The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-14
DAY WITHOUT DEVELOPMENTS.
SUNDAY BRINGS NO EXCITEMENT
TO OFFICIAL CIRCLES.


ON the DOings OF the Court of In
quiry-The Board on Securing
Auxiliary Cruisers Holds a short
SessiOn-FOrty Mere h n N m e N
Available for War Purposes.
Washington Gun Factory Rushing
to Completion $50 Formidable
Weapons--TwO Ships Ordered
Home From Europe.
Washington, March 1S.-To-day, unlike
last Sunday when the published state
ments of the desire for the recall of Gen.
Lee and the protest of the Spanish gov
ernment against sending war vessels with
relief supplies to Cuba caused much ex-
citement in official circles, was eompara-
lively quiet.
There had been no information bearing
on the doings of the court of inquiry on
the Maine explosion received during the
day or any other dispatches calculated to
cause conference between the heads Of the
various departments.
There were number of experts of the
war department ordnance Office at their
desks for a short time during the morning
to attend to some pressing matters, while
at the navy department the board on aux
iliary cruisers held final meeting pre-
paratory to the departure of the special
board for New York.
Secretary Long was at the navy depart
ment for a shore while. 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 moth
ing had been received from the court of in
quiry.
The board on auxiliary cruisers met in
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt's room dur
ing the morning. There were present, in
addition to the Assistant Secretary, Chief
Constructor Hichborn of the bureau of
construction and repair, Capt. Frederick
Rodgers of the naval board of inspection
and survey, Capt. ONeill, chief of the
ordnance bureau, Lieut.. Sergeant, record
er Of the board of inspection, and Lieut.,
Peters of the naval intelligence bureau.
Lieutenant Commander J. d. Kelley and
Naval Constructor Towresey, the latter
now on duty at Cramps Ship yard, were
~
evidently arrived too late to permit them
to do So
Each of the bureau chiefs present was
able to give the board some information
incident to work that may be required TO
fit out any ships that might be obtained
Several Of the members of the board as
originally appointed to look into the mat
ter are unable to leave the city at the
present time so it was determined that
<.f ,.rli oh, orf RndCprC will
be president, should be designated to pro-
ceed to New York tonight to undertake
the work at hand. An office will be opened
at 26 Courtandt street, New York city
tomorrow morning, at which owners and
agents for ships will be invited TO make
their proposals. for turning over 20 the
navy such vessels as are Of value for 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
intelligence office, the department keeps in
close touch with the construction of all
craft that Gould be utilized in the event of
hostilit.es 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. A num-
ber of these are vessels which have been
gress and are engaged in carrying the
mails. The vessels to be examined will in
cIude all classes, from liners like the St.
Paul to ocean going tugs, which can be of
very material service for number of pur-
poses.
Tonnage, draft, speed, conditions of boil
ers and machinery, and other attributes
will figure in the thorough inspection
which will be undertaken by the board
laac cfr fzs
ommended.N> Both the ordnance bureau
and that engaged in the work Of construc-
tion and repair are ready to take their
part in fitting out and equipping such yes-
sells as may be required.
At the Washington gun factory there are
now in various stages of construction no
less than 100 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 en-
tire 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 fair armament for
probably thirty or more auxiliary cruisers
should so large fleet be found necessary
to supplement the regular warships.
The gunboat Machias, which has just
arrived at Norfolk from the Asiatic sta
tion by way of the Suez canal, has been
found to be In fair shape as a result of
the examination by the naval inspection
board A thorough overhauling will be
unnecessary in the present instance as
she will be sent to Boston, where all
necessary repairs can be made to her In
about twelve days
The ordering of the Helena and the
Bancroft, now on the European station,
TO the United States, will leave the adj
miral commanding that station with but
one vessel, viz the San Francisco. No
explanation for the action Is vouehsafed
by the officials OF the navy department,
and Secretary Long, when asked, declined
to say anything about the step further
than that the two ships had been ordered
home.