New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-06
THE AUXILIARY FLEET.
STEAMSHIPS PURCHASED FROM THE
MORGAN LINE TO BE CONVERTED
INTO CRUISERS.

,o,- Norcan Line steamers-F SOL III NOtte'
=, c,a and u, Rio-as auxiliary naval cruisers.
which was ordered to-day by the President con-
s.,,u+od tho most important and In fact the only
notable war preparation Or the day lhose are
the finest vessels OF the coastwise Meet ana III
comparahly tho best adapted for naYal purposes
q, onv ~ rho merchant vessels nying the Amer'-
con flag which have so far been seriously o'"-
sidared Although they will present large tar
gets to IN enemy. they VIII have enormous e'a'
caoab,tv when altered ard as they VIII main
tain fifteen or sixteen knots an hour over lohe
distances they are expected to he OF great
value In picket duty against uhartlo'eu p'"
teer3 and torpedo notillas
1bev Will he sent 10 the New-YOrk and Nor
foil, navy ynrIs FOR equipment and should De
mazda reedv for service in about three weeks
II 10 intended to mount G-inch rapid-ire rlie
on the forecast" Of each Of these cruisers 10
give them hroadsides Of four J-inch rapid-hre
guns and to provide them With secondary
battery OF slx-pounders. three-pouno"rs anu ma
chine guns. after the manner o. the latest naNa'
rr.ctice I'm ships Of their size The'r magazines
will he placed below the waterino' ana covered
with coal protection. Coal hunkor' VIII also DE
bull, around the machinery spaces. ana pe't Oh
light arlnor plate will be attached along the
sdes from the waterlinc up for additional &C.
curity to the machinery. Each vessel VIII nave
an equipment Of searchlights and torpedo
launching apparatus II s said that the new
vessels may be utilized "a FAR from the Oh!'ed
states rs any vessel now IN tho Navy, on ac-
count Of their comparative independence OF
coal bases and that their speed VIII enao!e 'heih
20 keep out ot the way OF an enernys arnored
vessels which alone the. need fear.
FL sud sailed from New-orleans Yesterday
and f. due I'm New York Saturday El Norte
left New Orleans en- Apr |. and ought to be
in New-York to- morrow. FL Sol was TO SAL
from New-York for New-Oreans at } o'clock
to-day but at tho Navy Yard 1t was UNDERSTOOD
this afternoon that she was stopped In time.
Tonight II WAS rot definitely known where FL
RIO IT, but no delay is anticipated In getting
tho boats TO the navy yards by the time their
material Is ready fr them. y
COMMANDERS AND GUNS READY.
Commander Charles H. Rockwell, command
mt " the naval station at Port Royal ana
Lieutenant Commander Edward D Tauss'g
now on coast survey duty have volunteered to
command two OF the new vessels. The report
that guns were wanting for these ships and
others which may ho bought IL altogether un-
founded The Naval Ordnance Bureau. in add
ton the 6-in1h guns held in reserve for me
s. Louis and the st. Paul. at the New ork
Navy Yard. has ready for immediate use at least
thlrty-hv- 5-inch and sixteen G-inch raplf-hre
guns and in a great emergency would not hest
tate 10 utilize the rapd-hre battery which has
been built Tor the cruiser Chicago TIL" Bethle-
hem Company Is also making fifteen t-inch
guns ror - Navy which ar" nearly ready.
few OF them being ready to deliver next week
one Of the chief difficulties which Is now con-
fronting tho Navy IS 70 secure men for all the
new vessels that have been added 10 II in the
last two weeks with recruiting boards AT
work I'm the West and every enlisting induce
mcnt offered desirable men, II has taken
more than "A month Co get men enough to MI OUT
the compliments ~ such fine SHIPS az 'nc
columbia and tho Minneapolis Other ships or
the regular service arc to-day sho't-handed u
small extent and not n single man has YET D"eh
obtained for the now cruiser New dreams;
which may arrive IN New York this week Naval
officers are not worried about this matter yet
for thcv are confident that the moment there IS
All actual declaration OF war volunteers fof sea
duty viii be numerous and any NUMBER OF
ships ca be speedily manned and sent 10 sea
Another and "A more serious embarrassment
that must be met IS the lack ~ officers 10 con-
trpl the n"w ships. The eKp"dient or graduating
the nrst class Of the Naval Academy yesterday.
TWO years ahead ~ time. showed the straits OF
the Navy I'm this matter. \ plan has been de-
,,scd to remedy tho deficiency. I'm part At least
hy calling upon the retired officers ~ the Navy
for shore service In case OF war IN order 10 Tree
all on the active list for duty ahoat several re-
tired officers Of the highest rank. who ar" stu!
as vigorous they were before they reacn'i
the age 81 siXty-two. including EHa--AdnlrhIS
John a. Walker. A T.. *. Benham. Bancroft
Ghcrardi and James = Jouctt. have already al
piled for sea duty. and several more have volun-
tcered for Navy yard commands. \ large num-
her OF officers who are iucapacitated for arluous
sea service VIII be summoned To Washington TO
conduct the naval bureaus, releasing Faiuahie
officers now required afoat. but absolutely
essential In Washington under present condi-
lions In the event u calling upon the retired
officers. Il Ia generally conceded that Admiral
Walker would return 10 his old plac" as Chief
OF Navigation. and become practically the
director OF the Navy under the President and
Secretary Long.
HALF THE FIFTY MILLIONS DISPOSED or.
More than half Of the so 900 600 National De-
fence Fund has been allotted and is now In use
rs shown by the following statement OF its dis
trlbuton
Navy-Ordnance. SIO0O0o0; ships purchased
s. OOOOoO. Tortugas and Key West. $l,0W,oo;
coal. $500. 600 construction and repair. 5000.
H e equipment pa" S-o sorps and miscellaneous
Army-Ordnancr. S..WHlO0; engineers. So
OOoOOO Quartcrmaster-G General and chief Sig
nal Officer Sl.50o.OOo total. $ll.JoOOOo. Ag-
grcgate. 81. 10000.
Beyond this expenditure fully half ~ what
remains has been definitely reserved for addi-
tional auxiliary vessels. which may be i'm
pressed into the service at any hour. The re
maindcr is practically set aside TO support the
naval attaches abroad in their efforts 10 secure
more ships. and to meet the sigh; drafts they
may he authorized 10 make
For all practical purposes therefore. the fund
Is exhausted, and If any further steps ARE 10 be
taken. such as extended movements of troops
Congress Will have to furnish more money. II
is not anticipated. however. that any more Will
hc required unless there IL an actual resort u
hOstilitics which would ncccssiiate an appro-
priation Of 500 OOO.OOO a. once. To hc followed
by like sums from time To time as required
The Port Royal naval station WAS to-day de
clared ready for all naval usea. including the
dockagc and repairs OF battle ships. whicA have
been kept away from there. since the Indiana
was locked over a year ago. The channel and
dock entrance have now been dredeed To admit
the Iowa or any OF the smaller craft with
safety and tho machine shops have been put III
operation fOr all classes of work. The station
L.L tLn =. n =. d L-r