The record-union., 1898-03-10
THE FUND IS NOT
YET ALLOTTED.
II Will Not Be Until Necessity Be-
comes Apparent.
Sips to Be First Choice IN tic SisGS for
GefeHSeS.
The Sum That Can Be Proftably
Spent for Them Cannot BE
Guessed at With Approxirna-
tion. to Accuracy Just Eow-It
Will BE More Easy to Obtain
Supplies Of Ammunition and
Arms.

WASHINGTON. March 9-The feat
ures Of the days events was the
promptitude with which the Senate
passed the House bill authorizing an
appropriation of $50, 0G0, 600 for the ma
tional defense and the haste with
which it was put through the formal
proceedings. engrossed and signed by
the President While the matter has
| been considered, it can be stated that
| the fund has not yet been allotted
| among the various branches OF the
Government services. Each of these
had prepared roughly and tentatively
an estimate of the funds it could dis
pose of to advantage, but upon look
ing over the ground the President con-
Guided that it would be we'll. perhaps
to avoid making the allotment until
the necessity became apparent. The
that can be proftably spent for warships
cannot even be guessed at with APP
Proclamation to accuracy just now.
AS the ships are to be first choice in
the steps for defense, until their COST
is ascertained, it is not possible to di-
vide the remainder of the appropriation
tary and naval services.
The Secretary of the Navy is max
ing every effort to secure from our ma
val attaches and by diplomatic officers
abroad all information obtainable re-
specting the number of ships building
their price and other data This not
necessarily interferes with the execu-
ton of the plans confded to Captain
Brownson. who sailed fer Southampton
to-day, but rather promises to assist
him materially in making speed with
his inquiries. Up to this moment not
only has the Government bought 10
warships. but it has not even secured
an option on one.
There is less difficulty experienced
in securing tenders of war material
such as shot and shell and powder and
the Navy Department has almost as
sUred itself of an abundant supply of
certain kinds of smokeess powder
abroad, at short notice The officials
of the department are in daily corre-
spondence by mail and telegraph with
agents Of ammunition houses. and be-
sides are now fully acquainted with
the plans of domestic powder-makers
for charging their plants to meet an
emergency The representatives of the
arnor-making firms are in consuIta-
ton with the department steadily. gen.
eralsy relative to the supply Of gun
foreifss and such material for use
the gun shops here and at WatervilIe
but the armor is receiving but little
attention as the armor-makers report
that they cannot undertake by any
known agency to turn out such arnlor
2s would be required for a modern bat
tleship in less than seven months for
the reason that tempering. and face
hardening cannot be fastened without
destroying the value of the armor
The statement was made by the Navy
Department to-day that the report of
the Maine court Of inquiry would
probably come to the department soma
time next week. 1t did not appear
however, that this statement was
founded on any direct report from the
court, but was rather an estimate
based upon the progress so far made
as revealed by the change. of methods
on the part of the court.
Admiral Sicard has been authorized
to enlist suitable men for the navy at
Key West if he can find the material
He reported that he had received some
applications from machinists and sea-
men, and was Immediately given the
power TO take the men, The depart-
ment is still striving vigorously to Sc
cure machinists, especially men who
know how to run stationary engines.
These men can be quickly taught how
to run marine engines and how to ac-
quire little other training, to make them
valuable aboard ship.
Official reports indicate that the au-
tonomy scheme projected for Porto Rico
has been put into successful operation.
This is interesting. mainly because OF
the resemblance between the project and
the plan which it is now sought to put
III force in Cuba.
The War Department is arranging to
secure a large supply of the most mod
ern rifles sufficient in time of emergen-
cy to arm a force of 100000 men. The
need Of these modern guns has long been
apparent. but Congress has not shown a
disposition to supply any reserve of ri
fies for use by a volunteer force in time
of war. Now, however, an adequate
supply Of. the most effective rifles will
be among the uses TO which the War
Department viii put its share of the de-
1t was stated by high officials Of the
Department to-day that no board was
necessary to inquire into the merits of
the various guns on the market, but
that the Department would turn to the
best sources of supply. These, it is said.
are ample within the United States to
turn out rifles of the most approved pat
tern as fast as the Government wants
them 1t is not unlikely. however. that
the demand Will require the army to turn
from the KTag-Jorgenson rifle now in
use and adopt in part at least, one of the
American-made guns.
Like attention is being given to sun
plies of powder, cartridge. etc. for the
army Those in authority say orders
can be filled without delay, and that
about the only branch of ordnance on
which the facilities are not fully up to
an emergency demand are those Cor
heavy fortification guns.
Senior Mendonca. the Brazilian Min
lister. said to-day that he had received
no information as to the reported nego-
tiations toward the purchase of Brazil
ian warships now in course Of construc-