The herald., 1898-03-15

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the first time 'landsmen" were enlisted
for service In the United States at the
League island navy yard. Any ablebodieo
man who answered the physical require
ments was admitted. The reason for this
action, one of the officers Of the shipyard
said today, was that orders have been re-
ceived from Washington to recruit as rap
idly as possible 200 landsmen to serve as
seamen and coal passers.
A HURRY ORDER
NEW YORK, March 14.-A hurry order
was received at Brooklyn navy yard from
Washington for a six-inch gun, to be sent
Immediately to San Francisco. The CUR
is a large. rapid-fire, breech-loading rife
which has been on the receiving ship Yer
mont. The work Of transferring the gun
commenced at once. The officers at the
navy yard were reticent as to what the
gun was needed for at San Francisco, but
1t was reported that there is something
wrong with one of the guns of the cruiser
Philadelphia and this gun is intended to
replace it. The gun will go by rail direct
to Mare island navy yard.
DAvITTS DIPLOMACY
LONDON, March A-Mr. Curzon's reply
tndt MT. 0aVltt QucStiohS iSAos'c ~
loaning warships to the United States were
inopportune was received with loud cries
of Hear, hear" from the Unionist benches.
Mr.. Davitt, in an interview on the sub
| ject, said: II put the question as to the
ships because the subject was not pro-
ceeded with last week. wanted to elicit
the truth. I knew, Of course. that the
statement made to the effect that warships
would possibly be loaned was as absurd as
the rumored alliance, and received ex-
actly the answer I expected. Mr.. Curzon
is too clever a diplomat to give any answer
which would dispel the idea than an Amer
lean alliance is on the tapis. as of course
1t never was. Mr.. Curzon knows 1t, but 1t
serves England's purpose to let the conti-
mental nations think 1t is possible In the
| near future"
ORDERED TO DUTY
STOCKTON, March H.-Will Hender-
shot, an expert electrician of this city, who
was once connected with the cruiser
Charleston and whose name was registered
at Mare island, has received peremptory
orders to report at the navy yard for duty
Immediately.
| MASON'S CHALLENGE
| WASHINGTON. March Ex-senator
Mason received today the challenge sent
him by the editor of the Spanish Illus
trated paper, Ell Cardo The document is
printed and is signed by the editor, the
Marquis de Alta Villa. The challenge is
for combat at swords points and is pre-
ceded by short column Of personal abuse
in which Mr.. Mason is described as IAN
ignoble Yankee senator who scolds like a
woman and who has not the valor to fight
like a man, and who would take slap In
the face without resenting it." The Amer
lean people are referred to as "people who
deal in pigs and whose flag is the almighty
dollar"
The senator accepts the challenge in q
jocose spirit. He says he will have to see
the marquis before he decides whether hi
will accept, but that 1t scarcely accordi
with Spanish modesty for the challeng.
ing party to name the weapons. as Is done
in this instance.
SYMPATHIZE WITH SPAIN
| LONDON, March H.-The Vienna cor
respondent of the Standard declares tina
Austria and Germany sympathize will
Spain, the former being actuated by fam
lily ties between the two reigning houses
and the latter by grudge against tn
United States.
NO COURT SESSION
HAVANA, March 1.-The court Of in
quiry held no session today.
The train from Matanzas for Havana
when near Jaruco about twenty-five mile
out, was fired on tonight. Three mel
were wounded in the arm. George Bar
mum Of Savannah, Ga. received slieh
flesh wound in the arm. The secretary o
the Matanzas municipality was more Sc
verely wounded. Mrs Barnum was wit
her husband at the time he was shot A
soon as the firing began all the passenger
threw themselves upon the floor of the cars
MINING A HARBOR
NEW YORK, March 15-According t
the World, submarine mines are bein
placed in the channel of Sandy Hook by tn
corps of engineers under the direction O
Colonel Roberts. The greatest secrec
has been maintained by the officers an
men in charge of the work.
On Sunday afternoon the operations Of
detachment of men, assisted by a driver
were watched from the shore by numbe
of sightseers. At first it was impossible
discern the exact nature of the work bein
done by the men in the government tn
which had been steaming about the lowe
bay all morning. telescope was pre-
, cured, however, and then the movemer
: of the boat and the men could be see
with ease and disfinctness.
The work of placing the submarine mine
continued all day.
At least twelve officers and men weI
aboard the tug. On the deck of the bos
z were heaps of wire and cables used in tn
, construction of the submarine mines, thre
: heavy anchors and one floating or buo
| torpedo. After the preliminary arrange
| ments the diver was lowered over the sId
| of the vessel. To all appearances he we
descending for the purpose of determinin
the nature of the channels bottom. Fl
was submerged for several minutes. Whe
he came up he held long conversatio
! with the officers.
The second time he went do0n the al
} chor was lowered. A few minutes late
the floating torpedo was cast into tn
| water. To the bottom or cap OF the torped
there was a great ball-like affair, a ohai
was attached for the purpose OF connec
ing the mine with the anchor. 1t va
: fully fifteen minutes before the diver cam
I up the second time. To all appearance
he had moored the torpedo to the ancht
with success. He removed his helmet an
r the tug steamed away.