The age-herald., 1898-03-15
Not Enough to Bring Home Ships Pur
 chased From Foreign Countries.
MARINES DETAILED FOR oRUIsERs
Senator Proctor Visits the White House and the War and State Departments, and His Call Created Great
 Deal of Interest.

Washington, March 14.-A weeks negotia tions closed today by the triumphant pun chase by the navy department, in London of two fine cruisers built and building al Elswck for the Brazilian g5vernmenf Possibly the officials took more pleaspr, in closing up the business in this manfie3 because of the knowledge that the Spanisl agents had been striving to secure thesi very ships, to whom, 1t is said, they woult be of much greater value in case of trouble than to the United States. The next ques- tion is, how to get the ships home, and that has not yet been settled, according to the secretary of the navy. The United States flag will be hoisted over the new ships within week, probably, and just as soon as the crew can be put aboard the Ama- zonas will start for the United States. The other vessel will follow at the earliest pos- sible moment. The terms of sale are ses cret. 4 The availability of the two Brazilian ships was first brought to the attention of the navy department by MT. Lane, agent of the Maxim-Nordenfeld company, who vas authorized to dispose of these ships build- ing alt Elswick, and two others in course of construction in France. Mir. Lane said tdy day that the two ships purchased would be a most desirable acquisition to the Ameri- can navy, as they were the latest and best products of the famous Armstrong; yards.
 One Ship Complete
 One of the ships is complete in every re- spect, has her coal supply and ammunition on board and steam can be raised at any time. There will be no trouble in bringing this ship across, as an adequate force from the local yards can be secured for the service It is said the coal and ammunitieH on board passed with the sale -toth united States. The ammunition is not all of tho kind used by the United States navy, se that the supply of ammunition is neces, sary adjunct to the new ships.
 The other ship has been launched, but if will take some time to make her ready for sea MT. Lane believes, however, thai there will be no difficulty in bringing her over immediately if it is desired to maks the movement without delay. The hull of the ship is so well along that she could be lowed and her own sail power utilized for the trip across. dangerous deficiency in the engineer branch of the navy has brought to light the fact that 1t is scarcely possible to secure a staff of engineer offis cers to bring back to the United States any of the ships purchased abroad. A short time ago when orders were given to rush the work of putting the cruiser Chicago in shape for active service, the engineef-inT chief proposed that he would have tho ship ready in three months instead of six as was estimated. To dc thls he would work forces day and night and to keep them at the work, he would place an en- gineer officer aboard the ship to stay there day and night.
 Death of Engineers
 Passed Assistant Engineer Dixon was chosen for the work, but he had not been employed more than week before 1t was found necessary to detach him in order to find an engineer officer to act as al merhbeE of the board appointed to examine auXii. iary cruisers. This state of affairs has been brought to the attention of the house naval committee, but so far it Is feared without meeting that degree of success which it was hoped for in the shape of an amendment in creasing the number of engineer officers in the service
 Colonel Haywood, the commandant of th9 marine corps, today made five details e9 marines for cruisers now being repaired oQ mady for commission There are two drafts of 45 each for the Philadelphia and the Charleston at Mare Island. one of 59 for the Newark at Norfolk and two of 30 each for the Columbia and Minneapolis al League island.
 Senator Proctor visited the white house anl the war and state departments today and his call excited good deal of interest. He spent half an hour first with Secretary
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