The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-06
SPAIN SHIP BUYING
Previous Reports Receive Lon
don Confirmation.
UNCLE SAM CAN BUY, TOO
There are Many For Sale and
His Purse is Long.

London, March 5.-Further inquiries
made on the subject confirm the report
cabled yesterday Of the sale of the two
cruisers which the Armstrong; have been
building for Brazil. to Spain. The inquir-
les further show that a representative OF
the Gillian government has been negotiat-
ing with representative of the Spanish
government for the sale Of the battleship
OHiggins, built for Chill, and it is be-
lieved that a deal is practically completed
whereby this splendid warship passes into
SPANS possession.
1t is known that the Gillian representa-
tive made definite offer to Spain recently
but the price was considered too high and
Spain made counter-offer. 1t is now m
derstood that they have come to terms
The ships which Spain secured in France
are two heavily arraored coast defense
vessels which Brazil ordered for service
on the River Plate, which have been
building at the La Seine works at Havre.
The statement made in Washington that
the Amazonus, one of the vessels Spain
has purchased from Brazil, has already
left this country for Brazil, is incorrect.
She is still at the Armstrong works.
Washington, March 5.-Senor Du Bose.
the Spanish charge, called at the state
department this morning and had a short
talk with Judge Day concerning recent
hlibusterfng movements. The department
desired to get fuller information than had
thus far been furnished 1t was under
stood that SPANS purchase of warshfps
and other subjects which have attracted
much interest within te last few days
We're in no way referred to, as Mr. Du
Bose had received no information on these
subjects and they were not open to diplo-
matte negotiations.
UNCLE SAM CAN BUY, TOO.
New York, March 5.-A special to the
Herald from Washington says:
"F''jlly realizing the Importance of prep
aratitns for any emergency the president
has directed the navy department TO open
negotiations looking to the purchase
abroad of warships. This fact is now for
the first time made public. It probably
would not have transpired at this juno
ture, but for the excitement caused by
the statement published that Spain had
ships being built by the EIswick company
of England for Brazil and for other ships
under construction. With view of ascer-
tanning the facts your correspondent
called upon a high official of the admin
istration and obtained an official admis-
sion-made for the first time-that while
the president does not anticipate war, he
recognizes that there is a possibility of
hostilities growing out of the Cuban prob
tenn and the Maine disaster and that he
proposes to be prepared for it.
There has been ample evidence of this
in the preparations patent to everybody
which have been in progress for some
time, but there has been no official adj
mission to this effect until now.
Eight men-of-war which are practical
ly for sale in the United States completed
in foreign shipyards have been offered
for sale to the United States and the presi-
dent has given consideration to the adj
visibility of placing an option on them.
Through the reports of the United
States naval attaches at London, Paris,
St. Petersburg, Berlin, Vienna and Rome.
and from the shipbuilders themselves, the
secretary of the navy has learned that he
can now purchase two small sized battle
ships, two armored cruisers and four tor
pedo boats, all at comparatively low
price. The builders have promised that
they can deliver the vessels to agents of
this government at this time complete in
every respect and all that will be neces-
sary for the administration to do will be
to order the necessary details of officers
and men to proceed to the shipyard. go on
board the vessels and take them to any
points which may be desired.
''The battleships and armored cruisers
have been built by English and German
firms for governments which are now IN
able TO pay for them. It is also stated
that this government would have no diff
Guilty in obtaining the vessels by simply
putting down the necessary amount Of
cash. The four torpedo boats have been
offered by the Thornycroft Shipbuilding
company. whose boats are recognized by
experts to be among the best in the world.
while your correspondent was unable
10 learn the names of the ships which
have been offered 10 this government,
there is reason to believe that among them
are three powerful ships under constTuc-
ton at the Vulcan works, Stettin, Ger
many, for the Chinese government. These
three ships are of 5000 tons displacement.
contracted to make 1875 knots and viii be
able to carry not less thar thousand tons
OF coal in their bunkers.
There is also reason to believe that in
case Of trouble this government could
purchase from Japan the Kasagi and the
Chiosa. which are near completion at Phil
adelphia and the Union Iron works. The
official with whom your correspondent
talked had no doubt that Japan would
be willing 10 aid the United States by
selling the wsrships before the COM
mencement Of war