The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-12
NAVAL ACTIVITY KEPT UP.
Hopo Not Given Up or Securing tho Two IRA.
ziiian Battleahips.

ziiian Bnttieahips.
WASHINGTON. March 11.-Every branch OF the
naval service kept up its customary activity to-
day. The President. through Secretary Long
and Assistant Secretary of State Day, kept in
close touch with the endeavors which Amer
lean agents abroad are making to &C.
cure armorclads and torpedo boats. The
rivalry between Spain and the United States to
obtain options on warships In European ship
yards Is becoming decidedly interesting. The
diplomatic officers and the naval attaches of
this country In Europe are working hard, and
exhausting every resource to obtain informa-
ton and to close deals with those who have
ships to sell.
The State and Navy departments are keeping
In constant telegraphic communication with
these indefatigable representatives of tho
Government, who from London, Paris. Ber-
lin, Rome and the ports where shipyards arc
located are sending long dispatches report
ing In detail what the administration wants to
know. Tho cipher translators of both depart
ments were up to their ears in work to-day.
putting in plain English the secret symbols In
which the dispatches are written.
Spain and the United States arc straining
every effort to make contracts for the delivery
of the two Brazilian ironclads under con-
struction by the Armstrong;. Notwith-
Dbohathb tAS ' W NV oAitioh
Admiralty to English shipbuilders that
they must not dispose Of any warships
to American or Spanish agents without
obtaining Its consent the Navy Department is
hopeful. for some unexplained reason, of
buying some ships at English yards. Tho
Brazilian ships on the market arc the
Amazonis and her sister vessel. On the
recommendation of Secretary Long fol-
lowing advice in a despatch from Lieut. Col
well. United States Naval Attache In Lon.
don, that both vessels are perfectly serviceable
and would be valuable additions to the
American Navy. the President will probably
direct their purchase. II possible. ont OF the
emergency fund. THE Sun reporter was told
to-day by an officer who has been engaged
actively in the attempt to secure war vessels
that II the Amazonis and her counterpart were
not purchased by Sunday they would be lost to
the United States. He would not tell his reasons
for the assertion. but added significantly that
the statement was founded on knowledge.
Hope OF securing the CHILEAN battleship O'Hig.
gins and tho Argentine battleship San MARITIME
has been practically abandoned. The 0IIiggins
Is under construction at an English yard and it
may DO that the Admiralty's embargo is tho rea-
son for the understanding in naval circles that
the CHILEAN armorclad cannot no obtained. This,
however, does not explain why the Navy De-
partment has not given up the endeavor TO buy
the brazilian SHIPS, also uuuer CONTRADICTION In
England, which apparently fall within the Ad.
miralty directions; i WAS fntimated to-day by a
United States was not of the best, on ~
count of the manner in which she had ~ ,
humbled for the baltimore incident, and y ~
this was the reason she was unwilling to help
this country in the present emergency:
and Furthermore, Is not a whit de.
sirous Of assisting the United States
Republic's navy is being increased to
formidable proportions. and with plenty Of
there is no desire at Buenos Ayres to make a
profitable speculation To the detrlment of the
With Brazil the feeling toward the United
States is different. The BRAZILIAN Government
has not forgotten how the United States
assiatod in preventing tho re-establlshment
Of the ,Portuguese monarchy At Rio dc
daath blow when Commander BrownsOn OF the
United States cruiser Detroit sent q hostile shot
into an insurGent battleship which sought TO
Trance 10 the hArbor Of the brazilian capital