Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-15
BOUGHT TWO NEW NARSH|PS.
Continued from First Page.

garGing the nature or the information
he had communicated to the Presi-
dent
n. F. Palmer, representing the Quin-
tard Iron Works, of New York, which
built the engines of the Maine was at
the Navy Department to-day in con
sultation with the officials respecting
the conversion of vessels of the mer-
chant marine into war craft. While
not ship building firm, the Quintard
works have done a great deal of work
on the engines and interior fittings Of
ships, which is just the class of work
that would re required in the case of
the auxiliary cruisers.
Because of the protest from some
Of the Western people, the Secretary
of War has modified his order of last
week changing the names of bounds
of the military department so as to re-
tain the name OF the department of
the Missouri. To do this, however, it
was necessary to abandon the nam
ing of THE Department of the Platte, Z
and the territory included within the
present limits of that department
would be known as the department Of
the Missouri. The old department of
the Missouri retains its new name of
the Department of The Lakes.
REPRESENTATIVE ELLIOTT,
of South Carolina, called at the Navy
Department to-day to talk with the
officials respecting the clothing Of
naval militia. Under the existing
regulations. the department has no au-
thority to expend any of the small al
lotment of funds made by Congress for
the use of the naval militia, for the
purchase of clothing. 1t is all consum-
ed in the purchase of boats, equip
ments, arms, books, signal flags. etc.
For several years the militiamen have
been trying hard to secure a modifca-
ton of the law that would permit OF
the application of least a portion OF
the militia appropriation for the pur-
chase of uniforms. This has been ac-
complished at last through the inclu-
sion in the pending naval bill of suit
abe amendment However, this new
clause under ordinary conditions.
would not go into effect before July
first next. Representative Elliott is
endeavoring to secure the depart
ment's aid in having the section 90 in
to effect Immediately upon the passage
of the bill, in which case a consider
able body of the South Carolina mill
itiamen can be put into active service
at once The department is thorough
" committed TO the measure.
It is now stated at the Navy De
partment that the Marblehead, which
arrived at Tampa Saturday night, was
ordered to that place simply to take
on some stores for the North Atlantic
squadron. The torpedo boat Foote ar
rived at Charleston yesterday on her
way to Key West to join the fiotilla
The Fern sailed yesterday from Sagua
for Key West, having, it is presumed,
delivered all the stores for the starving
reconcenuadoes which so far have been
received from the central relief COM
mittee, New York The battleship
Iowa came over from Tortugas 70 Key
West yesterday. The gunboat AM
napolis has arrived at Curacao. The
training ship Essex has sailed from
New York for Portsmouth.
THE ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT
of the army has sent an invitation To
all of the firms which have in the
past proposed to build disappearing
gun carriages, In answer to the deparr-
ment's advertisement to come for
ward at this time and submit on their
own behalf proposals for building such
carriages. They are invited to state
how many carriages they can under
take to make at one time, and are
enjoined especially to state the exact
time TO be consumed in making them.
1t is believed by the officials that the
deliveries of such carriages could be-
gin in from three 70 four months after
the placing of orders. the difference
in the time depending upon whether
or not the manufactures have their
plans already in hand and also upon
the calibre OF the gun to be mounted,
whether ten or twelve inch. The plans
Of the fertilization board. which are
being followed in the emplacement Of
these guns by the engineers and ord
nance officers of the department. con
template the mounting CT all the big
rifles on disappearing carriages. At
though these are more complicated
and difficult OF manufacture than the
ordinary carriage. it is said at the .de
naftment that owing TO the fact tina.
the makers. are now ana have been for
some time engaged in turning Out
this style Of carriage, they probably
can supply them in the immediate
fnture more quickly than the average
carriage. and with emergency orders
il is felt that the iron works can turn
eut from four TO six or eight Of these
carriages per nonth. The ordnance Of