The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-20


Prairie. Yosemite. Yankee and Dixie
The Carnegie company has undertaken
to roll Immediately Hight steel plate li@
inches thick Two layers OF this plate
will be placed around the boiler and en-
CINE rooms Of the boats, making about
80 tons OF armor In each case This VIII
be sufficient at least to repel the IRE OF
machine guns and perhaps TO keep out
the murderous six-pounder shells.
THE CASE OF THE HAMPSTEAD.
The navy department has received sat
isfactory information that the coal load
ed at Newport News upon the British
tramp steamer Hampstead is not. as was
supposed, Intended for the Spanish craft
at the Cape Verde Islands. but is for a
lire OF merchant steamers. so that ap-
prehension from that score has been re-
moved. The department is stin reach
ing out for vessels valuable for Golfers.
and several cable messages were sent
today 70 United States agents In Europe
looking % the purchase of some OF these
vessels.
CRYING FOR PROTECTION.
Applications are pouring in to the war
and navy departments for the Immediate
protection OF supposedly exposed points
on the Atlantic and gulf seabosrd- Some
towns ask for the immediate construc-
ton OF batteries. while others want war
ships stationed of the shore. A vast ma
jority OF these applications are from
very small towns. The officials say It r.
manifestly impossible 10 comply with
these requests and havesn hesitancy in
declaring that the apprehension among
the people of these towns is grouu6less.
They say there would be no indueement
for a Spanish naval force to attack un-
fortified small coast towns. Also il IS
said that the rules Of civilized warfare
require that no unfortifed town shall be
bombarded without at least twenty-four
hours notice. the object Of this delay
being 10 allow non-oombatants TO retire
to a place Of safety.
SICARD TO ASSIST LONG.
Rear Admiral sicard reported at the
navy department this morning. and was
Immediately assigned a place at the desk
In the office of the secretary of the navy.
TO act as official adviser 70 the secretary.
Nearly all naval officers on detached or
shore duty have put in APPLICATIONS o be
restored Immediately to sea service.
USE OF MOSQUITO CRAFT.
There appears be a mistaken impress
sion in some quarters as 20 the functions
OF the so-called mosquito feet II is not
designed for shore guard. nor yet for at
ack. but, as explained by one of the
naval strategists. the primary use Of the
vessels of this fleet VIII be 10 protect the
battIeships and ironclads from attacks
by torpedo boats and destroyers.
MAKING OLD GUNS NEW.
The board of naval bureau chiefs IS con
sidering the ACCESSIBILITY OF utilizing some
of the old converted smooth bore guns for
the auxiliary cruisers. Working day and
night, and using up the raw material for
the manufacture Of guns as rapidly as It
can be produced. the naval ordnance
bureau is unable 10 supply the enormous
demand now made upon IL for guns OF
medium calIbre This is the case not
withstandiug the fact that almost an
available ordnance Of this character IN
foreign markets has been purchased. \
large part o fthe guns that have been set
absorbed By the recently purchased Nor
gan line vessels. and 1t is the intention
of the board to supply deficiencies in the
armament OF the remaining vessels. by
the use Of the converted smooth-boro.
These guns are really not smooth bore at
all, but are Cast-irOn guns lined with a
steel tube fully rifed. They are not.
however. breech-Ioaders, 50 they will be
necessarily slow In action. Their weight
is eight tons, and all that would be neces-
sary 10 At them 10 vessels Of the 81. Paul
and New York class would be the laying
of a deck track and the fastening OF
couple OF heavy ring bolts for each gun.
They fire a solid armOr-piercIng Shot
weighing 80 pounds, IA bursting shell
with l 0pounds Of powder. weighing l56
pounds. With an accurate range Of from
TWO and one-half 20 three miles. they
would be effective weapons against any
unarmored ship. II is the intention OF
the navy department 20 replace them upon
the vessels by modern weapons just as
fast as the new guns can be turned out.
NEW NAVAL ASSIGNMENTS.
Two assignments 70 naval commands
were announced In the pusr ed orders
today. Commander ]. J. Eaton taking
command OF the Resolute lately the york
town. and Lieutenant Commander r r
Jasper. now q the naval academy. taking
command OF the late light house tender
suawanes. IN place Of Commander J. +. +
Mosher, who goes % the Albstross
NO PRTvATEERING.
Paris. April I9-The Temps this after
noon says the question OK priva'eering Is
receiving the closest attention IN proper
quarters. II adds that u has been sug-
Eested that the powers should address |
notes 20 Washington and Madrid. express /
ing the hope that they will rot employ pri- t
vateers. The Temps continues
This. however. might be resented ssps- /
ciaily in Amer;ca. and % r. pointed out /
that indirect pressure could be exercised /
by the maritime powers IN making their +
favors. such as ooaHaE. dependent upon +
10 priva1eering
War News Reaches hey West
Key West. Fla. April is-The news - .
the passage q the toint resolution through /
congress was received here early fhts I
and created q feeling 81 lofeuse /
satisfaction. coupled with much excite
nent. copy ~ the dlapstc5 was cent
to Captain sampson. ia command q TIE i
feet. By a special boat
They say that the ostricb can dizsgt stonss
Ind broken glass We wonder % ar ostrich
.ver tined 70 digest an AmerlezD rs15ah -
AtchisOu Clofe-
annusi Sales over q. 900. coo aorss
--~KNH KM-