The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-17
FLEET AT KEY WEST
Largest Ever Assembled. Since tho la.
SE5 mrntnbto vir.inius A fair.

Largest Ever Assembled Since tho La.
mentnbio yirglnius Affair. ~
WASHINGTON, March 16.-The tleee
at Key West will be augmented wi:hin
the next day or two by the arrival OF
the gunboat Annapolis, the torpedo
boat Foote and the naval tugs Leyden
and Samoset. while the sunboat Helena
is now on her way from the European
station under orders to report at Key
West. The Helena reported her arri-
Val to-day at Funchal, on her way to
join the fleet. These and the other. YES
se!s previously ordered to that point
constitute the largest assemblage OF
war vessels made since the demonstra-
tions following the Virginius affair."
and considering effectiveness and arma-
ment, It is4the strongest nssembiage of
ships for other than review purposes
since the war. sls'
The fleet now at Key West and Tor
tugas Is as follows: Cruiser New York,
battleship Massachusetts. battleship
Indiana, battleship Iowa, battleship
Texas, cruiser Detroit, surboat Nash
Vile. cruiser Marblehead, dispatch boat
Fern, torpedo boat Dupont, Il tornedo
Gushing. torpedo boat Porter, torpedo
boat Winslow and torpedo boat Erics-
! son. II y
TO these will soon be added the five
vessels now en- route there. In addition
t3 these the Montgomery Is ut Havana
2nd Is practically part Of the fleet.
The Gurboats Wilmington and Castine
and cruiser Cincinnati are at Barba-
docs. the Newport ut Colon, with the
Puritan, Newark, Amphitrite and other
-t.t - 4, A Int IL u
ut points aloES the coast further north
ward.
In point of ships, the fleet under Rear
Admiral Case on January 3, 1874, fol-
lowing the Vfrginius affair, was consid-
erably larger, as follows: Franklin, 80
guns: Wabash. 45 guns; Colorado, 46
guns; Lancaster. 90 guns: Brooklyn, 20
guns Congress. 1G guns; Worcester, 10
guns; Alaska. Il guns: Ticonderoga, l.
guns; Canandaigua, 10 guns; ShenaH-
doah, II guns; Junlata. S guns; OssIp-
pee, s guns; Wauchusetts, guns;
Powhatan. II guns; Wyoming, guns;
Kansas, 8 guns: Shawmut, 3 guns;
Sausus, guns: AIahopac, 9 guns: Man
mnttan,t 2 guns; AJAX. 9 guns; Canori-
Gus, 9 guns; Dictator, 2 guns; Despatch,
4 guns: Pinta, guns: Fortune, guns:
Mayfower,. 2 guns; Iris, guns, and
p uiAS.
Although formidable in its way, this
aggregation was made up OF the old
style wooner ships, monitors which had
gone through the civil war, and every
available craft that could bear guns.
Compared with the modern battleshlps
and cruisers Of the new navy 1t waMin-
significant In tonnage and general ef-
fectiveness Bj.a3s5 4 IS, q :,
It Is noteworthy that this formidable
gathering OF ships was at the same
point as the present gathering and dur
ing critical period with Spain, and 1t
did not erentuate In war.
Secretary Aiger. has made requisitions
on the President for. two aalotncnts
from tho appropriation OF sec, 900 900 for
the national defense. One Is for $5,0O0,-
000 for the uee OF the engineer depart
ment OF the army In completion Of GER
tain fortifcatIon works along the At
lantic and gulf coasts now In progress,
and the other is for s.. 2225. 900 for the use
OF tho ordnance department OF the army
In, the requirement OF arms and ammu-
milton. Pretty much all OF this money
Is needed 10 cover contracts already
made by the military establishment.