Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-10
NOT EVEN AN OPTION YET.
MANY TENDERS MADE, But FEW OF
THEM ACCEPTABLE.
Our Own New Ships Not Available for
an Emergency-Half Million
Modern Rifles to BE Pur-
chased - Ammunition
Can Be Bought.

lt was put through the 1ormal proceedings
engrossed and signed by the president.
While the matter has been considered, II
can be stated that the fund has not ye,
been allotted among the various branches
of the government service. Each of these
had prepared roughly and tentatively, ar
estimate of the funds 1t could dispose of te
advantage but upon looking over the
ground the president concluded that il
would be well, perhaps, to avoid making
the allotment until the necessity became
apparent. Tho reason back of this is that
the sum that can be profitably 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 ascertained
at is not possible to divide the remainder
sof the appropriation among the other
| branches of the military and naval serv-
ices. ...
The secretary Of the navy is making
every effort to secure from our naval at
.taches, and diplomatic officers abroad all
Information obtainable respecting the
humber Of ships building. their price and
fother. data. This does not necessarily In
terfere with the execution of the plans con-
fided to Captain Brownson. who sailed for
Southampton to-day. but rather promises
to assist him materially In making speed
with his inquiries.
No Warships Bought Yet.
Up to this moment, not only has the
United States government bought no war
ship. but 1t has not even secured an option
on one. There are many applications COM
ing to the department from persons and
firms who desire to sell ships to the gov
ernment. but in most of these cases one of
two. fatal obstacles is encountered to the
.consummation of the sales. Either the
craft offered is not suitable for naval needs,
or the date of possible completion is SO
distant, from three months upward, that
it cannot be regarded as worthy of pur-
chase to meet an emergency.
There is less difficulty experienced in Sc
curing tenders of war material. such as
shot and shell and powder, and the navy de-
partment has almost assured itself of an
supply of certain kinds of smoke
less powder abroad at short notice. The
officials of the department are in daily cor
Fespondence 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 sup
use in the gun shops here and at Water
pliet, but the question of armor is receiving
little attention, as the armormakers report
that they cannot undertake, by any known
agency, to turn out such armor as would
be required for a modern battleship in less
than seven months. for the reason that
,tempering and face hardening cannot be
hastened without destroying the value of
the armor.
: Our New Ships Not Available.
Thus, 1t has been demonstrated to the
navy department that it will not be possible
to make the armor for the superb battle
ships, three in number, now building at
Newport News and at Cramps and at the
Union iron works in San Francisco. in
time to render these ships, far better. 1t is
claimed, than any offered from abroad for
sale, available for any emergency that may
arise this year.
The statement was made at the navy de-
partment to-day that the report of the
Maine court of inquiry would come to the
department some time next week. 1t did not
appear, however, that this statement was
founded upon any direct report from the
court, but was rather an estimate based
upon the progress 50 far made, as revealed
by the change OF methods on the part of
the court. 1t is not expected that Lieuten-
ant Commander Mark, the judge advocate
of the court. will leave the court until it
has completed its labors. as it is the Gus
tom for the judge advocate to assist in the
preparations of the final report of the
court.
Many congratulations are coming to the
White House and the state department
from all parts of the country upon the
patriotic spirit exhibited in dealing with
the latest phases of the Cuban question
Most of them are official in character, but
many are personally directed to the presi-
dent.
Machinists Are Wanted.
Admiral Sicard has been authorized to
enlist suitable men for the navy at Key
West if he can find the material. He re-
ported that he had received some applica-
lions from machinsts and seamen and
was Immediately given the power to take
the men. The department is still striving
vigorously to secure machinists, especially
men who know how to run stationary en-
gines. These men can be quickly taught
how to run marine engines. and require lit
tie other training to make them valuable
aboard ship.
Official reports indicate that the auton-
omy scheme projected for Porto Rico has
been put into successful operation. This
is interesting mainly because of the re-
semblance between the project and the
plar which it is now sought to put in
place in Cuba. The news came in the
shape of the following report, given out
at the state department.:
"A dispatch from the United States con-
sui at San Juan, Porto Rico, states that
the Inauguration of the cabinet and the
ceremony Of declaring autonomy in effect
in that island occurred on the 1lth utimo.
TJa -hnIa dnt af
manifestation of joy and the whole popu-
lation seemed to be happy over the thought
that home rule at last had been granted
Porto Rico
Many Rifles to BE bought.
The war department is arranging to Sc
cure a large supply of the most modern
rifles, sufficient, in time of emergency. to
arm a force of 500 900 men. The need of
these modern guns has long been appar-
ent. but congress has not shown u dispo-
sition to supply any reserve Of rifles for
use by volunteer force in time of emer-
gency. Now, however, an adequate sup
ply of the most effective rifles will be
among the first uses to which the war de-
partment will put its share of the defense
fund.
1t was stated by high officials of the
department to-day that no board was nee
essary to inquire into the merits of the
various guns on the market, but that the
department would turn to the best sources
of supply. These, it is said, are ample
within the United States to turn out rifles
OF the most approved pattern as fast as
the government wants them. 1t is not
unlikely, however, that the demand will
require the army to turn from the Krag-
Jorgensen rifle. now In use, and adopt ir