Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-04-29
(By Telegra1)h.)

I (By Telegraph.)
| WASHINGTON, "a prll 2o.--The she'll
| ing Oh Ing Atalanzas batteries Was inc
| TOPIC OIL absorbing interest Throughout.
i naval and oiilclai circles Generuily TO-
Gay. II Was discussed the DaSiS
| the press reports from Key West, as
the Navy department received no in
| formation Whatever on ltle subject.
| Secretary Long said at 4 O'Clock LiliS
AFTERNOON. as ne closed up his office
| work OF the day. that no report hau
| been received from Admiral Sampson
nor was the Navy Department ADVISED
in any way of the smelling OF Alatan-
zas. Mr. Long added that he felt no
| disposition to keep from the pubic
any news concerning such an import
ant event as naval engagement or q
battle. The secretary said that in the
| absence of all official Information h.
| was inclined to believe that the she'll
! ing was confined to the exchange Of !.
| few shots and did not assume the pro
| portions of a regular bombardment.
When his attention was directed to
reports that the Smelling was the re
! suit of direct orders from the Pres-
| dent, the secretary said this was not
| SO, as the President was giving no di-
| rect orders on any OF these move
mcntS.
The Navy Department has ceased it's
| purchase of ships for conversion into
war vessels. owing to the exhaustion
Of the $50. 0o0, 900 war fund. 1t is conf
IDENTIFY expected that Congress will
come to the relief, as the department
| Is still in need OF auxiliary vessels.
| The Port Royal dry dock. according
/ to welcome official Information. will be
| accessible to our warships, even the
biggest Of the fleet, should they meet
! With accident during the campaign.
| The report from the constructor In
| charge shows that the entrance to the
Il oil TI,a
| work of dredging the basin is still in
progress and. While this is not abso-
lutely necessary. it is extremely desir-
able in order to insure the safety OF
| the ships in docking and the depart
! mcnt is endeavOring to hasten the
contractors in their work. They esti-
mate that about Is days more Will Suf-
iCI. TO com plete it.
| The board of bureau chiefs met to-
day To begin the consideration OF the
| plans for the three new batt!eShips
, authorized by the naval appropriation
| bill ana progressed SO far that circu-
lars will be sent out tomorrow inviting
! bids from the shipbuilders. The YES
sells will be in the main very similar 10
| the battieship Illinois now building AZ
| Newport News. They will be OF about
! 500 tons displacement, % feet beam.
| IS 10 feet depth. &c knots speed, viii
F.! he covered with heavy armor ana
| armed with - and G-inch guns in ad-
| dition to numerous secondary bae-
! teries.
| there is no present prospect OF
| change in the head of the navigation
| bureau.
a rather striking sign of the im1nl,
| nence of the invasion of Cuba was
! contained in the chartering today by
| the War Department Of eight large
steamers of an average capacity or
! about 1000 tons and able to carry from
| 200 to 200 passengers each. These are
| to be used as transports for the con
veyance of the first military expedi-
ton to Cuba The names of the boats
are the Olivette and the Florida, Of the
Plant Line. now in the gulf: the
! Southern Pacific Cornpany's steamer
Aranzas: the New York and Texas
| Companys vesse! Comal, now at New
York. and the Malamo. now en- route
| to the gulf, and three fine ships OF the
Boston Merchants and Miners Line. in
Tsaltimore: the Alleghany. the Berk-
| shire and the Decatur Miller. The
! price paid for these vessels is from
81 1000 to $4,000 for the thirty days IN
which they are engaged. They VIII DE-
taken charge of by the uuartermas-
tor's department at the earliest posi-
| BILE moment.
| General Shafter, in command of the
| United States troops now concentrated
| Ut New Orleans, has been in cOnSulta-
|
| execution OF plans OF the campaign
| but the orders given to him cannot be
| made public.
The President and cabinet Will con-
| sider tomorrow the large number OF
applications that have been made tor
appointment to the posts of major
general and brgadier-general and
| there is some expectation that he VIII
be able to nominate a few of these Of
Ulcers tomorrow.
General Fitzhugh Lee arrived here
late today, after a ten days visit to
his family in Virginia. The general
shared the keen public interest in the
report of the Smelling Of MatanZas He
had visited that city frequently and
was familiar with the lay OF the land
and the defences. He said the batter
les were antiquated and We're not like
ly to offer any formidable resistance
General Lee will call at the State De
partment tomorrow morning. Being
still an official he asked to be excused
from discussing the war situation, anG
was very retlcent concerning his pros
pective appointment as major general
The French embassy has received 6
cable dispatch from the foreign Office
at Paris announcing that decree Of
neutrality between tho United State,