Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-19
SUSPENSE.
Continued from page ~

while the Detroit sailel from that port
for Tortugas. The Machias has arrived
at Boston. where she will have slight re-
pairs made.
The ordnance bureau of the war depart
ment, today, awarded contracts FOR a
large number of steel armor piercing and
deck piercing projrctiles for the coast
fertilization guns. Their" We're several
bidders, but instead of giving the con-
tr3Ct to one concern, the bureau divided
the contract so that supplies Will be
looming from several quarters at the same
time. award r. as follows: Carpenter
Steel Co. $50 S-inch armor piercing shots;
900 I0-inch armor piercing shot: $50 1o-inch
armor piercing shell; 80 Finch deck
piercing shells of 500 pounds each On u
inch deck piercing shells of 1000 pounds
ehch.
Sterling Steel CO., 100 S-inch armor
piercing shell; 100 lV-inch armor piercing
shot; 80 lo-inch armor piercing shell; 80
l.-inch decn piercing shells of 500 pounds
each; 205 Finch deck piercing shells of
l0tV pounds each.
Midvale Steel CO.. $50 Pinch deck pierre
ing shells of 500 pounds each, 34i 12-lnch
deck piercing shells. 1000 pounds eacn.
The report that the Nesuvius had been
sighted carly IN the day coming through
the Virginia capcS headed for Washing
ton gave rise to 4 rumor that she was
hrngng the report of the naval board OF
inquiry to Washington. This. however
could not be confirmed from any official
source. At the navy department it was
admitted that the NesuVus was bound
for Washington. but it WAS expected that
she WAS coming merely for repairs to her
armament and ii WAS denied that she had
ON board any member of the naval board
or that she was carrying the report Of
that body.
The Ncsuvius did not reach Washing
ton tonight. but it was reported at the
navy yard that she anchored of the gov
rrumcnt proving grounds ut Indian Head
about clock, when she WAS met by the
big navy ward tug Triton. which returned
10 the yard about =. NJ. II WAS denied
That tn" Triton brought anyone from the
ErSuVius TO Washington.
See Long went to bed at 9 o'clock with
strict orders not to he disturbed. and AS
Sistant Secretary of State Day spent the
evening At the theatre. stopping for a few
minutes only at the White House where
he had a talk with the President in the
presence of the other members Of the
family
The navy department has the following
list of the spanish torpedo notilla now
at the Canary islands: Torpedo boat de
Stroyers Terror Furor ana Pluton. each
Of $50 tons and a speed of ~ knots: tor
pedo boats AEON. ~ tons. - knots: Ra-
Sor. 10 tons, 80 knots: Aristr 12S tons. %
knots; and Ciudad de Cadis l2o tons. -
knots
The navy department has not SUSPENDED
us cilortS to buy Warshps abroad. and in
no direction is thcr" visible amy relaXa-
,loh OF the purpose to provide. against
hostile attack.
The formation of the new squadron AT
Hampton Roads is the outcome Of th-
tehptrdtlonS of the strategy board which
mas been sitting almost tally at tho navy
department for some time past
Another conclusion 0f the board which
1t is desired To put in force as soon ~
n"S'ibIc, IS that the navy must u, rein
FORCED 10y Il number of torpedo boat dc
StrpNrrS and torpedo boats. one dis ting
uishcd naval officer expressed the opin-
non today. that TWO torpedo boat de
StroycrS might annihilAte the most for
nldable battl"Ship in the world if they
stood ready t" run the risk of being sunk
themselves
So far the department has been unable
to buy any abroad and while four tor
pedo boats of the large class of 81 knots
speed, almost equal to the destroyer type.
are being built in this country they can
come.
y report OF one of the largest English
torpedo-hoat firms now in Washington
criticized our government. today. as hay
ing been too narrow minded i'm allotting
money for such boats. He claimed that
the English ship builders make the lowest
prices in the world. but that no one of
them would undertake to build and guar
;tntce Il &ell-equppel torpedo destroyer
Tor less than S30h.G0u. while the Inited
states was not willing to pay its builders
more than tWo-thirdS of this sum for such
boats.
Senator fIawley of Connecticut called
ut the navy departments. this morning.
IN company with Thomas +. Rowland. the
builder of the first monitor on Ericcson's
plans
The war department. today made an
other allotment for the engineering
branch of the service. This consisted of
S2.9'3.tpo and WAS charged against the
special appropriation of So, 900 900 made
last week. The money will be expended
in the carrying out of plans for the fcrti-
icationS of tn" coast already perfected
ami announced in tn" last annual report
of the chief engineers.