The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-10

WASHINGTON, March 9.-The feat
ure of the days events was the promp-
tltude with which the senate passed
the house bill carrying the appropria-
ton OF $50, 10000 for the national de-
tense and the haste with which it was
put through the formal proceedings.
engrossed and signed by the president.
While the matter has been considered
1t can be stated that the fund has not
been allotted among the various
branches of the government service.
Each of these had prepared roughly
and tentatively an estimate of the
funds it could dispose of to advantage,
but upon looking over the ground the
president concluded that it would be
We'll perhaps to avoid making the al
lotment until the necessity became ap-
parent. The reason back of this is that
the sum which can be profitably spent
Tor Warships cannot even be guessed
at with any approximation to accuracy
just now.
AS the ships are to be first choice
in the steps for defense, until their cost
is ascertained it is not possible to di-
vide the remainder of the appropriation
among the other branches of the mill
tary and naval services.
The secretary of the navy Is making
every effort to secure from our naval
attaches and diplomatic officers abroad
all information obtainable respecting
the number of ships building, their
price and other data. This does not
necessarily interfere with the execu-
tion of the plans confided to Capt
Brownson, who sailed for Southamp-
ton today, but rather promises to as
sist him materially in making speed
with his inquiries.
Up to this moment not only has the
United States government bought no
warships, but it has not even secured
an option on one.
Ships for Sale.
There are many applications coming
TO the department from persons and
firms who desire to sell ships to the
government, but in most of these cases
one of two fatal obstacles are encount-
cred to the consummation of the sales.
Either the craft offered is not suitable
for naval needs, or the date of possible
completion is so distant, from three
months upward, that it cannot be re-
garded as worthy of purchase to meet
an emergency.
There is less difficulty experienced in
securing tenders of war material, such
as shot and shell and POWDER and the
navy department has almost assured
itself of an abundant supply of certain
kinds of smokeless powder abroad at
short notice. The officials of the de-
by mail and telegraph with agents of
ammunition houses, and besides are
now fully acquainted with the plans of
domestic powder makers for enlarging
their plants to meet an emergency.
The representatives of the armor
making firms are in consultation with
the department steadily, generally rel
ative to the supply of gun forgings and
such material for use in the gun shops
here and at Watervliet but the ques-
tion of armor is receiving little atten-
tion as the armor makers report that
they cannot undertake by any known
agency to turn out such armor as
would be required for modern battle
ship in less than seven months, for the
reason that tempering and face-har-
dening cannot be hastened without de-
stroying the value of the armor Thus
1t has been demonstrated to the navy
department that it will not be possible
to make the armor for the superb bat
tleShips, three in number now build
ing at Newport News and at Cramps
and at the Union Iron Works in San
Francisco, in time to render these
Ships far better, 1t Is claimed, than
any offered from abroad for sale, avail
able for any emergency that may arise
this year.
Modern Rifles.
The war department Is arranging to
Secure a large supply oi the lnOSl IlOu-
ern rifle, sufficient in time of emergency
to arm force of 100000. The need of
these modern guns has long been ap-
parent, but congress has not shown a
disposition to supply any reserve of
rifles for use by volunteer force in
time of emergency. Now, however, an
adequate supply of the most effective
rifles will be among the first uses to
which the war department will put its
share of the defense fund.
1t was stated by high officials Of the
department today that no board was
necessary to inquire into the merits of
the various guns on the market, but
that the department would turn to the
best sources of supply. These, it is
said, are ample within the United
States to turn out rifles of the most
approved pattern as fast as the govern
ment wants them. 1t is not unlikely,
however, that the demand will require
the army to turn from the Krag-Jor-
gensen rifle, now in use, and adopt in
part, at least, one of the American
made guns.
Gen. Miles strongly favors the
''straight-pull gun" 1t is of Ameri-
can make and has been adopted by
the British government as the stand