Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-03-17
NJ DISPATCHES or A DIsTulsBisG
NATURE RECEIVED AT CAPrToL-
The Only Conference of b Day
Was Besween the Members on the
Hoard ON Auxiliary Cruisers
once to he Established tn New
York for Receiving Proposals
New wnaships-Forty ships VIII
Be In.p~cs~d-g nifHeulfy I'm OBJ
fairsnx All Vessels Desired

Washington. March Is. - Yesterday,
unlike last Sunday when the published
statements OF the desire for the recall
of Gen. Lee and the protest OF the
Spanish government against sendlng
war vessels with relief supplies TO
Cuba caused such excitement among
official circles. was comparatively
quiet. There had been no information
bearing on the doings of the court OF
inquiry on the Maine explosion re-
eeived during the day or any other dis
patches calculated TO cause conferences
between the heads OF the various de-
partments. There were a number OF
the experts of the war department
ordnance office al their desks for a
short time during the morning TO at
tend TO some pressing matters. while
at the navy department the board on
auxiliary cruisers held a final meeting
preparatory TO the departure OF the
special board 10 New York. Secretary
Long was at the navy department FOR
n short while. He stated late in the
afternoon that there was no news OF
any nature for the press. and. ad len in
response to a specific inquiry. that
nothing had been received from b
court of in Iuiry.
The board or auxiliary cruisers met
in Assistant Secretary Hsoosevelts
room during the morning Each OF the
bureaus chiefs present was able 70
give the board some information in
cident 10 the work that may be re-
quired 10 tit out any ships that might
be obtained. Several of the members
OF the beard. as originally appointed
10
Look Into the Matter.
are unable TO leave the city at the
present time. so il was determined that
a special board. OF which Capt. Rodg
ers will be president. should be desig-
mated TO proceed TO New York 10 uu-
dertake the work in hand. An office
viii be opened. at which owners and
agents of ships will be invited TO make
their proposals for turning W TO the
Eayy such vessels as are Of value for
conversion into war purposes. The
naval officials say there will be no diff
ticulfy experienced in obtaining all
vessels that are desired as there are
hundreds available. Thanks 70 the
careful work of the naval Intelligence
oce. the department keeps in close
touch with the construction of all craft
that could be u~tilizeftid In the event OF
hostilities. and Just o il has a record
of forty such ships OF all sizes ana
classes which viii be inspected and ex-
amsned If their owners desire to part
with mem.
At the Washington gun factory there
are now in various stages OF construc-
ton no less than $50 guns of formida-
bic character on which work is being
done night and day with a view to
their early completion. A naval officer
said their would be enough OF them
when completed to constitute a fair
for probably thirty or more
auxiliary cruisers should such a large
fleet ne found necessary 10 supplement
the regular warships.
The ordering of the Helena and
Bancroft. now on the European sta
ton. 10 the United States. viii leave
Admiral Howell commanding the sta
rion with one vessel, the San Fran
cisco. No explanation for the action is
vouchsafed by the officials Of the navy
department. and Secretary Long. whe
asked, declined 10 say anything about
the step further than that the two
ships bad been ordered home.