The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-11
Work on the Available Fighting Craf TT
at Home Ordered Finished
Within Thirty Days.
ORDER FOR ARMS AND POWDER
FORCES DOUBLED AT THE BIG
UNITED STATES FACTORIES.
Cleveland Firm offered a Bonus for
25O,OOO Tons of Coal to BE DeIiv-
cred at Key West at Once.

WASHINGTON, March 10-The United
States government has not yet acquired d
single additional ship for the navy. This
is true not because of a lack of offers of
war ships from abroad, but simply for the
reason that the Navy Department is pro-
ceeding with all of the circumspection con-
sistent with the needs of the case in look
ing after the qualities and prices of the
craft. There is strong disposition to re-
frain from being drawn into bad bargains
and to insist on getting good vessels at
prices not extortionate. Secretary Long
was in receipt of a large number Of cable
grams to-day, almost all relating to offers
of ships. Lieutenant Niblack, the United
States naval attache at Berlin, st. Peters
burg and Vienna, is particularly active in
the quest for vessels. There was a good
deal of talk during the day about the as
| signment of officers to the command of
auxiliary cruisers, the st. Paul and st.
Louis being specially mentioned but Sec
retary Long set these stories at rest by the
statement that he had not made any such
assignments, and had only progressed to the
point of informing himself Of the possibility
of getting the ships officered and manned
| quickly.
While looking after new ships the off,
cials of the Navy Department are not neg
| lecting the old vessels, and arrangements
| have been made to make short repairs on
several ships that in the ordinary course
would not be treated in that fashion, but
would receive thorough and time-consum-
/! ing overhauling. Thus, in the case of the
Philadelphia, which has had five years
| hard work, and has never yet been done
| over. as is the custom, orders have gone to
Mare island to put her in shape for sea
| within forty days. The Yorktown, at the
! same yard, is not to be touched at present.
| not only because she is in fair condition.
| but also because she is not so formidable
| craft as to make it desirable to divert to
| her repair attention required elsewhere. At
! Norfolk the Newark is set down for thirty
| days repairs, and, as a good deal of work
| mas already been done on her. she will be
almost a new ship when she comes out of
the yard. The big monitor Puritan has
practically completed her repairs. The mon
| itor Comanche, at Mare island, has been
examined and found in tolerable condition
! AT League island the monitor Miantonomoh
and the ram Katahdin went into commits
| sion to-day, although they have not vet had
their orders. They probably will remain in
| the Delaware river or drop down into the
day from Mobile to attach herself again to
| the f1otilla at Key West
| Again it was said at the Navy Depart
ment that nothing had been heard from the
court of inquiry at Havana nor from Ad-
miral Sicard at Key West. The presence
| in the city of several persons connected
| with steamship lines and steel works led
| to the circulation of a number of sensation
al stories during the day, but perhaps none
of these had the persistency of one that
found currency at the Capitol, until it met
with a summary denial at the hands of
Assistant Secretary Day, to the effect that
Minister Woodford had notified the Span
| ish government that the President intended
to send to Congress a message announcing
his recognition of Cuban independence.
Commander Hawley left Washington this
| evening for the South, with Chief Engineer
Webster and Surgeon Persons to enlist ma
chinists for the navy. During the day the
board changed it's plans and finally started
directly for New Orleans 1t has been in
! formed that there are number of good
men to be had on the gulf coast, and Com
mander Hawley will open temporary re-
cruiting offices in the gulf cities as he goes
along' just as was done by him in the West
| last summer.
| - ~O%-A~ASAAS w do lSlQ at o CLOCK In the
once of Assistant Secretary Roosevelt TO
map out plans for arming and equipping
| merchant vessels as auxiliary cruisers Mr.
| Roosevelt presided, and others present were
| Captain Crowninshield, of the Bureau Of
Navigation; Captain O'Neil, of the Bureau
| of Ordnance; Chief Hichborn, of the Bu
reau of Construction, and Commander
Bradford of the Bureau of Yards and
| Docks. This meeting had been preceded
| by a call from President Griscom, of the
| international Navigation Company, which
| owns the four ships, st. Louis, ST. Paul
| Paris and New York. The board meeting
| brought out a general discussion of the
work the various bureaus would be called
on to perform in making these and other
vessels ready as auxiliary cruisers About
| 95 per cent. of this work would fall to the
| lot OF the Bureau of Construction, which
| would have charge of installing magazines
gun mounts, light protective armor for the
| guns and magazines, and the circles on
| which the guns swing. This work, it is
said, could be accomplished readily within
| two weeks time, as all materials, except
the guns, are in hand. The Bureau of
Ordnance could not supply all the guns re-
| quired within that short time, although
| some seventy or more are now available
| The supply would be adequate, however.
for the most effective auxiliary cruisers,
and the complete armament of the mer-
chant ships could proceed as rapidly as
| possible thereafter.
On question Of manning the auxiliary fleet
the Navy Department feels that the most
| effective step would be to enlist into the
| United States naval service the present
! merchant crews of the several ships. These
crews are thoroughly familiar with the yes