The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-17

institutes, but, the contrary, the dQ-
mipistration has determined that a very
large naval force is necessitated by the In
creased obligations the United States has
undertaken or mad forced upon IL. Some OF
the vessels, however, will be restored to
their regular service. The revenue cutters,
sixteen in number, which were added to the
gun was fired by the Nashville on April %
last, will be restored to the Treasury De-
partment for coast duty almost immediate
", and in such condition with their arms
and equipment that they could be utilized
for national defense on moments notice.
These vessels, or most OF them, have been
of great service during the war, and their
officers and crews have in some instances
been as effective as regular naval men un-
der fire. This was notably the case with
the revenue cutter Hudson in the first en-
gagement in Cuban waters, on May IL.
when Ensign Bagley and four other men OF
the WinsloW shed the first blood OF war.
The four lighthouse tenders are also needed
for their regular peace patrol work, espe-
cially for the next three months, which
constitute their busiest period. one or
these, the Suwanee, has been active in most
OF the fighting at Guantanamo and San
after the protocol was signed In Washing
ton last Friday. The two Fish Commits
sion vessels will also be given up in few
days.
In the same manner the vessels which
we're chartered as auxiliaries under the pro-
visions of the postal subsidy law will be re-
turned to their owners, in accordance with
the terms of that contract, so they can be
restored to their original condition after
the declaration of peace. These include the
ST Paul and the st. Louis, to go out of
commission next week; the Harvard, for
merly the New York, and the Yale, for
merly the Paris, already turned over to the
army as transports, and the Yankee, the
Prairie, the Dixie, the Yosemite, the Pan
Their and the Badger of the Morgan and
Red d lines. Regarding the disposition OF
the twenty-five purchased yachts, tnere is
considerable difference Of opinion in the
navy, and no decision has been reached.
Twenty-Five torpedo boats were also
he haey ing Of n W
most of them. especially the largest and
highest powered, may be needed for long
time at least, as naval auxiliaries in the
harbors of Cuba ard Porto Rico and at the
navy yards of this country. Such vessels
are required constantly at New YORK,
Hampton Roads and Key West for towing
war ships, for carrying supplies and for
countless other purposes, and when pos
sessed of sea-going qualities they will be
invaluable for duty around the new inland
possessions of the United States.
The ambulance ship Soiace, formerly the
Cromwell line steamer Creole 1t is proposed
to maintain permanently in the naval Meet,
and after her present voyage to Porto Rico
it Is probable she will start for the Philip
pine islands to care for the SICK OF Adj
miral Deweys squadron. Naval officers
have high regard for the repair ship Vul-
van. This Intensely practical American nov
city has demonstrated her worth in re-
markable degree, at Guantanamo, and bu-
reau officials are so enthusiastic about ner
that they have urged the advisability or
sending her at once to Manila and hitting
Atlantic.
Perhaps the most remarkable economical
achievement affecting the navy which has
occurred during the war has been due TO
the purchase of twenty Golfers and half
a dozen refrigerator and dstilling vessels.
The refrigerator ships may perhaps De dis
pensed with, but most of the golfers are
certain of retention. At the outbreak or
the war Sampson and Schley were cabling
for coal. but could obtain none, and in this
emergency the purchase OF Golfers began.
The fleet of these vessels in the Atlantic
now includes the Abarenda, the Alexandra,
the Car, the Fustin, the Lebanon the
Leondas, the Niagara, the Pompey the
Casius, the Saturn, the Scandal, the South
Grey. the Sterling, the Hector and the Mari
ollus the latter two taking the place of the
sunken Merrimac. In the Pacific there are
four such ships the Brutus. the Nero, the
Zafiro and the Nashan, the latter two pur-
chased by Admiral Dewey. Just before the
war broke out Admiral Dewey had to pay
$40 a ton for fuel at Hong-Kong. The Navy
ton by sailing vessels and $40 by steamer,
and at these rates over 10000 tons have been
sent to him.
Monterey and Monadnock across the Pa
cific was forced upon the Navy Department
Commodore Bradford solved 1t and avoided
the dangers of trying to coal these vessels
at sea by purchasing two of the largest
Golfers in that ocean to tow the war SHIPS
in order that the latter might save their
coal and yet be constantly ready for action
in case an enemy was encountered. The
Brutus, which towed the Monterey, and the
Nero, which went with the MonadnOck,
each took AGO tons of coal and maintained
a speed of seven knots for 1000 miles, while
the Monadnock under its own steam could
scarcely have gone a thousand miles al ten
knots. With certainty. that the United
States will hereafter maintain large fleet
in Asiatic waters and with the necessity
for keeping large amounts of fuel at Homo
lulu Samoa and Guam, as well as in the
Philippines at least six first-class steam
golfers must be maintained In the Pacitc
ocean. With the sphere of naval activity
in the Atlantic, and especially in the West
Indies permanently augmented. at least ten
such GOLFERS will be required on the eastern
coast of the United States and 1t is there
fore unlikely that more than one or two
of the smaller vessels of this class will be
sold 1t is evident from these considera-
tons that more than half of the auxiliaries
which have entered the naval fleets in the
last three months are to stay, and naval
officers are confident that one of the first
acts of the next Congress will provide
means for very large programme of naval
construction which will place the United
States firmly among the leading powers OF
the world in the prime essential of pre-
paredneSS for war.