The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-10
IT is NOT YET ALLOTTED
The Big National Defense Fund
Will Be Divided.
GETTING THE DATA READY
NO Warships Have Been Bought Yet.
Plenty of Ammunition offered From
Abroad-The Report of Court In
quiry Expected Next Week.

the udy events was the pfonptitudt
with which the senate passed the house
Dill authorizing an appropriation of $780,.
00000OO for the national defense, and the
haste with which it was put through the
formal proceedings engrossed and sign
ed by the president. While the matter
has been considered, it can be stated
that the fund had not yet been allotted
among the various branches of the gov
ernment services. Each of these had
prepared roughly and tentatively an es-
innate of the funds it could dispose OF
to advantage, but upon looking over
the ground, the president concluded tina,
1t would be well, perhaps, to avoid max
ing the allotment until the necessity be-
came apparent. The reason back OF
this is that the sum that can be profit
ably spent for warships cannot even be
guessed at with approximation to ac-
curacy just now.
As the purchase of ships is to be the
first step toward defense, until their cost
is ascertained, it is not possible to di-
vide the remainder of the appropriation
among the other branches of the mili-
tary and naval service. The secretary
of the navy is making every effort to Sc
cure from our naval attaches and by
diplomatic officers abroad all informa-
tion obtainable respecting the number of
ships building, their price and other
data. This does not necessarily inter-
fere with the execution of the plans
confided to Captain Brownson, who
sailed for Southampton to-day, but
rather to assist him materially in max
ing 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 department from persons and firms
which desire to sell ships to the govern
ment, but in most of these cases one or
two fatal obstacles are encountered to
the contamination of the sales. Either
the craft offered is not suitable for ra-
val needs, or the date of possible COM
pletion is so distant, from three months
upwards. that it cannot be regarded
worthy of purchase to meet an emer-
gency.
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 it
self of an abundant supply of certain
kinds of smokeless powder abroad at
short notice. The officials of the de-
partment are in daily correspondence by
mail and telegraph with agents of am
munition houses, and besides are now
fully acquainted with the plans of do
mestic powder makers for enlarging
their plants to meet an emergency The
representatives of the armor-making
firms are in consultation with the de-
partment steadily, generally relative to
the supply of gun forgines and such
material for use in the gun shops here
and at Waterville, but the armor is re-
ceivtng little attention, as the armor
makers report that they cannot under
take by Any known agency 70 turn out
such armnr as would be required for a
modern battleship in less than seven
months, for the reason that tempering
and face hardening cannot be fastened
without destroying the value of the ar
NOR. Thus, it has been demonstrated
to the navy department. it will not be
possible to make the armor for the su-
perb battleships, three in number, now
building at Newport News and at
Cramps and at the Union Iron Works
in San Francisco in time
The statement was made at the navy
department to-day that the report of the
Maine court of inquiry probably would
come to the department some time next
week. 1t did not appear. however, that
this statement was founded on any IL
rect report from the court, but was
rather an estimate based upo4 the prog
ress so far made, as revealed by the
change of methods on the part of the
court. 1t Is not expected that Lieutenant
Commander Mark, the judge advocate
~ tllC tOuIl, VIII itdst the court until
II has completed its labors, as it is the
custom for the judge advocate to assist
in the preparation of the final return
Of the court.
Many communications are coming 10
the white house and the state depart
nent from all parts of the country
upon the patriotic spirit exhibited in
dealing with the latest phases of the
Cuban question. Most of them are Off
iaI h41f "a
% the president. Admiral Sicard has
been authorized to enlist suitable men
Tor the navy at Key West if he can
ind the material. He reported that he
had received some applications from /
and seamen and was I'M
nediately given the power to take the |
men. The department IS still striving |
vigorously to secure machinists, and
especially men who know how to run
stationary engines. These men can be
quickly taught how to run marine en-
zines and require little other training |
o make them valuable aboard ship.
onlcial reports indicate that the au-
onomy scheme projected for Porto |
iico has been put into successful oper-
ttlon. This Is interesting mainly be-
ause Of resemblance between the
project and the plan which it is now
ought to put in place in Cuba. The
leNs came In the shape of the follow
ng report given out at the state de-
A dispatch from the United States
onsui at San Juan. Porto Rico, states
hat the inauguration Of the cabinet
nd the ceremony of declaring auton-
my in effect in that island occurred
n the 18th ultimo He says the whole
ay was one of great manifestation OF
oy and the whole population seemed
o be happy over the thought that
home rule at last had been granted
'orto Rico
The war department is arranging to
ecure large supply of the most mod
IN rifles, sufficient in time of emergen-
Y to arm a force of 500, 600 men. The /
eed of these modern guns has long
cen apparent, but congress has not
hown disposition to supply any re-
erye Of rifles for use by volunteer
orce in time of emergency. Now,
owever. an adequate supply Of the