The Lamar register., 1898-03-12
NAY BUY wAasHlPs ABROAD.
The Navy Department Said 20 Have been
Ordered to Open Negotiations.

Ordered to Open Negotintions
New York, March IA special tc
the Herald from Washington says:
Fully realizing the Importance of
preparations for any emergency, The
President has directed the Navy De
partment to open negotiations looking
to the purchase of warships. This fact
is now for the first time made public.
1t probably would not have transpIred
at this juncture, but for the excite
ment caused by the statement pub
lished that Spain had purchased OF
was negotiating for warships being
built by the Elswick Company of Eng
land for Brazil. and for other ships
under construction. With n view of oh
tanning the facts. your correspondent
called upon a high official OF the adj
ministration and obtained an official
admission for the first time that while
the President does not anticipate war
he recognizes that there is n possibil-
ity OF hostilities growing out Of the
Cuban problem and the Maine disas.
ter, and that he proposes to be pre-
pared for Il.
There has been ample evidence OF
this in the preparations patent tc
everybody, which have been in prog
ress for some time, but there has beer
now.
Eight men-of-war which are practic
ally completed in foreign shipyards
have been offered for sale In the Unit
ed States. The President has giyer
consideration to the advisability OF
placing an option ON them.
The Navy Department has been care
fully watching the construction abroad
through the eyes of its naval attaches
at London, Paris, st. Petersburg, Ber
lin. Vienna and Rome. This suryeil
lance has been maintained for two
months, but more especially since the
Maine disaster.
Through the attaches and from the
shipbuilders themselves, the secretary
OF the navy has learned that he car
now purchase two smnll-slzed battle
ships. two armored cruisers and foul
torpedo boats, all at comparatively
low price. The builders have promised
that they can deliver the vessels tC
agents OF this government at this time
complete in every respect, and all thai
will be necessary for the ndmintstra
tlon to do win be to order the neces
sary details Of officers and men to pro
ceed TO the ship yard, to go on board
the vessels and take them to any poin
which may be desired.
The builders have urged that th'
purchases be made at once, as the!
say that declaration OF war between
the United States would .result in tbs
enforcement OF neutrality measure:
and prevent the sale of the ships.
The battleships and armored cruiser,
have been built by English and Ger
man firms for governments which ar
now unable to pay for them, and nov
this government would be able to OBJ
tain the vessels by simply putting
down the amount OF cash. The foul
torpedo boats have been offered by tn,
Thorncroft Ship Building Company
whose boats are recognized by expert,
to be among the best In the world
While your correspondent was unable
to learn the names of the ships whicl
have been offered to this government
there is reason TO believe that anon,
them are three powerful ships unde
construction at the Vulcan works, Stet
tin, Germany, for the Chinese govern
ment These ships Are of 5000 tom
displacement. contracted to make 19.l
knots, and VIII be able to carry no
less than a thousand tons Of coal II
their bunkers.