Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-22

! n, "hOh 10 man the fortIRcatious
| "moers called for $40 Pinch NOR
sa,,s ,ns' weighing 500 pounds each. oO
yoa,s.,' and ten 2-inch mor.ar-shells
i an i'Vp pounds each. There wer,
! who 49, large number OF firm,
prices at r the contract. and tn,
the Wi,ch lhey proposed 10 furnisl
among the bidders were the pe,arshpr,
wa lron-Works and the RaIk A. urr
iron Company. OF Charleston : 4,
20 TAR as figures arc concerned ,no %
eSrsourg lron-Works wer. the loves,
pluuers, although other conditions NAV
.N'St winch will prevent them from Set.
V"s Ihe contract. The companv offered
supply the lO-inch shot at SI266 each
o'e-hah TO be delivered in forty days and
'"o remainder in seventy days. The 10
men smells, OF SEQ and 900 pounds each.
.he company bid to furnish al Ul.1 and
$3.50 respectively. Offering to supply
hity OF each kind In forty days and The
'emainder al quick intervals.
ne lO-inch shot the Rome On. W Ma
chihe- Works offered to supply at Sl425
each, the delivery to begin in one week
ana they agreed to turn over the entire
amount In four weeks.
HAMPTON ROADS SQUADRON.
The battleship Texas started northward
from Key West to-day, thus settling the
question as TO the formation OF a second
squadron at or near Hampton Roads. Ii
Is said that the Massachusetts will fol-
low IN few days, but the final orders
Ior that move have not been made
Inc Navy Department received pre-
hmlnary report to-day from one of its
agents. who rs at Habana, watching the
progress of the wrecking 1t is under
stood that this refers mainly to the tech
nical work of Salvage, and not to the
question of cause, The judge-advocate-
generals office, where the report was re-
celved, Will not disclose the details OF
the report
The government has made no further
purchases Of warshps. but its negotia-
ttons in that line have been productive at
least of one important result-namely. in
establishing that If the battleship General
q Higgins does not become the property
Of the United States, it will not be sold at
all Spain, it is confidently asserted, will
not be able to secure the war-vessel. nor
are her chances any better than or as
good as those of the United States. Prac-
ucally, the same condition prevails as to
the Argentine armored cruiser San Mar
tlno, which will become the property Of
this government if it passes out of the
hands of Argentina
The Spanish Minister called at the
Stale Department to-day, and presented
Messrs. Angulo Valera, and Cadenas,
who are the direct Representatives of the
Autonomous Cabinet at Cuba. With this
negotiations toward a COM
mercial treaty will be opened.
A high officer Of the navy who has in
innate knowledge of it's affairs, said TO
day: "'The greatest difficulty is being eX-
perienced by the government in procuring
ships from abroad but 1t is hard at work.
and is making as much progress as could
reasonably be expected under the circum-
stances. Spain is rushing work on its !
W war-vessels. The PelayO, it's largest and |
best battleship, is practically geady for |
sea, and its second biggest ship, the |
Carlos V, will be ready in a fortnight or |
three weeks The officials of the Navy /
Department are doing everything in their |
power TO prepare for any possible con-
1ict."
MAINE NOT YET WIPED OUT.
According to the orders to naval Of
icers, issued by the Navy Department
o-day, the battleship Maine is still in eX-
stence. At least two of the orders
would seem to give that impression.
they read as follows: Lieutenant A. w.
,atlin, l.. S. NJ. c., detached Maine. and
Il home; Lieutenant @. F. w. Holman,
detached Maine, home and wait orders"
I is presumed that the Inflated battle
hip will not be stricken from the naval
egister until after it has been finally
established beyond the possibility of
Oubt that the shattered hull cannot be
"a fte pf MN In
he harboT Of Habana and reconstructed
ITO al least a semblance of its former
elf
Although there Is scarcely ground for
he hope that the vessel can be raised
nd restored to the navy, the department
i'll not abandon It's efforts i'm that direc-
on until the wreckers now at work
pom ii report that it is impossible.
Although there is not much prospect |
{ raising the Maine with its reported
roken backbone, there is good reason to
alieve, from the reports Of the divers,
lat many, if not all of the guns may |
2 recovered eventually from the wreck
nd put i'm place where they may be able
render good service.
The orders of General William Graham,
,sumng command of the new military
apartment of the Gulf. have been re- {
lived at the army headquarters here.
Though no information to that effect
as yet been received, it is thought that I
sneral Graham has taken up his station
Atlanta, which is to be the head r
larters of the new department 7
[ is said here that no immediate move ;
ent of troops, as the result of changes !
the lines of the military divisions re- :
ntly put into effect, is contemplated
[ that the movements for the present h
N no confined IN the transfer of grtil-
y troops to man the fortifcations re- f
ntly completed. (
rhe enlistment branch of the Navy De- Q
rtment to-day issued a large poster
yertising for men for the United States
Wy. The recent putting into commits \
N of the cruisers Columbia and Min g
apolis. and the prospective demands q
lt will be necessary as a result of the A
luisition of the Brazilian ship ANA q
,as and the American yacht May | G,
yer. require the enlistment Of addi- q
nal men. G
THE SENATE IN SUSPENSE.
lie short session Of the Senate to-day NJ
5 quite unusual, for the first working u
, of the week. That no one was pre- &C
ed TO go on with any pending mea- D'
a was given as the explanation, but c,
yately the opinion was stated by M
ia of the senators that, while the bi
IAN question remained in such sus- 81
se there was no desire to take up "a
ortant legislation. he
he outlook as TO Cuba was discussed re
)ng senators almost to the exclusion tl'
other topics. and the belief was quite ell
ded that the administration is pre- vi
ing TO take positive position within nc
next week Several senators made nj