The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-10

Washington, March 9--The feature of
the days events was the promptitude
with which the senate passed the house
bill authorizing an appropriation of
$50 GOO. 600 for the national defense, and
the haste with which it was put
through the formal proceedings, en-
crossed and signed by the president.
While the matter has been considered,
it can he stated that the fund has not
yet been allotted among the various
branches of the government service.
Each of these had prepared roughly
and tentatively ar estimate of the
funds il could dispose of TO advantage,
bur upon looking over the ground the
president concluded that it would be
well. perhaps, to avoid making the al
lotment until the necessity became APP
parent. The reason back of this is
that the sum that can profitably be
spent for Warships cannot even be
guessed at with approximation to ac-
curacy just now.
FIRST CHOICE.
AS the ships are to be first choice in
the steps for defense, until their cost
is ascertained. il is not possible to di-
vide the remainder Of the appropria-
tion among the other branches of the
military and naval services.
The secretary of the navy is making
every effort TO secure from our naval
attaches and by diplomatic officers
abroad. all information obtainable re-
speeding the number of ships building,
their price and other data. This does
rot necessarily Interfere with the eX-
ecution Of the plans c0nfided to Cap
tain Bronson, who sailed for SOuthamp-
ten today. but rather promises TO assist
him materially in making speed with
his inquiries. Up to this moment not
only has the United States government
bought no warship. but it has not even
secured an option on one There are
many applications coming to the de-
partment from persons and firms which
desire TO sell ships to the government,
but in most of these cases one of two
fatal obstacles are encountered TO the
contamination OF the sales. Either the
craft offered is not suitable for naval
needs, or the date OF possible compile
ton is so distant from three months
upward, that it cannot be regarded as
worthy of purchase TO meet an emer-
gency. There is less difficulty eXper-
fenced in securing tenders of war ma
terial, such as shot and shell and pow
der, and the navy department has al
most assured itself of an abundant sup
ply of certain kinds Of smokeless pow
der abroad at short notice.
The officials of the department are in
daily correspondence by mail and tele-
graph with agents of ammunition
houses, and, besides, are now fully ac
quainted with the plans of domestic
powder makers for charging their
plants to meet an emergency.
HANDICAPPED IN ARMOR.
The representatives of the arnor-
making firms are in consultation with
the department steadily, generally rela-
tive to the supply of gun forgings and
such material for use in the gun shops
here and at Watervliet, but the armor
is receiving little attention, as the
amor makers report that they cannot
Undertake, by any known agency, to
turn out such armor as would be re-
quired for a modern battIeship in less
than seven months, for the reason that
the tempering and face-hardening can
not be FASTENED without destroying the
value Of the armor Thus, il has been
demonstrated to the navy department
that it viii not be possible to snake the
armor for the superb battleships. three
in number, now building at Newport
News and at Cramps. and at the Union
Iron Works in san Francisco. ~ time
TO render ships far better. il is claim
ed. than any offered from abroad for
sale. available Tor any emergency that
may arise this year.
WANT FORMIDABLE SHIPS.
ct is known that the authorities ex-
pect to spend 5000 Geo or $50, 0O0 900 in
purchasing ships. if such sum can be
spent judiciously. and TO the advantage
of this government Secretary Long
admitted that he has a list of vessels
prepared, which Commander Brownson
viii inspect particularly, and which
this government hopes to acquire but
he declined to make it public. Not
only is the navy department searching
"a oh inv r.z- fpss N-gCcn1C ~
near completion, but foreign govern
ments, through our diplomatic repre-
sentatiyes accredited TO them, have
been approached with a view to ac-
quiring soree of the most formidable
ships that belong 70 or are being con-
structed for their navies.
so FAR WITHOUT RESULT.
80 far the negotiations have met
with no satisfactory response. In fact,
from information which the authorities
have received, apprehension has arisen
that this government may be unable to
increase its sea power by the purchase
of men-of-war under construction or in
the possession of foreign powers. But
the obstacle which has developed in the
shape of the Discrimination of powers to
part with ships, the president and his
advi,ers hope to sweep away by the
employment of liberal sums of money,
and to add to the navy within a short
time a feet of warships which will
make undoubted our superiority over
the navy of Spain and our ability to de-
fend the United States and punish our
enemies
JAPANESE VESSELS.
1T is evident that the United States
is certain of getting possession of two
vyarships under construction for for
eign governments, and these are the
Japanese vessels which are being con-
structed al Philadelphia and San Fran
cisco. Aside from these ships. the
navy department is without definite
knowledge of any warships for sale of
the class it desires to obtain.
SPANS PURCHASE UNCERTAIN.
1.-THE rumored purchase of Spain Of