Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-03-24
TWO NEW WARSHIPS.
Triumphant Purchases by the Navy
Department..

Triumphant Purchases by the Navy
Department.
Washington. March 16. - A weeks
negotiations closed yesterday by the
triumphant purchase by the navy de
partment in London of the two fine
cruisers built and building at Elswick
for the Brazilian government. Posi-
bly, the officials took more pleasure III
closing up the business in this manner
because of the knowledge that the
Spanish agents had been striving to
secure these very ships, to whom, it
is said. they would be of much greater
value in case Of trouble than to the
United States. The next question is
how to get the ships home, and that
has not yet been settled according to
the secretary of the navy. The United
States flag will be hoisted over the
new ships within week, probably,
| Put aboard the Amazonas she will be
started for the United States. The
other vessel will follow at the earliest
possible moment. The terms of sale
are secret. The availability of the two
Brazilian ships was first brought to
the attention Of the navy department
by Mr.. Laine, agent of the Maxim
| Nordenfeldt company, who was au-
thorized to dispose these ships and
| two others in course Of construction in
France. Mr.. Laine said that the two
ships purchased would be most de-
sirable acquisition to the American
navy, as they were
The Latest and Rest
| products Of the famous Armstrong
yards. One of the slips is complete in
every respect, has her coal supply and
ammunition on board, and steam can
be raised at any time. There will be
| no trouble in bringing the ship across
as an adequate force from the local
yards can be secured for the service.
1t is said the coal and ammunition on
board passed with the sale to the
United States. The ammunition is not
all of the kind in use by the United
States navy. so that the supply OF am
| munition is necessary adjCnct to the
| new ships. The other ship has been
launched but it will take some time to
make her ready for sea. Mr.. Laine
believes, however, that there will be
no difficulty in bringing her over i'm
| mediately if it is desired to make the
move without delay, as the hull of
the ship is we'll along and she could be
| towcd and her own sail power used
| for the trip across.
A dangerous deficiency in the ,engi-
neer department has been brought to
light strikingly in the fact that it is
scarcely possible to secure staff OF
engineer officers to bring back to the
United States any of the ships pur-
chased abroad. This state of affairs
has been brought to the attention of
the house naval committee, but so far
it is feared without meeting that de-
gree Of success which it was hoped for
in the shape Of an amendment
Increasing the Number
Of engineer officers in the service. Col.
Haywood, the commandment of the ma
rinc corps. has made five details Of
marines for cruisers now being re-
paired or ready for commission.
Senator Proctor visited the White
House and uptown departments and"
his calls excited a good deal of inter-
est He spent half an hour first with
Secretary Alger. explaining. it is be-
lieved. the military situation in Cuba,
and afterward had a conference with
Judge Day, assistant secretary of
state. Then he went to the White
House and was closeted with the pres
idcn, for two hours and a quarter.
When he emerged from the room he
courteously declined to speak regard
ing thc nature of the information he
had communicated to the president.
Because of IL protest from some of
tile Western people the secretary OF
war has modified his order of last
week changing the names of bounds of
the military department so as to re-
tain the name of the department of the
Missouri. 10 do this however, it was
necessary to abandon the naming OF
"The Department OF the Platte,' and
the territory included within the pres
ent limits of that department Will be
known rs the department Of the Mis-
souri,. The old 'ent of the Mis-