The herald., 1898-03-01
the WESTERN COASTS
WILL NOT BIZ LEFT WITHOUT
PROTECTION
Vessels Of the Pacific Squadron win
Not Be Ordered Into Eastern
Waters

NEW YORK, Feb 2S.-It has been de-
cided by the Navy Department to keep
on the Pacific Coast the full force of
naval vessels now there, says the Wash
ington correspondent of the Herald. De-
partment officials recognize the fact
that the strength OF the North Atlantic
squadron would be increased by attach
ing the battleship Oregon to Rear Ad-
miral Sicard's command, but they ap-
preciate the danger of leaving the Pa
cific Coast without assistance of this
kind just as they appreciate the i'm
portance of defending the ports by ves-
sells of the monitor type.
There are now stationed on the Pa
cific Coast the Oregon, the coast defense
vessels Monterey and Monadnock and
the training ship Adams The Oregon,
which is at Puget Sound, will be or
dered to leave that port and proceed to
San Francisco harbor and her place
in northern waters will probably be TAX
en- by the Monterey. The department re-
Gently directed that the Monadnock be
held in reserve. but these orders have
not been carried out, and she will prob
ably be sent to San Diego. Besides these
ships the department has at Honolulu
the cruiser Baltimore and the gunboat
Bennington. No orders have been issued
for the return of these vessels, in view
of the aspirations Of the administration
to bring these islands within an Ameri-
can Jurisdiction.
The cruiser Alert and the gunboat Ma
rietta are in Nicaraguan and Guate-
malan waters respectively. These ships
will be ordered to San Francisco IL an
emergency arises and will hold them
selves in readiness for active service.
The department does not anticipate that
a fleet will be sent to the Pacific Coast,
but there is an expectation that de-
tached armored cruiser may be ordered
around to the Pacific to make a demon
stration. One of the objects Of the de-
partment in securing sufficient men to
place the cruisers Columbia and Minne-
apolls in commission Is to attach them
to Rear Admiral Sicard's command at
Key West. With these vessels in South
ern waters, 1t will be an easy matter to
have them Joined by the cruisers New
York and Brooklyn and to send them to
Spanish waters, probably Cadiz.
Authorities say that the Columbia,
Minneapolis, Brooklyn and the New
York will be ideal ships to form flying
squadron. The Columbia and Minneap-
oils have bunker capacities of 1870 tons
of coal each, the Brooklyn 1150 and the
New York 1850. Their steaming radius is
sufficiently large to enable them to carry
out the program contemplated by the
department, and so far as obtaining coal
on their side is concerned the authori-
ties point out that coal is a contraband
of war; during the rebellion ships of the
Union had no difficulty in getting from
English merchants all they wanted.
The monitor Puritan. which will be re-
tained near Hampton Roads to defend
Baltimore, Washington, Norfolk and
Richmond, will have her repairs COM
pleted the first part of next week. She
now has a part of her crew and Lieu
tenant Commander ]. M. Hawley is pre-
pairing the detail of the men who will
be assigned to fill vacancies now exist
ing on that ship.
WORKING DOUBLE SHIFTS
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash, Feb. 2s.-I
The work of fortifying the three con-
spicuous points contiguous to Port
Townsend, which has been going on in
a desultory fashion for some months.
is now being pushed forward under spe-
cial orders from Secretary Alger. The
doubled forces at work at Points
Marrowstone and Admiralty are being
worked night and day to finish up. and
already preparations are being made |
for placing the heavy guns which are
due to arrive any day.