The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27

takers now on board those ships. together with
the sailors available on receiving ships at nav
yards, IL would DO possible TO commission both
vessels before Congress acts on tho enlistment
recommendation. At present the navy 10 nearel
its quota allowed by law than at any time In
recent years. and, owing to the DEPARTMENT.
policy TO maintain full crows in ships In active
service, every vacancy will be filled as fast as II
occurs.
Although 5000 tons Of coal have recently
been shipped to the North Atlantic feet at Key
West, the department finds that the quantity
on hand 10 short by thousands of tons required
in case ships of the service should have to per
form extended cruises, and In order to DO pre-
pared to furnish any quantity they might need,
a large appropriation IL to be asked OF Congress
for purchasing additional quantities. Tho coal
now ut Key West and on its way will be suffi-
cient to supply the ships in that vicinity for
perhaps two or three weeks. but with
the recent addition OF tho Terror to active
service and the Minneapolis and Columbia.
with tho Puritan being held In readiness,
the demands upon tho coal will DO 80 pressing
that tho usual quantity purchased at one time
by the Government will not suffice. Commander
Bradford. head OF the Equipment Bureau. 10 in
charge OF the coal supply.
An estimate made to-day of the time in whic h
torpedo boats building could be placed in service
shows that IL extra work were performed and
an effort made to got them in commission
promptly. all but three could be sent to sea with.
in ono month. The exceptions are the Colds
boro. Bailey and Stringer. These could not DO
completed under any circumstance for several
months.
Consideration has already been given by the
officials to the question Of contracting for tho
use of some merchant vessel that could be fitted
out as a repair ship. During the Gillian war
scare Secretary Tracy impressed into service
the Red Star line steamer Ohio. sailing out Of
Philadelphia, and sent her to Boston. whore
she was fully equipped with all the tools and
machinery necessary for effocting repairs to
vessels injured in engagements. The Ohio
was just about to sail for Valparaiso to join
the feet assembled there when Chili's apology
for outrages on the Baltimore's mon
came and the possibility Of trouble was averted.
Several ships suitable for this purpose have
been considered, and II the department decides
TO make use Of any of them the full equipment
could be promptly obtained. Should it be
necessary 10 transport large quantities OF sup
plies to the North Atlantic fleet the service
will have convenient q largo lighter Of q carry.
Ing capacity Of 900 tons. This craft was
launched some time ago in'New York, and will
soon DO ready for service.
Again the subject Of dry docks has como to
tho serious attention Of Secretary Long, who
recognizes that the navy's facilities in this re.
spect are lamentably short. The Port Royal
dock. owing to tho lack of water near its en-.
trance. cannot be used, except by the cruiser
class now with the fleet. An appropriation of
1O0,o00 available in June. 1895. for tho pur.
pose of dredging tho shallow spot has never
been used. owing to tho desire of the de-
partment to negotiate for additional land at
the station, which 1t is proposed to fill in by the
dredgings taken from the river. The new dry
dock Mt New York is unavailable. but according
to the Bureau of Yards and Docks it will be
ready for service about tho latter part Of April.
The constructors say that by working extra
force and longer hours it could be made ready
by March "a. This dock is tho only one In which
battleships can be taken.