The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-03
TWO WAR Ships FOR CUBA
They Go Bearing Supplies For
ReeOncentradOs.
THEIR DESPATCH AT FIRST
CAUSED A SENSATION.

Secretary Long Explains the Attitude OF
Congressman Boutel1e and Denies the
Stories About Inharmon ious Relations
a Large Order Placed by Ordnance
| Bureau For Projectiles.
| Washington, March 2.-The decision of
the navy department. to send ships to
Cuba with supplies for the suffering re-
concentrates caused some commotion In
official circles today, until the purpose OF
the visit of the ships came out. The
cruiser Montgomery and the gunboat
| Nashville was selected for the purpose
and orders were sent to Admiral Sicard
to put them in shape for the required
service. 1t is explained at the navy de
partment that this action was taken at
| the instance of the Cuban relief assocla-
| ton, organized through the efforts of the
State department. for the relief of the
destitute on-com batants in Cuba. 1t
was represented to the department. that
great distress prevailed among the peo-
pie in the vicinity of Sagua La Grande
on the northern coast Of the islapd and
that considerable difficulty was expert
enced in sending supplies there because OF
the irfrequsnt visit Of the merchants
ships. On this account the officers OF
the association requested. the Secretary
of the Navy to authorize the use of one
or more of the war ships at Key West in
the TRANSPORTATION there OF supplies con-
tributed by the charitable people OF the
| United States. The Montgomery will
90 to Matanzas and the Nashville to
Sagua La Grande, with the understanding
is that they will remain in these ports
only long enough to deliver the supplies
to the agents of the association for dis
tribution where they will do the most
good, Although the mission assigned to
the warships will take them 10th within
q short distance of Havana. it Is said that
neither vessels will visit the Cuban
capital.
4 TO remove the impression that had got
abroad to the effect that the relations be-
tween the navy department. and the
House naval committee were not harrno-
nious. Secretary Long this afternoon said:
"Congressman Boutelle has been mis-
understood. He is one of the most patri-
otic men In the world and always willing
to work hard for the navy. In his annu-
al report, the secretary recommended
force on account of the increase in the
number of ships. The naval COMMITTEES,
OF which Mr.. Boutelle is chairman, has
already decided to grant this increase
in the regular Enaval appropriation bill.
Meantime il there should be any 1mme-
diate necessity for more men, the same
committee and Mr.. Boutelle, as its chair
man, are ready to make provision to that
effect at once.
A cabIegram came from Gen. Lee dur
ing the day to the state department.. but
it made no reference to the Maine affair,
being devoted to the periodical statement
of the amount of tobacco that ie being
shipped from Cuba to the United States
PORTS, thus giving evidence of actual re-
Inoval Of the export prohibition decree.
Capt. Chester, commanding the South
Atlantic squadron, Was also heard from.
his cablegran relating to the docking OF
the gunboat Castine, now at Port of
France. Tho department. has sent him
the necessary authorization and the ship
will 20 into the dry dock there. A COM
mander for the monitor Miantonomah,
which was ordered into commission yes
terday, was selected today in the person
of Capt. Mortimer johnson, who is at
present on waiting orders. Secretary
Long says that the Miantonomah, with
the ram Katahdin, will remain in the
Delaware for the present at least.
With the commissioning of these two
vessels there remnin only the cruiHers
Columbia and Minneapolis on the ATTAIN
tic coast available for immediate service
in case the department. should decide to
commission more ships The Atlanta at
New York could be made ready in three
or four months and the Chicago in six
months, in case emergency orders for
their repair were issued. There are q
number of good ships on the Pacific coast,
however, whose repair is under way, such
as the Charleston. the Philadelphia,
the Yorktown and others, and the pay
rolls of the construction bureau at the
Marc island navy yard have now amount
ed to the total of $60,o00 pei. month for
wages alone.
The navigation bureau is still busy
with the preparation of the death certifi-
Gates for the families of the victims Of
the Maine disaster. Capt. Hawley, who
has the matter in charge, says that owing
to the necessary formalitios the certiti-
Gates cannot be issued before March l5.
/ 1t is said in the naval bureau there IS
need of able mechanics for the navy
caused by the fact that everyone of the
machinists on the Maine lost his life in
the explosion.
In the ordnance bureau the placing of a
large order for projeotiles is the result
of talks between Secretary Alger, Senator
Hawley of the Senate committee on mill
tary affairs and representatives of the
House military committee. 1t was made
clear to the secretary that it was GER
taiuty that appropriations would be
forthcoming and it was deemed the part
of wisdom to make the contract now as
the supplies would not be in hand for
some months.
PROCTOR ALMOST SAW FIGHT.
Havana, March 2.-The barge brought
here by the wrecking tug l. H. Merritt is
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