The herald., 1898-03-10
ROUGH ESTIMATE MADE
OF THE NEEDS OF BRANCHES OF
SERVICE
WARSHIPS HAVE FIRST CALL
Until Their Cost Is Ascertained the
Remainder of the Fund Cannot
Be Allotted
Associated Press Special Wire

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WASHINGTON, March 9.--The features
of today's events were the promptitude
with which the senate passed the house bill
authorizing an appropriation Of $50, 100000
for the national defense and the haste with
which 1t was put through the formal pro-
ceedings. engrossed and signed by the pres
ident.
While the matter has been considered,
1t can be stated that the funds have not yet
been allotted among the various branches
Of the government service. Each Of these
have prepared roughly and tentatively an
estimate Of the funds it can dispose of to
advantage. but upon looking over the
ground the president concluded that it
would be well perhaps to avoid making the
allotments until the necessity became ap-
parent The reason back of this is that
the sum that can be prof1tably spent for
warships cannot even be guessed at with
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 re-
mainder of the appropriation among the
other branches of the military and naval
services.
PURCHASE OF SHIPS
The secretary Of the navy Is making
every effort to secure from our naval at
taches and by diplomatic officers abroad
all 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
confded to Captain Brownson, who sailed
for Southampton today, but rather prom
| ises to assist him materially In making
| speed with his inquiries. Up to this mo-
ment not only has the government bought
no warships, but 1t has not even secured
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cations coming to the department from
persons and firms which desire to sell
ships to the government, but in most of
these cases one Of two fatal obstacles fs
encountered to the consummation of the,
sales. Either the craft offered is not suit
able for naval needs or the date of possi-
BILE completion is so distant, from three
garded as worthy Of purchase to meet an
emergency.
| THE POWDER SUPPLIES
| There is less difficulty experienced in se-
curing tenders of war material, such as
shot 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.
The officials of the department are in daily
correspondence by mail and telegraph with
agents Of ammunition houses, and. besides,
are now fully acquainted with the plans
OF domestic powder makers for charging
their plants to meet an emergency.
The representatives of the armor making
firms are in consultation with the depart
ment steadily. generally relative to the
supply OF gun forgings and such material
for use in the gun shops here and at
Watervliet, but the armor is receiving lit
tie attention, as the armor makers report
that they cannot undertake by any known
agency to turn out such armor as would
be required for modern battleship in
less than seven months, for the reason
that tampering and face-hardening cannot
be hastened without destroying the value
OF the armor. Thus it has been dembn-
strated to the nay department tha&it will
not be possible to make the armor for the
superb battleships, three in number now
building at Newport News and at Cramps
and at the Union Iron works in San Fran
cisco, In time to render ships far better. it
is claimed than any offered from abroad
for sale, available for any emergency that
may arise this year.
THE COURT REPORT
The statement was made at the navy
department today that the report of the
Maine court of inquiry would probably
come to the department some time next
week. 1t did not appear, however, that
this statement was founded on any direct
report from the court, but was rather an