Evening star., 1898-03-26

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One important step taken was the allot-
ment to the signal Office OF which Gen
Greely is at the head. SO4.5 500 with which to
irstall an electrical system of seacoast ar
ullery fire control. by which projectiles
can be fired from guns with reasonably
well-defned accuracy. The money will also
be used In connecting the various forts and
ports at seacoas. Notifications by telephone
and telegraph.
The War Department has also cabled to
LcEdon an additional f30. 600 in part pay.
ment for the rapid-fire guns recently pur-
chased.
TO COMMAND MONITORS.
Orders Issued Regarding Those Re-
Gently Called Into Service.
The Navy Department issued orders to-
day placing officers In command of num-
ber of the single turreted monitors which
have recently been called into service.
Lieut. r. G. Peck will command the moni-
tor Lehigh. which is to go to Boston; Lieut..
w. NJ. Irwin, will command the Montauk,
which goes to Portland, Me-: Lieut.. H. F.
Fichboam will command the Jason, which
gees to New York; Lieut.. G. s. Richman
will command the Nahant, which goes to
New York. and Lieut. NJ. E. Hail. will COM
mand the Catskill. which goes to Boston.
These naval officers will be in command
of the several monitors, and will be aided
by officers and men from the naval militia
of Massachusetts. New York. New Jersey
and elsewhere. The monitors are still at
the League Island navy yard, being out
fitted as rapidly as possible, and reports
received at the Navy Department indicate
that they will be ready to proceed in from
ten days to three weeks.
Another order issued by the Navy Depart
ment today assigns Lieut. Y. Noel "at once
to command the Nezinscott." This craft
is fine new tug which will be used as a
supply boat. She is now at New York, and
when Lieut.. Noel takes command she will
pre- ceed to Key West to further augment
the fleet there. Today's orders also gives
fcers.
The commanders Of the various monitors
above referred to are drawn mainly from
the faculty of the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis and from steel in
spection. as the emergency is such that
these officers can be better utilized for ac-
tive sea service than for the educational
work at the academy.
command the torpedo boat Rodgers, an
nounced today. in effect operates as an ac-
ceptance of this new boat and brings her
into commission. The Rodgers recently
made her trial run from Baltimore to Nor
folk. She will doubtless be added to the
fe ct of torpedo craft already at Key West.
Other naval orders issued today are as
follows:
Wy c.Llo bod
light house board and ordered to Brooklyn
in command Of flying squadron.
Lieut.. J. H. Sears. from Naval Home,
Philadelphia. to the Brooklyn.
Lieut.. H. H. Hosley. from Naval Hos
pital, Brooklyn. to New York navy yard.
Lieut.. B. w. Wells. jr.. from the Monad-
rock to the Brooklyn.
Ensign c. F. Preston, from the Gedney
to the Vermont.
Ensign ]. N. Sypher, from. the Macarthur
to the Monadnock.
Lieut.. r. Wells, frcm the Macarthur to
the Vermont
Lieut.. ]. Hood, from Maine to Washing
ton. D. c..
Acting Boatswain P. Deery, to command
the tug Samoset.
Naval Cadet E. McCauley, jr from the
New York to the Brooklyn.
Ensign M. H. SigLor, from the Amphi-
trite to the Rodgers.
Gunner 8. Cross. from Washington navy
yard to the Nezinscot, and Mate A. F. Ben
zon. from Constellation to the Nezinscot.
VIEW OF NAVAL AUTHORITIEs.
No Way of Preventing the Approach
of the Torpedo Boats.
After a thorough consideration Of the
question, it Is said that the naval author
tiles have practically concluded that there
Is no way in which they can prevent the
approach to these shores of the Spanish
torpedo boat flotilla without rendering
themselves liable to the charge of having
provoked conflict with the Spanish navy.
high naval official expressed the view
this afternoon that the Spanish authorities
have the same right to send their vessels
to ons Of their colonies on this side Of the
Atlantic that the United States would have
in sending any Of its vessels from one Of
its own ports to another.
In his view, any interference with the
execution of such a movement on the part
Of either government would be an act Of
hostility. which could properly be resented
with the full force at the command of the
feet interfered with.
Notwithstanding this view of the case
among diplomats and naval officers, many
of tn, latter are strongly inclined to favor
the interception Of the Spanish torpedo
feet, inasmuch as its presence at Porto
Rico or Cuba would serve to defeat the
plans Of this government for forcible In
tervention In Cuba in behalf Of the inde-
pendence of that island. Consequently the
approach Of the Spanish fleet is regarded
by naval strategists with the gravest con-
cern, and Is looked upon as the most i'm
portant step yet taken by Spain for the
protection OF its colonies In the West
Indies.
In regard to the proposition Of sending q
feet out to intercept the torpedo fiotilla on
the high seas, there IL q wide difference OF
opinion. Some naval officers express the
belief that It would be nearly IL not quite
an difilcult to overcome that feet on the
high seas az It would be after their arrival
at Porto Rico. which 10 understood to be
their destination. In their opinion, the
three fast ships of the proposed flying
squadron. namely, the Brooklyn. 1Glnneapo-
Ns and Columbia. would be unequal to the
task OF subduing the thirteen torpedo beats
ON the high seas and compelling their ~