The record-union., 1898-03-09
our RELATIONS WITH
SPAIN FAVORABLE.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

ment with Mr.. Lane. who has submitted
to the Department prcpc sails for the sale
of certain warships now building IN Eu-
rope at private shipyards What passed
between them is not known, but Mr.
Lane hastened Immediately to the cable
office at the conclusion OF the conVefsa-
tion to communicate directly with ms
principals in Europe.
The Secretary made it plain TO the
legislators at the conference that the
Department is very much better pre-
pared than has been supposed IN the
matter Of accurate information CT me
shipbuiIding in progress in European
sEipyards. But the point upon Whlch
the Department now seeks to inform Il
self goes beyond this and looks 10 Sc
curing information as to which OF these
ships can be purchased Immediately. lt
was shown that very many more difilcul- r.
ties exist than the public is aware OF N
the acquirement of such property as
warships. Most Of these craft under
construction are building under special
orders for various Governments, ana
only q few, and those perhaps not of the
most desirable type. are in the builders
hands in such shape that they can be at
the European powers. under strong
1nonarchial form of Government, il IS
possible for permission to be given at
once for the sale of a ship to another
Nation. but III the case of more complex
forms Of Government, such as those tha1
exist in the South American Republics,
(which have ordered ships now under
construction in Europe it is feared that
loon nhIAE-
nions exist as TO the transfer Of the
rights of these countries in their SHIPS
to the United States, necessitating te-
course to the legislative branches o.
Jheir Governments for authorization.
This will be a time consuming process
that could be scarcely entertained IN our
case.
1t is particularly with view to ac-
Quiring information on this point, that
is the possibility of buying ships lmfne-
d ately. that Captain BroWnson has bean
selected to go to Europe. lie is an Of
1iCer of great discretion, and his expert
ence on the Board of Inspection, Whlch
is charged with the duty of Thoroughly
examining all ships built for the navy,
has thoroughly familiarized him WITH
all of the details of the various types Oh
warships, battleShipS, armored cruisers,
protected cruisers, monitors and tor
pedo boats. During the conference TINS
morning he was made fully acquainted
with the views of the Secretary and MS
advisers as TO the proper scope OF ms
mission. and he will lose no time in start
ing for Europe. After the conference H.
had a long interview with Assistant Se1-
retary Day of the State Department. and
arranged to obtain letters to Unlte
States ambassadors and Ministers
abroad. instructing them TO place every
force at their disposal at work to help
Captain Brownson.
Commander Brownson will sail from
New York for southampton by the hrst
available steamer and will prosecute his
duties in England and France with the
utmost diligence and dispatch. Al
Southampton he Will be joined by Lieu
terant j. &. COlwell. naval attache OF
the American Embassy, with as little
delay as possible, and will confer with
Lieutenant w. 5. Sis. naval attache To
the American Embassy at Paris ana III
his company inspect the two battleshlpS
Marshal FIorian and Marshal Deodoro
now building for the Brazilian navy, ana
which. il is understood, can be purchases
by the United States.
Commander Brownson is also charged
" it'll the important duty of inVestigat-
ing the practicability of the purchase
from foreign manufacturers Of ordnance
material in case our own supply should
prove inadequate.
1t is known positively that negotia-
tions are in progress toward having
the United States acquire the two crack
cruisers now being built for Japan, one
NOW at the Cramp yards at Philadel-
.phia and the other at the Union Iron
Works of San Francisco. The nego-
tiations naturally are circuitous, as
there are three parties in it. namely,
1he Japanese Government, the United
States and the shipbuilders. There
rs good reason to believe that terms Will
gbe made between the United States and
dhe ship-builders. and that so far as
rhey are concerned the transaction
could be concluded without much fur
7her negotiation. While suggestions
have been made that the right of en-
inent domain would permit the United
States to take the two cruisers without
reference to Japan's rights, there is no
desire among officials here 10 resort TO
ssuch radical steps Moreover il is
said that such action would be an in
sternational offense directed against
end an unfriendly act which this
.Government is not likely to commit at
nhis moment toward a friendly Power
,The present negotiations contemplate
Uapan's full 'acquiescence, but whether
Hhey Will succeed cannot be said at
this time 1t IS known positively, how
ever. that no Overtures have been sub
1nitted thus far To the authorities at
Toxic, and il would be for them 10 give
dhe final decision. Pending this, a
contract could not be made nor an OPP
zion given.
The negotiations took a marked step
forward to-day. although as stated they
have not reached the final stage. The
two cruisers are not only being built
for Japan bat they have already be-
come the actual property Of Japan by
the payment OF considerable portion
OF the purchase price. 10 Wit: Sl,330, GOO
each. They are within three months
Of completion ON an emergency basis.
They are designed to make twenty
two l;rojs. which rank them among the
swiftest cruisers in the world Their
armament. primary and secondary. IS
according to Japanese naval stand
ard. which proved SO effective in her
recent war with China.
The Government officials here feel
that ,here is not likely TO be manifest
ed an exhibition or a disposition on the
part of the japanese to stand upon
technical objections 10 the sale of these
ships To the United States Govern
ment in case the decision is reached
10 purchase them, basing this belief
npon many kindly expressions that Of