New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-03
WARSHIPS GOING TO CUBA.
TO CARRY SUPPLIES FOR THE RECON-
CENTRADOS.
THE MONTGOMERY AND THE NASHVILLE As
srGNED TO THE DUTY BY SECRETARY
LONG = NAVAL PREPARATIONS
r,or Az


with supplies for the suffering reconcentrados
caused some commotion in official circles to-day
until the real purport OF the visit Of the ships
came out The cruiser Montgomery and the
cunboat Nashville were selected for the purpose,
and orders were sent to Admiral Sicard to put
them I'm shane for the required service. II is ex-
plained at the Navy Department that this action
was taken at the instance OF the Cuban Renef
Association organized through the erorts OF the
State Department for the relief of the destitute
non -combatants in Cuba. 1t was Represented
to the Department that great distress preVaiis
among the people in the vicinity OF Sagua La
Grande and Matanzas, on the northern coast
q, tho island and that considerable difficulty Is
experienced in sending supplies there because OF
the nfrequent visits Of merchant ships.
On this account and because Of the immediate
demand for supplies at the points indicated
the officers Of the association requested the
Secretary Of the Navy to authorize the use OF
one or more warshps at Key West in the trans
portation Of supplies contributed by the char
liable people Of the United States in response
to the appeals of President Mckinley and Secre-
tary Sherman Secretary Long conferred with
the President on the subject. and it was de-
cided 20 comply with the request
The Montgomery and the Nashville were Sc
lected as most suitable for the service. and the
necessary orders were sent to Admiral Sicard.
The Montgomery will go TO Matanzas and the
Nashville to Sagui La Grande, with the under
standing that they will remain in those ports
only long enough TO deliver the supplies TO the
agents Of the association for distribution
Although the mission assigned TO the warshps
will take them both within a short distance OF
Havana, estimated at from two to four hours, IT
is said that neither vessel will visit the Cuban
capital.
Mr. LONG AND MR.. BOUTELLE IN HAIR
MONY
To remove ar impression to the effect that
the relations between the Navy Department and
the House Naval Committee were not harmoni-
GUS Secretary Long this afternoon gave out
short statement on the subject. He said:
Congressman Boutella has been misunder-
stood The CONGRESSMAN. who is one OF the
most patriotic men in the world, is always ready
to do everything that can be done for the Navy.
In his annual report the Secretary recommend
ed that 800 men be- added to the enlisted force
on account Of the increase In the number of
ships The Naval Committee Of which Mr.. Bou-
! tee is chairman. has already decided to grant
this increase in the regular Naval Appropria-
tion bill Meantime. If there should he any i'm
mediate necessity for more men. the same COM
mittee and Mr. Boutelle as its chairman are
ready to make provision TO that effect at once.
cable dispatch came from General Lee dur
ing the day 10 the State Department, but II
made no reference TO the Maine affair. being de-
voted to the periodical statement of the amount
| OF tobacco that is being shipped from Cuba 10
! United States ports thus giving evidence OF the
actual removal OF the prohibitive decree The
| dispatch follows:
Filler tobacco. February %. 72 bales Tampa;
| % bales Key West: 5S4 bales. Chicago. 10 bales.
| Milwaukee: 2Sth. 2S4 bales New-York
MOVEMENTS OF wARsHIPs
| Captain Chester commanding the South At
lantic Station. was also heard from, his dispatch
relating 10 the docking Of the gunboat Castine,
now AZ Port Of France. The Department has
sent the necessary authorization. and the ship
| will go into drydock there.
A commander for the monitor Miantonomoh,
| which was ordered into commission yesterday.
was selected to-day in the person Of Captain
Mortimer Johnson. who is at present on waiting
orders Secretary Long says that the Mianto-
nomoh. with the ram Katahdin, will remain IN
the Delaware for the present at least. With the
commissioning OF these two vessels there remain
only the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis on
the Atlantic Coast available for immediate SER
vice IN case the Department should decide to
| commission more ships .
The Atlanta at New-fork coulo De "ao
ready i'm the course of three or four months, ana
the Chicago in six months, in case emergency
/ orders for their repair were issued Ihere are
a number of good ships on the racihc o, oSas,, -,
however whose repair is under way, such as
| tho Charleston the Philadelphia, the yorktown
and others and the payroll OF the Construction
Bureau at the Mare Island Navy ara ara mas .S noS
mounted 70 the large totai Vi F''''V0 ~
| for wages alone. ~, x ,., ,hs
! nrenaration of the death certificates FOR the
viz ms
| Cantain Hawley who has the matter immediate
| " in charge says that owing 10 the necessary
formalites the1e certihcates canno' oe -
before March II. and this answer IS returned 10
numerous letters daily received at the Depart
ment.
NAvA1, MACHTNIsTs NEEDED
r. ,s aaid in the Navigation Bureau that there
e. O nressing need OF able machinvsts for the
NAVY caused by the heretofore unnoted TACT
that every one Of the machinists on the Maine
lost his life In the explosion. Moreover all the
erarnen but one were killed The Bureau mas
invited enlistments from men who have hao
naval service before in the engine-rooins aho'
&C - ,s said that a number OF these men are
roy, entoving the three months period OF time
between enlstments during which they may
come again into the Naval service without loss
., eeryce record il is hoped that some OF them
viii come forward to fill the places vacated oy
the Maine disaster. ~ ~
Sir Julian Pdunce1Ot" came " 'Ac
ar,ment today bearing one OF the formal ex-
| nressons of coincidence and sympathy WIN ,he
,;overnment over the loss Of the Maine tnat
have come now from every one OF the piI.'''
nolones This latest message is follows;
Washington February q, ls9s
Sir. AT the request OF Sir Alfred Maloney pos-
ernor OF the Windward Islands, nave me 2r h9nor
- conyay the heartfelt sympathy OF tnat colony
Win the Government and people or the Shlseu
states in the loss sustained through me eNp'os'o"
OH poa'u ' JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.
Tonight the Navy Department received d
,.iaeram from Captain Sigsbee which evidently
,yas DELAYED in transmission. II announced the
arr,vaI AT Havana this morning Of the wrecking
ting Merritt with the .wrecking lighter r. X
Sharn under charge OF Captain Fred X Sharp.
OF the Merritt company captain Hisspee , saIu
-, ra..ni, Sharn nrnhahlY would begin work