The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-24

Washington. March 2S.-The navy de-
partment has purchased no further
ships abroad. and the negotiations are
not proceeding in manner to indicate
success. 1t was definitely determined
| today that the Chilean battleship, Cen
eTal O'Higgins. could not be secured.
Commander Brownson is today in Paris,
after having inspected the Brazilian
ships now building at La Siene. While
these might be secured they are long
way from completion, and could be OF
/ little service at present. What the de-
partment wants is ships which tcan be-
commissioned at once
TERROR AND PURITAN.
Secretary Long determined today to
order the double turreted monitors Puri-
tan and Terror to Key West where
| they will reinforce the squadron in
1 these waters. He also determined to
bring into service the eight single tur-
reted monitors at the League Island
navy yard, Philadelphia, two of which
will be sent to Boston, two to New
York and four held in reserve at Phila-
delphia. The Puritan and Terror take
the place of the battleships Massachu-
sets and Texas. recently Withdrawn
from the squadron at Key West It
this move was in accordance with a
programme previously agreed upon. al
though this programme has not been
announced heretofore. The Puritan, by
many experts, is regarded as the most
formidable fighting machine in the
navy.
OLD MONITORS.
Secretary Long had an extremely
busy morning. Mr.. Roosevelt and the
I-arfqrIS b1tT.oqu chiefs ,vara with ba
secretary for some time. perfecting the
plans for the speedy completion of the
OLD monitors. The bureau of engineer
ing can put in the three new boilers
with little delay. The ordnance bureau
has little to do on the monitors, owing
to the good condition of their guns.
armament, etc. The quota of powder
foI' their 15-inch guns is already sacked
and can be put aboard in few hours.
Mr. Long also saw a number of public
men. including Senators Proctor and
Lodge.
REVENUE CUTTERS.
In addition to other preparations for
possible trouble. the navy department
today took steps toward utilizing ten
of the sea-going revenue cutters for use
alOnS the Atlantic coast. Captain Shoe
maker. chief of the revenue cutter SER
vice, conferred with Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt during the day on the plans
for turning over these cutters 10 the
navy. They will be first sent to Nor
folk where additional guns viii be
mounted, and then will proceed to Key
West and become a part of the squad
ron there. Their main service. however.
will be as naval pickets, a fleet of these
cutters being maintained outside the
cruisers and battleships
The revenue cutter service now has
ready for instant and active service
~ 4 n
listed men and 10 vessels, of which IA
are on the Atlantic coast. Two others
are in course of construction. and with
rush orders can be ready for service
within three or four weeks The Man
ming. the Gresham, the Algonquin, the
OnandOnga and the WinCeTn are all
new. fast and efficient vessels. and
could 90 anywhere and perform any
service that any vessel of their class
can perform. The Manning is consid-
cred an 1S-knOt boat All of them, 1t
is said. could be quickly converted into
Whether this last move will be made,
is not yet definitely decided
NEXT BEST THING.
Secretary Long said, today that it
had become evident that torpedo boats
could not be bought abroad, AID could
not be- built soon enough in this coun-
try. so that we might have TO equip
other craft with torpedoes.
The navy department opened bids
today for extensive improvements at
Dry Tortugas and Key West, e. formal
transfer having been effected as re-
CARDS TOrtugas, which passes from the
treasury to the war department These
consist of two solid steel piers, to be
constructed at Dry TOrtuSas. with two
extensive coal sheds and an elaborate
mechanical equipment for loading ma
Il l.
the improvements consist of steel
pier and two coal sheds. with similar
machinery for loading warshipS with
coal. The bids ranged from S1,151,0OO
for the entire work down to about
SiOO, 600. The awards will be made
within day or two.
SICARD IS ILL.
There is a general impression at the
navy department that it will become
necessary shortly to relieve Rear Ad-
miral Sicard of the command of the
North Atlantic squadron and grant him
indefinite sick leave Secretary Long
desires to have it understood that his
action in ordering medical board of
survey for the examination of Admiral
Sicard was based entirely upon the re-
port of that officer. Commodore W. s.
Schley, chairman of the lighthouse
board, is regarded as most likely to
succeed the admiral, should he be re-
iieved
If he does not succeed Admiral ST.
card it is generally understood in naval
circles that he viii be assigned to the
command of one of the divisional fleets
about to be organized on. the home sta
ton. Other officers named as possible
successors to Admiral Sicard are Adj
miral Bunce, cOmmandant of the New
York navy yard. and Captain Samp-
SOP, president of the Maine court of
inquiry.