The record-union., 1898-03-24
Likely to be Reached Within
the Next Few Days.
Meanwhile Exceptional Activity in
War Preparations Continue.
The Monitors Puritan and Terror 10 Rein
force the Squadron in Florida Waters
and Old Monitors to be Again
Brought Into Service.

WASHINGTON, March 3.-The feel
ing was universal throughout official
circles to-day that the elimination of
the Spanish crisis was near at hand.
With the Maine court of in
quiry only little while off.
with the White House the cen
ter of long and earnest conferences
between the President and the party
leaders Of Congress, and with eXcep-
tional activity toward emergency prep
arations in the War and Navy Depart
ments, there was abundance of evil
dence that definite results regarding
the Maine disaster and the Cuban ques-
ton IN general were about to be reach
ed.
Among the Presidents callers were
Senators Cockren Turpie and Foraker,
General Daniel Sickles. former Minis
ter to Madrid, and Representative w
Alden Smith OF Michigan, who has re-
Gently returned from a trip to Cuba.
The call of Messrs. CockreH and Turpie
was regarded as particularly signifi'
cant, as they are representative Demo
Gratis in the Senate. and their visit fol-
lowed that of Senator German yester-
day 1t was generally understood that
in the present emergency the President
desires patriotic unity, without refer
enee TO party.
70
Secretary Long and Secretary Alger
also conferred with the President dur
ing the day Secretary Long later said
that the Maine report probably would
reach Washington tomorrow night. If.
however. it did not come before )
O'Clock Thursday evening, Mr.. Long
said. he probably would not receive il
until Friday morning, when it would
be laid before the President immedf-
ately. The Secretary thinks the Presi-
dent viii not give the document any
consideration at late hour. 1t was
more probable he thought, if Lieuten-
ant Mark arrived at a late hour that
he would take the report to hotel for
the night.
There has been no change in the plan
of sending the report to Congress early
next week. probably Monday, accom-
panied by a message from the Presi-
dent. It is definitely settled, however,
that the message and the papers &C
cornpanying it win relate exclusively
to the Maine disaster. 1t Will not take
I'D the fearful condition Of affairs in
Cuba. as shown by the reports of
United States Consuls, these being re
served for subsequent action and a
later message TO Congress.
MONITORS ORDERED TO KEY
WEST
Secretary Long to-day determined to
order the double turreted monitors
Puritan and Terror to Key West, where
they will re-enforce the squadron in
those 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 Phil
adelphia
The Puritan and Terror take the
place of the battleships Massachusetts
and Texas, recently withdrawn from
the squadron at Key West. 1t was
stated at the Navy Department that
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 lighting machine in the
navy.
REVENUE CUTTERS.
In addition TO other preparations Tor
possible trouble. the Navy Department
to-day took steps toward utilizing ten
of the sea-going revenue cutters for
use along the Atlantic Coast. Captain
Shoemaker, chief of the revenue cut
ter service, conferred with Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt during thee day on
the plans for turning over these cut
tiers to the navy They will be first
sent to Norfolk. where additional guns
viii be mounted. and then will pro-
coed to Key West and become part
of the squadron there. Their main
service 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
124 line officers. a engineers. 900 en-
listed men and nineteen vessels. of
which fo,1r-aan are on the Atlantic
Coast. TWO others are in course of