The Portland daily press., 1898-03-05
AMMUNITION FOR AslATlc SHIPS
Training Ship Mohican To Be Dispatched
With Supply.

Washington, March 1.-THE navy de-
partment is making preparations to
replenish thu supply of ammunition
of the United States warships on the
Asiatic station. To this end orders have
been sent to the training ship Mohlcan.
now at Mare island, to carry the am
munition. The ship was just about
to l3ave for long cruise with the naval
apprentices. going as far as the Samoan
island. Her first stop was to be at Homo
lulu and the department has seized the
opportunity to utilize her as powder
ship without interfering with the timer
airy already arranged for her cruise. She
will carry 80 tons of ammunition for the
fleet and will start almost Immediately.
1t is stated at the department that this
is only part of the regular supply of
ammunition forwarded to the United
States naval stations ABROAD When oppor-
tunity serves.
The department had gathered hun
drcd tons of ammunition at Mare ISL
and for the Asiatic feet and this stock
has been lying there for several months
on account of the inability of the or
dnance bureau to forward it. The mer-
chant marine engaged in regular passen-
carry such dangerous cargossor ask ex-
oessively high freight rates in order to
protect themselves against loss of insur-
ance.
The only word received at the State De-
partment from Gen. Lee during the past
"a hours came in sort cablegram re-
ceived last night addressed to Assistant
Secretary Day. His cablegram read as
follows:
Havana. March 3.-Have established
asylum for destitute small orphans, re-
gardless of nationality. The money sent
by you will be applied to the purchase
of food for said orphans.
(Signed)
''Lee.'
The war department, it is understood,
will endeavor to induce the treasury
officials to return the Tortugas islands
to its jurisdiction, but at the treasury
department. it is stated that no requisite
ion has yet been made upon the secretary
of the treasury for the re-transfer.
Should the request be made 1t is stated
| that IL will be complied with at once.
| The most essential feature of its defense
would be the mounting of heavy guns
and with these the harbor would give one
of the best projections in southern wat
| ers The main defences are on thu Tor
tugus meaning Turtle island and occu-
plying practically all the entire islnnd,
| dlJQOuQu
sweeps around it, affording additional
shelter. The fort is known as Fort
Jefferson. 1t is three story brick struc-
| ture. with casemates the walls being four
feet three inches thick. The garrison
quarters are located in these classmates
| the old plan being to place artillery in
TIE upper stories and the infantry be-
low. The old defenses consisted of 81
and AZ. FOUNDER guns and one or two par
rots of 200 and 300 pounds. These four
! feet and three inch walls, and old style
guns would be of little service in
| modern warfare and such as remain are
out of practical service because OF the
quarantine uses to which Fort Jefferson
has been put in recent years. 1t is
thought, however that the old brick fort
would serve temporarily use as garrison
and that the surroundings afford good
| location for heavy guns to protect the
roadstead.
The Notifications board, headed by Gen.
Miles, sometime ago reported that The
Tortugus lands were necessary as part
of our coast defense.
The naval scheme of defense of the
coast as laid down in the plans by the
naval war college last summer, also com
peted the Tortugus islands as base Of
operations while the board appointed by
! Secretary Long to select sites for dry
docks last autumn also devoted consld-
cradle space in it's report to showing
the importance of the islands from q
strategic point of view. This anchorage
| is probably better than that of Key
West fac6 made evident by the prefer
ence for the Tortugus harbor shown by
Admiral Sicard during the southern
rendezvous of the Notrh Atlantic squad
ron now in progress.