Evening journal., 1898-04-16
THE NEW NAVY.
Naval Reserves Ordered to tho Morgan
Linors-we May Get tho OIIiggins.

Linors-we May Get tho OHiggins.
WASHINGTON. April 16.-several
important and decisive steps in the
work of war preparation were taken
by the navy department yesterday. II
was decided TO assign the naval re-
serves Of New York. New Jersey, Mas
iachusetts. Maryland and Michigan to
the five auxiliary cruisers hereafter 20
30 known as patrol boats These ships
ara the Prairie, the Dixie, the Yankee.
tho Yosemite and either the Venezuela
Dr tho Yorktown. the latter OF which was
purchased yesterday. The question OF
-ho American line steamers was also
wound up with the decision TO charter
all four OF them, tho IT. Louis the St.
Paul. the Paris and the New York. The
two first mentioned have already been
acquired by the department. though the
form of acquisition was tentative, the
department being undecided whether
Il would purchase these two only or
charter all four With the announce
nent that these magnificent ships had
been added to the auxiliary feet came
the statement that the department also
had purchased the Yorktown Of the Old
Dominion line and the Yumuri of the
Ward line. With these additions the
iieet OF converted vessels now includes
the pick Of the ocean liners and coasting
steamers running under the American
nag. As in all Instances the prices paid
are withheld by the department.
But Of greater moment than any OF
these developments was the reOpening
Of negotiations for the purchase of two
warsbips and several torpedo boats
! from Chile and Argentine. One Of the
cruisers " the Chilean OHigglns. just
completed at an English yard and re-
garded AZ one OF tho most formidable
OF her class aflOat. These negotiations
are being conducted through Mr.
Charles r. Flint OF New York. who has
large commercial and financial interests
ia both countries
lfr. Flint was At the navy depart
ment yesterday and held extended con-
ferences with tho secretary and other
officials. While Mr.. Flint would not say
how far the negotiations had progress
ed, he intlmated that the internal at-
fairH VI Chile and Argentine were as
| sumipg such satisfactory shape az to
warrant the presumption that they
were not averse to parting with a por-
tlon Of their navies. The boundary dis
! pute between Chile and Argentine, he
explained, had caused such strained re-
/
reduction in the naval strength OF ei-
ther country. The dispute has now,
however. been left to the arbitration OF
Queen Victoria, and the prospects OF a
thoroughly peaceful and satisfactory
adjustment or this cid quarrel are more
than good. With this peoples cause
for trouble in fair way % removal, Mr..
| Flint said that the ablest and most
conservative men in both Chile and
Argentine were In favor Of reducing
the naval establishments and econo-
mizing in expenditures.
Naturally, however neither country
was inclined TO weaken Itself alone.
and the proposition was pending that
each shall dispense with an equal
number OF ships. tt has taken definite
shape In the suggestion that Chile shall
sell the O'Higgins and one torpedo
boat. while Argentine shall dispose OF
either the Garibaldi or the San Mar
tin, both fine cruisers. and two torpe-
do boats This would leave the two
navies In about the same respective
condition.
In addition to the strong argument Of
reduction In expenses, Mr.. Flint stated
that smother and possibly more power
iul "a tor was behind the scheme 10 do
creaee the navics not only in Chile ans
Argentine but in other South American
countries as well, and that was the
fact that history has taught that chiefly
in the navies lies the danger Of revolu-
tion. Consequently the governments in
power generally favored reducing the
navies TO the lowest possible limit
Should Chile and Argentine decide tc
sell these vessels il was believed tc
be practically assured that they will be
added to the naval list of the United
States.
The patrol ships will be assigned tc
p the Atlantic coast line and form q par
! of the general plan OF coast defense
The scheme. as understood. Is to assigr
one OF the patrol vessels to each OF IN,
3 iive divisions that have been mappet
out for the mosquito feet under com
o. mand OF Commander Horace Elmer
7 These vessels win be the nagships o.
7 their divisions and will be under com
[ mand OF a naval officer. These assign
{. ments already have been made. TIL,
only other officer of the regular nav,
j, aboard win be one engineer. the res
, 1f the officers and the crew to be mad
n up of the naval reserves, with the pos
20 1ible addition OF volunteers. IL volun
r teers are assigned to them, they mos
y probably viii be the regular officers an,
+ crews Of the ships. Il being the desir
Z % the department to retain as many q
!. these men as possible.
t II is stated that there will be no at
/ tempt TO observe sectional lines in max
INK up the crews OF the patrol fleet. IN
g reserves in best condition and mos