The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-17
SPAIN SENDS A
REM0NSTRANCE.
CONTINUED from First Page)

ACQUISITIONS Of the same type as tho
Nayaower may bc expected.
.srhe feet at Key west will he aug
montcd within the next day or two by
the arrival Of the gunboat Annapolis. the
sorpedo boat FoOtc and the naval tugs
Ieydcn and Samoset. while the gunboat
Helena s. now on her way from the Euro
mean station under orders to report az
Rev West The Helena reported her
arrival to-day ,.t Funcha. Oh her way
20 ioin tho hcei. These and the other
vessels previously ordered to that point
constitute tho largest asscmhlagc Oi war
vessels made since the Nirglnus affair,
and considering effectiveness and arma-
,nent IL g. the strongest .assemblage
Of ships. for other than review purposes
since the war.
SHIPS NEAR KEY WEST.
The fleet at Key West and Tortugas is
ss follows.
chusetts hattioshp Indiana. battieship
low lnftloship Texas. cruiser Detroit.
runboat Nashville cruiser Marblchead.
dispatch boat Fern. torpedo boats pu-
poni. Cushing y Porter. Winslow and
Ericsson.
To these will soon be added The five
vessels now on route there. In addition
20 these tho Montgomery is at Havana.
and Is practically part Of the faet, the
eunboats Wilmington and Castine. and
cruiser Cincinnati are at Barbados. the
Newport at Colon. with the Puritan.
Newark. Amphtritc and other ships of
the North Atlantic Squadron at points
along the coast further northward.
In point OF ships the fleet under Rear
Admiral Case on January g. 1874. following
the Vircinius affair, was considerably
larger Although formidable in It's day,
this aggregation was made up Of the old
style wooden ships. monitors which had
gone through the civil war and every
available craft that could bear guns.
Compared with the modern battlcships
and cruisers OF the nav navy 1t was in
significant in tonnage and general ehec-
fivencss.
II is noteworthy. however. that this
formidable gathering of ships was at
the same point as the present gathering
end during a critical period with Spain
and that 10 did not eventuatc in war
FOR FORTlFICATlONS
Secretary Alecr has made acquisitions
on the President for two large allotments
from the appropriation of 100000 for
the national defence. One is FOR 100000
FOR the use Of the engineer department
Of the army in the completion Of certain
fertilization works along tho Atlantic and
Gulf coasts now in progress. and the
other is for S22250D for tho use Of the
ordnance department OF the army in the
requirement Of arms and ammunition.
Pretty much all of this money is needed
10 cover contracts already made by the
military establishment.
An encouraging telegram came to the
Department from Admiral Bunce com
mandant Of the New York navy yard. 1t
was.
Naval Constructor reports Dock No.
pumped dry last night. Test Of the
structure satisfactory. CaissOn joints
leak. but easily remcdied.'
The Department places the date Of the
final completion Of the dock April Both,
in view Of this report.
The Surgeon-Gcneral has in view sew
eral other ships. which with but a limit
ed expenditure Of money. could be chang
ed into ambulance ships. but he will be
compelled 10 await the report OF the spe-
cial board. which is examining into the
question Of auxiliary cruisers before TAX
ing any action.