New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-14
QUIET AT WASHINGTON.
NOTHING DEFINITE HEARD FROM THE
BOARD Of INQUIRY.
NAVAL, BOARD on AUXILIARY CRUISERS IN sEs-
sION-A SPECIAL BOARD TO MEET IN NEW
YORK To-DAY-owNERs OF SHIPS TO
BE INVITED TO TURN OVER YES
Sells FOR WAR PURPOSES.

Sells FOR WAR PURPOSES.
Washington. March 13-To-day unlike last
Sunday. when the published statements OF the
desire for the recall Of General Lee and the pro-
test Of the Spanish Government against sending
war vessels with relief supplies to Cuba caused
much excitement among official circles was
comparatively quiet There had been no IN
formation bearing on the doings of the Court
Of Inquiry on the Maine explosion received dur
ing the day or any other dispatches calculated
To cause conference between the heads or the
various departments. There were n number OF
the experts Of the War Department ordnance
office at their desks FOR a short time during the
morning to attend to some pressing matters
while at the Navy Department the Board on
Auxiliary Cruisers held final meeting prepara-
tory TO the departure OF the Special 3oard to
New York.
Secretary Long was at the Navy Department
for a short time. He stated late in the atter-
noon that there no news of any nature ior
the press and added. in response to specihc
inquiry that nothing had been received from
the Court of Inquiry.
BOARD on AUXILIARY CRUISERS
The Board on Auxiliary Cruisers met IN the
room Of Assistant Secretary Roosevelt IN the
morning There were present. in addition to
The Assistant
IIichborn OF the Bureau Of Construction and
Repair: Captain Frederick Rodgers, of the
Naval Board Of Inspection and Survey C2)-
tain O'Neil Chief of the Ordnance Bureau;
Lieutenant Sargent. recorder Of the Board Of
Inspectlon. and Lieutenant Peters Of the Naval
Intelligence Bureau. Lieutenant Commander
J. D. Kelley and Naval Constructor Towresy the
latter now on duty at Cramps shipyards, were
expected, but their orders TO attend had evident
ly arrived too late to permit them 10 do so. hach
Of the bureau chiefs present was able to give
the Board some information incident to work
that may be required to tit out any ships that
may he obtained.
SPECIAL BOARD To COME TO NEW-fORk
Several OF the members Of the Board as
originally appointed to look into the matter
are unable to leave the city at the present time
so it was determined that a special Board, OF
which Captain Rodgers will be president. should
be designated - proceed 70 New York tonight
TO undertake the work in hand An office VIII be
opened at No. "6 Cortlandt-st. New-York city.
tO-morrow at which owners and agents for
ships will be invited TO make their proposals
for turning over to the Navy such vessels as
are Of value for conversion into war purposes
The naval officials say there will be no diff
Guilty experienced in obtaining all the vessels
bic. Thanks to the careful work Of the Naval
Intelligence Office. the Department keeps in
close touch with the construction of all craft
that could be utilized in the event Of hostiliies,
and lust now II has a record Of forty such ships
Of all sizes and classes which will he inspected
and examined II their owners desire 10 part
with them. number of these are vessels which
have been constructed under the Subsidy Act OF
Congress- and are engaged In carrying the mails
VESSELS TO DE GARRETT LILY EXAMINED.
The vessels to be examined will include all
classes. from liners TO ocean-going tugs, which
can be Of very material service for a number Of
purposes. Tonnage, draught, speed. conditions
Of boilers and machinery and other attributes
will figure in the thorough inspection which will
be undertaken by the Board before any charter
ing or purchasing is recommended Botn the
ordnance Bureau and that engaged IN tne Worh VOTE
OF construction and repair are ready 10 take
their part IN fitting out and equippinS such yes
sells as may he acquired.
M The Washington gun factory there now
i'm various stages OF construction no less than
one hundred and fifty guns Of formidable char
acter on which work is being done night and
new guns are being started, but the entire ef-
forts Of the factory are devoted 10 finishing
those now under way. a naval officer said there
would be enough OF them when finished 10 con-
stitIlte a fair armament for probably thirty or
more auxiliary cruisers. should such large fleet
be found necessary to supplement the regular
warshlps.
THE MACTItAS IN GOOD SHAPE
The gunboat Machas. which has just arrived
at Norfolk from the Asiatc station by way OF
the Suez Canal has been found to be in fair
shape az a result OF the examination by the
Naval Inspection Board A thorough overhaul
ing will be unnecessary in the present Instance.
and she will be sent TO Boston. where all neces-
sary repairs can be made to her in about twelve
days The ordering Of the Helena and the Ban
rrofr now on the European station, 20 the
United states will leave Admiral Howell com
manding that station with but one vessel the
san Francisco. No explanation for the action
Is vouchsafed by the officials Of the Navy De-
partment and Secretary Long when asked to-
day declined say anything about this step
further than that the two ships had been ordered
home.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL