The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-22
ASSEMBLING THE NAVY.
VESSELS IN SOUTH AMERICAN
PORTS ORDERED NORTH.

8NbNy HSF ActtNe ootNtce ~ tu0 bhotNcat
Feasible Tiue-HEere than 5000 Men 1T
work In the Navy Yards ana Gun Fac-
t~ories-OGSrs from Men to Eater the
NAVY Received from All over the Osuntry.
WASHINGTON, Feb. ola Sundays rest has
had tho effect Of calming the nerves OF official
Washington, and, with everything dependent
on the findings Of the Board Of Inquiry. there 10
nothing TO do except to await the momentous
report FROM the four naval officers. Outwardly
there was little to-day in the big stone building
occupied by the State, War, and Navy Depart
ments to indicate any serious state Of AFFAIRS.
but behind the official curtain things were going
on that were known only to a few persona.
whose faees wore expressions solemn enough to
excite suspicion. The situation 10 admitted to
be very grave indeed. Those In authority do
not deny thar fact, but they are not letting the
public know how critical 10 the condition which
confronts the country. Their official actions,
however. show that every preparation is being
made to meet an emergency.
There was nothing In the kilograms received
to-day from Consul-General Lee and Capt. Sigs.
bee to throw any light on the cause of the terri
bio disaster. Gen. Lee telegraphed that moro
divers were necessary to get tho bodies and
property from the wreck. whore the remains of
o hundred men are supposed to DO imprisoned.
Capt. SiRsbee's dispatches related almost
wholly to the condition Of the wounded In Ha-
vana. The only piece OF Information sent by
him was that no Investigation had been made of
the zone Of the explosion. This was interpreted
to mean that mono Of the divers had been in that
part of the ship to which the havoc was con-
dned. This despatch Of Capt. Sigsbee's. &c is to
be noted. however, bore date of last night. and
therefore cannot refer to any operations that
may have taken place to day. The investiga-
ton IL now practically out Of Capt. Sigsbee's
hands. as the Board Of Inquiry arrived to-day
and began Its duties at once.
While matters arc In q state Of suspension In
Havana. tho Washington end Of the Federal
Government 10 actively engaged in preparations
OF o mopentous character. Tho most signif1-
cant action has been an order autographed to
Capt. Chester Of the cruiser Cincinnati. the
senior oflcer on tho South Atlantic naval Sta
ton. to proceed with his ship and the gunboat
Castine from Para, Brazil. to Barbados. To
understand the full effect of these in.
structions it 10 necessary to know that
the Cincinnati and Castine were recently or
dered from Montevideo to Rio dc J~aneiro, and
later to Para, 30 that they would be nearer
Cuba In the event of trouble with Spain. Now
both vessels have been ordered still nearer the
perturbed Island. The explanation given Of this
withdrawal of every vessel of the United States
Navy from South American waters. where the
interests Of this Government are always guarded
closely, is that yellow foyer has been reported at
Para. and 1t was deemed an unnecessary risk
to expose the officers and crews Of the Cincin.
natl and Castine to infection at that port.
As there are other places ON the east coast Of
South America which are free from the plague,
the explanation requires explanation, particu-
larry in Wow of the fact that It 10 tho settled
policy Of the United States to keep q vessel In
the vicinity Of Montevideo at all times. The
Castine is already on her way to Barbados
although the date of her sailing does not APP
pear on the day bulletin of ship movements
printed by the Navy Department for the infor-
nation Of its officers. Officially there is nothing
to show that the Castine is not anchored at
Para, but. as o matter Of fact. she left that port
on Saturday. The Cincinnati is still at Para,
making hasty preparations for tho voyage. and
will depart just as soon as coal and supplies
have been taken or board.
Quito as significant Is the order TO the com.
mandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard to have the
monitor Terror ready for sea within two days.
The work on her will hardly be completed with
In that time. however. Instructions were tele.
graphed to-day to have her machinery and boil.
ers put In condition for active service imme-
diately. There is much mystery at tho depart
ment as to what will be done with tho Terror.
While her ultimate destination will DO the
headquarters Of the North Atlantic squadron.
there Ia said to be q probability that she
will be sent for o short period to New York or
some other Northern port where there ID no
naval vessel at the present time. In concen.
trating the squadron in tho vicinity of Key
West the Navy Department left the Northern
coast entirely unprotected. There ia no doubt
that the situation 10 considered serious enough
. - NyaerU thA lADaptnnn-t N.na tht. .k.t.
fairs. and orders for tho Terror to proceed north
will not be surprising.
1t has been determined to distribute armored
ships all along the South Atlantic coasts as fast
as they become available. The monitor Puritan.
now at Norfolk undergoing hurried prepare
tions for SEQ service. will take station In Hamp-
ton Roads to protect Norfolk, Fort Monroe,
and the approaches to Washington.
Tho national capitol 10 now the best protected
city In the country that can be reached by water.
Fort Washington, twelve miles below Washing
ton. on the Maryland side of the Potomac. has
been turned into n modern fortiication, with
high powered rifles on disappearing carriages.
At 4 o'clock this morning barRes started from
the Washington Navy Yard with gun carriages
for Fort Sheridan, nearly opposite Fort Wash
where another modern battery is being
No foreign armorclad could pass these
two powerful batteries.
At Port Royal. s. c.. 10 the monitor Amphi.
She will remain there indefinitely to be In
for service in protecting Charleston
and Savannah. Orders have also been issued
for putting the torpedo boats Foote and Wins
low In condition for service Immediately. Both
suffered injury recently. When they are re-
paired they will Join the torpedo boat fiotlla In
tho Gulf. Tho dOuble-turrSt monitor Mianto-
nomoh. now at League Island. Philadelphia, Ii
also to DO made serviceable without delay.
Right In line with these preparations 10 a
recommendation made to Secretary Long by |
Secretary Roosevelt that tho contem-
plated repairs to the gunboat Yorktown be not
made at this time unless they arc coupled with
The substitution for hor slow-hring battery OF
a superior battery Of rapld-nre rifes. The
has six 6-inch slow.hre rifles. and
Roosevelt wants her TO have eight 5,inch
pieces. She can now fro three times
q minute a broAdside, but with the improvement !
suggested this record will DO multiplied six
times. |
III. Eayy naao,tnoont haa nm AL N tt.t 49,.