The record-union., 1898-03-06


while it is stated that these steps ara
in accordance with past plans, there
| is no concealment of the fact that the
Administration is impressed with a
sense Of duty in putting the two
branches of war in the highest eff
cheney to meet any emergency.
There is no disposition to anticipate
an emergency order to say that any
| situation will develop which will call
| into ,.se the preparations now on foot
| On the contrary, the highest authori-
| ties OF the naval and military branches
! say they do not expect an emergency.
| but are performing the duty allotted
| to them Of being ready for any duty
| that may come, no matter how unex-
pectad it may be. These high officials
| do not wish to minimize their prepara-
| tions or to assert that they are merely
routine. neither do they wish these
preparations to be construed far beyond
| their legitimate extent and made the
base for alarming reports of war meas
! ureS.
| In referring to this subject a mem
Der of the Cabinet said that he felt
that patriotic instincts should inspire
just measuring of the activity now
evident at no more or no less than it
really meant
The Navy Department is somewhat
embarrassed by the lack of seamen nee
essary TO fill the complement of ships
IN service or about TO go into commits
sion, and in view of the shortage the
of1lclals in charge of the recruiting sta
tlons at League Island Norfolk and
New York have been instructed to en-
list such seamen as may be available
and not confine themselves to persons
who have heretofore been in the navy.
According to an official of the Con-
struction Bureau of the navy, it will be
some time before the Charleston, York
town and Philadelphia, now at the Mare
Island yard, are again ready for sea
service unless extraordinary measures
are taken 10 hurry the work on them.
The yorktown and Philadelphia, It is
suggested, might be prepared again for
sea service in very short time, if they
are not put in commission, but if the
latter step is resorted to, they will re-
qulre from six to nine months to put
them in shape
The war Department is having some
difficulty in obtaining the title to suf-
flclent ground at Point Wilson. Wash
ington, on which it is proposed to erect
tortiflcationS, because the owners of
much of the land are scattered over the
country, and trouble has been expert
| enced in securing their addresses. The
matter is now in the hands of the De-
partrnent of Justice, which is doing
everything possible to settle the ques-
ton The nature and extent OF the
works to be erected will depend upon
the money available.
we are pressing work on fortifiea-
tions,' said an official OF the War De-
partment, just as we have been since
the permanent system of coast defense
was inaugurated by Congress about two
years ago. We aim to spend all the
money Congress appropriates yearly;
that legislative body will be induced to
continue to authorize expenditures for
this necessary adjunct of National de-
fense. Naturally, the public is now
taking great interest in all that is GO
ing on. and probably observes with
closer scrutiny everything being done
This, coupled with the fact that no one
except members of Congress are al
lowed to enter the fortifications. and
these only with the consent of the Sec
matter all the more mysterious. No. [
would not be at liberty to tell of any
steps that are being taken a he result
Vi the pending excitement, even if l
knew of SUCH
A visit to the Navy Department, one
OF those made at not infrequent inter-
walls by Lieutenant Keller, u. S. N,
caused the immediate circulate Of a
report that the Government is embark
ing on large undertaking of inspec-
tion OF all vessels of our merchant ma
Tine that might be available for naval
service in case of need The terms of
the subsidy Act which was passed sew
erai years ago appear to be designed TO
secure the creation of ga class of YES
sells under the American flag built in
American ship yards that shall be. first.
suitable for the rapid and safe carriage
OF the United States mails and second
suitable for transformation in case of
reed into auxiliary cruisers for the
navy. Ever since the passage of that
Act the Navy Department has had of
ficers at work inspecting merchant yes
sells, either in their primary stages of
construction, or after completion when
their owners sought to take advantage
Of the Act and claim subsidy for their
ships. Many vessels have been so in
spected, and the naval officers have re-
ported as to their fitness or unftness
for naval service. Lieutenant Kelly is
now in charge of that particular branch
Of the navy, and has been prosecuting
il with diligence. Without doubt the
public excitement of the last few weeks
induced a number of vessel owners who
have never before sought to take ad-
vantage of the subsidy Act TO submit
their ships to the Navy Department for
examination now and this has resulted
IN unusual activity on the part of the
inspecting officers.
The afmored cruiser Brooklyn arrived
at La Guayra. Venezuela, yesterday
and reported last night by cable to the
Navy Department. 1t is the intention
OF the authorities to keep the ship at
that port for a few days. or at least
antil ii is demonstrated that the insig-
nlncant revolutionary movement in the
eastern portion CT the country is shown
not to endanger any American inter-
ests- The plan is for the BROOKLYN to
proceed to Colon and await orders from
the Department.
The Newport. with the Nicaragua
Canal Commission aboard arrived at
Colon yesterday, with the expectation
OF remaining until the 10th inst. The
training ship Essex has sailed from
Fort Monroe to Tompkinsvile.
Senor Dubosie. the Spanish Charge
d Affairs. called at the State Depart
ment to-day and had a short talk with
Judge Day concerning filibustering YES
sells. The Department decided to get
fuller information than had thus far4
heAn flrriShad l. ,,,,.i.....-t