats and is
regarded as valuable addition to our
navy. One feature regarding her that
affords special qualification to the off
cials of the navy department. is that
she is now ready for sea. 1t is ex-
pectcd that in few days she will
leave for the United States. She will
be able to make the Journey across
the Atlatic without difficulty, as she
is a good sea going vessel and her coal
capacity is ample for a trip to this
country. She is 23 knot vessel and
about l50 feet long. While of the
same general type of the Rodgers and
Foote of the United States navy. she
is triAe larger. At the navy depart
ment the precise dimensions of the
new boat could not be given. The
: price paid for her, the navy officers
at this time declined to state, but IT
was said to be very reasonable. Work
on the vessel has just been completed,
she never having been in service. She
is supposed to carry three torpedo
tubes and two small calibre rapid
fire guns. Nine to twelvcmen will be
needed to man her.
Word reached the navy department
officials to-day that the Spanish
authorities have taken steps to supple
ment the existing Notifications at San
Juan de Puerto Rico. the main port OF
the island of Puerto Rico. The news
is regarded as significant. Puerto
Rico is the only other possession
which belongs to Spain on this heml,
sphere beside Cuba. The officials OF
the department. while acknowledging