The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-10
gRAzlL'S SHIPS NOT BOUGHT.
sp,lN HASN'T SECURED ALL THE
VESSELS CLAIMED.


Argintina and Chile-A Total of
seven vessels Building for Brazil.
arrangements Made to Secure Ri
aes for 5OO,OOO Men.
washington, March 9-The feature of
.be days events was the promptitude
with which the Senate passed the House
Nil carrying the appropriation of $5O,OOO,-
Na for the national 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,
can be stated that the fund has not
vet been allotted among the various
branches of the government service.
Each Of these had prepared roughly and
tentatively an estimate of the funds it
could dispose of to advantage, but upon
boxing over the ground the President
concluded that it would be well perhaps
to avoid making allottments until the ne
cessity became apparent. The reason back
Of this is that the sum that can be profit
sby spent for warships cannot even be
guessed at with any approximation to
accuracy just now.
As the ships are to be first choice in the
steps for defense until their cost is as.
certained It is not possible to divide the
remainder of the appropriation among the
other branches of the military and naval
services
The Secretary of the Navy is making
every effort to secure from our naval at
taches and diplomatic officers abroad all
the information obtainable respecting the
number of ships building, their price and
other data. This does not necessarily in
terfere with the execution of the plans
confided to Capt. BroWnson, who sailed
for southampton to-day, but rather prom
ises to assist him materially with making
speed in his inquiries. Up to this moment
not only has the United States government
bought no warships, but 1t has not even
secured an option on one. There are many
applications coming to the department
from persons and firms who desire to sell
saips TO the government, but in most of
/ these cases one of two fatal obstacles are
encountered to the consummation of the
sale. Either the craft offered is not suit
able for naval needs, or the date of pos
elble completion is so distant, from three
months upward, that it cannot be regard
ed as worthy of purchase to meet an emer-
gency
There Is less difficulty experienced in
securing tenders of war material, such as
shoi and shell and powder, and the navy
department. has almost assured itself of
an abundant supply of certain kinds of
smokeless powder abroad at short notice
Inc officials of the department are daily
/ IN correspondence by mail and telegraph
with agents of ammunition houses, and
besides are now fully acquainted with the
pans OF domestic powder makers for en-
argng their plants to meet an emer-
Bency. The representatives of the armor
making firms are in consultation with the
uepartment steadily, generally relative to
Ae supply of gun forgings and such ma
tellaI for use in the gunshops here and at
"alerYlet. but the question of armor
Is receiving little attention, as the armor
MAKERS report that they cannot undertake
oy any known agency to turn out such
Srhor as would be required for a modern
odtueship in less than seven months. for
ule reason that temperng and face-hard-
uns cannot be FASTENED without destroy
.s the value of the armor,
IHus 1t mas been demon
sIa,ed to the navy department that
q Will not be possible to make the armor
ior the superb battleships. three in num-
"r, now building at Newport News and
~ ~ Sramps and at the Union Iron Works
~ san francisco, in time to render these
FPS tar better, 1t is claimed, than any
eIed from abroad for sale, available fol
my n.y. emergency that may arise this year
Inc statement was made at the navy de-
paFttnent to-day that the report of the
ouIt Oh inquiry probably would come tc
s, department. some time next week II
- NOT appear, however, that this state
4nenl was founded upon any direct report
io'l the court, but was rather an estimate
sel upon the progress so far made as
.e'eaied by the change Of methods on the
PSIt Of the court.
many congratulations are coming to the
"nI'e House and to the state department
I'm I'm all parts of the country on the pa.
u!ouc spirit exhibited in dealing with the
esl phases of the Cuban question Mos
VI 'nem are official an character, but many
are personally directed TO the President.
Auniral Sicard has been authorized tc
vvrnst suitable men for the navy at Key
"es' II he can find the material. He re-
nsolVed that he had received some applica-
ols from machinists and seamen and was
iinedlately given the power to take The
men' The department is still striving Wig
olo'Sly to secure machinists, especially
mn VINO know how 10 run stationary en-
sHes. These men can be quickly
euusht how to run marine engine.
s.p require little other training to MAKE
'tm valuable aboard ship.
OHcial reports indicate that the auton
("y scheme projected for Porto Rico hai
,'u put into successful operation. This Il
ii'Iestlng, mainly because of resemblance
"een the project and the plan whicf
us now sought to put in effect IN Cuba.
inc war department. is arranging to Sc
s.Ie e large supply of the most moderI
'"es sufficient in time of emergency Il
arm force of 100000 men.
onor Mendoza, the Brazilian minister
s"d to-day that he has received no in
.olmdtlon as to the reported negotiation
y"ard the purchase of Brazilian war
s'ps now in course of construction a
gie'gn yards In other official quarters
..'s impression is growing that there Is let
y. prospect of securing ships now building
AZ, Argentina and Chile. Brazil has beel
.euVe of late in building up her navy, an,
,iete IS doubt as to her willingness to par
%'lh any of the ships now building 70
s'' These include two ironclads building
we Armstrong yards, two ironclads q
s.a seinne, France, and three torpedo boa
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