The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-14
It WAS A QUIET SUNDAY
Board on Auxiliary Cruisers Met
and Conferred.
FORTY VESSELS READY
A Formidable Fleet Could Be Organized
on Very Short Notice-Gun Work
Is Being Rushed Night
and Day.


like last Sunday, when the published
statements of the desire for the recall
of General Lee and the protest of the
Spanish government against sending
war vessels with relief supplies to Cuba
| caused much excitement among official
! circles, was comparatively quiet. There
| had been no informatinon bearing on
the dongs of the court of inquiry on
the Maine explosion received during the
day, or any other dispatches calculated
to cause conferences between the heads
of the various departments. There
were number of experts of the war
department ordnance officers at their
desks for short time during the morn
ing to attend to some pressing matters,
while at the navy department the board
on auxiliary cruisers held a final meet
ing preparatory to the departure of the
special board to New York.
Secretary Long was at the navy de-
partment for a short time. He stated
late in the afternoon that there was no
news of any nature for the press, and
added in response to a specific inquiry
that nothing had been received from
the court of inquiry.
The board on auxiliary cruisers met
in Assistant Secretary Roosevelt's room
during the morning. There were pres
VIII III oddltlDIl " tile dSSlSldHl S6cT6-
tary, Chief Constructor Hichborn of the
bureau of construction and repair,
Capt. Frederick Rogers of the naval
board of inspection and survey; Cap
tain O'Neill. chief of the ordnance bu-
reau; Lieutenant Sergeant recorder of
the board of inspection. and Lieutenant
Peters of the naval intelligence bureau.
Lieutenant Commander j. Kelley and
Naval Constructor Towresy, the latter
nr,d In ut ,y,c' cl,i I'd
expected, but their orders to attend
had evidently arrived too late to permit
them to do so.
Each of the bureau chiefs present was
able. to give the board some informa-
ton as to the work that may be re-
quired to fit out any ships that may be
obtained. Several of the members of
the board as originally appointed to
look into the matter are unable to leave
the city at the present time, so it was
determined that special board, or
which Captain Rogers will be presi-
dent, should be designated to proceed
to New York tonight to undertake the
work on hand An offieeawilI be opened
at No 26 Cortland street, New York
city, tomorrow morAjng, at which
owners and agents for Ships will be in
Vited to make their proposals for turn
ing over to the navy such vessels as
are of value for conversion into war
purposes. The naval officials say there
will be no difficulty experienced in OBJ
tanning all the vessels that are desired
as there are hundreds available. Thanks
to the careful work of the naval intel
ligence office. the department keeps in
close touch with the construction of all
craft that can be utilized in the event
of war, and just now it has a record of
40 such ships of all sizes and classes
which Will be inspected and examined
If their owners desire to part with
them. \ number of these vessels
have been constructed under the SUBJ
sldy act of congress and are engaged
In carrying the mails The vessels to
be examined will include all classes
from liners like the St. Paul to ocean
going tugs, which can be of very mate
rial service for a number of purposes.
Tonnage, draft, speed. condition of boil
efs and machinery and other attributes
will figure in the thorough inspection
which will be undertaken by the board
before any ehartering or purchasing is
recommended.
At Fort Washington factory, there
are now in various stages of constr,c-
tion no less than $50 guns of formidable
character, on which work is being done
night and day with a view to their early
completion No new guns are being
started, but the entire efforts of the
factory are devoted to finishing those
now under way. A naval officer said
there will be enough Of them when fin
ished to constitute a fair armament for
30 or more auxiliary cruisers, should
such large fleet be found necessary.
The gunboat Machias, which has Just
arrived at Norfolk from the Asiatic
station by way of the Suez canal. has
been found to be in fair shape as a re-
suit of the examination by the navy
inspection board. A thorough over
hauling will be unnecessary in the pres
ent instance. and she will be sent to
Boston. where all necessary repairs can
be made to her in about II days.
The ordering of the Helena and Ban
croft now on the European station to
the United States will leave Admiral
Powell. commanding that station, with
but one vessel the San Francisco No
explanation for the action is vouch-
safed by then officials of the navy de-
partment. and Secretary Long, when
asked to-day, declined to say anything
about the stpp. further than thar the