The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-16
TWO MILLIONS TO HAND
AN ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS MADE BY
THE SECRETARY OF WAR
81 --iI
Business Result Went Forward
with Rush-A Busy Day In
Roth the War and Navy Depart
ments-The Contractors Building
Coast Forts Are Very Slow.

WASHINGTON, March e15-This was
another busy day In the war and navy
departments. Secretary Alger was en-
abled to make an allotment of funds
from the appropriations of $50, 900 900
which will greatly facilitate the work
Of the bureaus. These bureaus had not
been able to conclude any contracts for
the procurement of war supplies be-
cause no allotment had been made, but
this afternoon the Ordinance bureau
was given $2500,0 900 and business went
forward with a rush. 1t is true that
this sum is already mortgaged under
provisional arrangements made during
the past week, but with the assurance
of more funds to come the work of the
bureau is now moving rapidly
Secretary Long was exceedingly busy
today, having not only to give a good
deal of time to the cabinet, to which
he was obliged to return twice, but also
pelng obliged to see a great many per-
sons with whom the department has or
expects to have contract relations.
Among the latter was Mr.. Here
shoff, the torpedo boat builder, from
Bristol, r. /. He turned two of these
boats over to the department a few
days ago and the secretary's purpose
In consulting him was to learn how
much ne could hasten the work on one
OF the boats remaining in his hands
which in ordinary times would require
acout two months to complete
The secretary also spent a good deal
of time at intervals during the day in
consulting over the long distance tele-
phone with naval officers in New York
and 1t is believed much of this consul
tatlon concerned the procurement of
suitable vessels from among the auxil-
larry navy for war purposes.
Wasting No Time
Mr.. Master, Of the Columbian iron
wcfks, at Baltimore, has notified the
department that he will be able to turn
over to it the torpedo boat Rodgers
next Saturday. The Rodgers is a boat
which smashed her engines in tba
| midst of trial trip about six months
ago. 1t was almost necessary to re-
place the engines, but under the hur
REQ orders from the navy department.
this has been done in good time. IT is
expected that the boat will be taken
at once from Baltimore to Norfolk.
Inc department has no disposition to
! waste time at this juncture in making
trial trips. but knowing the boat to be
OF satisfactory type, like her sister
ooat' the Winslow, and of good work
manshlp, according to the naval in
spector's reports, she will be accepted
out or hand as were the Gwyn and
talbot last week.
Inc war department is greatly dis
appointed ana annoyed at the dilatori-
ness shown by contra ctors who have
undertaken to construct the new forti-
hcatons along the coast. 1t is said that
only one among the whole number has
Hnlshed his contract on time The de-
| partment has been greatly embarrass S.
| ca thereby in placing it's guns and has
peen Obliged to extend the time allowed
these contractors. The department has
| determined not to submit to further oh
struction in prosecuting the work
Undertaken, but will do the work itself
and refrain from entering into con-
| tracts.
| The Notifications board began it's
sessions today in the war department
Inc proceedings are guarded zealously
against publication. s-ees5 .5
| The navigation bureau Of the navy
| department is receiving reports of the
! results of the efforts making at the
/ various recruiting stations to obtain
| men for the navy. Twenty boys have
been received on board the receiving
ship Wabash at Boston, and thirty
| more will be enlisted in day or two
| All Will be transferred to the training.
station at Newport
! Owing to the limited accommodations
there, however, the department has not
been able to progress as rapidly as it
desires in enlisting boys.
supplemental Defense,
! Lieut.. Very. the representative of the
Howell Torpedo company, has submit
| ted to the war department a PROPOSE
ton to supplement the defenses of the
larger coast ports, such as New York
| NV
light draught and steam launches with
torpedo outfits. He urges that by the
full use of this means Of defense the
harbors may be kept open for com
merce up to the last moment which
would not be the case were reliance
placed on the ordinary fixed mine and
| torpedo
These torpedoes have range of
about two miles and start off at a
speed Of thirty knots. If the boats
from which they are discharged are
| properly sheltered, as proposed by
Lieut. Very, it is believed they would
be valuable adjuncts to the steamers
! defense T. ~
The government. however, has here
tofore regarded automobile torpedoes
as proper instruments for naval use,
and is scarcely disposed to change its
| policy at this date.
A representative of the Winchester
Arms company was in conference to-
| day with Gen. Miles and Glen. Flagler
at the office Of the bureau of ord
nance of the army. with view to ex-
aiming various patterns Of rifles made
by this concern and Of ascertaining
how speedily these could be furnished
in large quantities in case of emer-
gency. Samples of two of the latest
patterns Of thirty-calibre rifles, one
| Winchester and the other a Lee
straight-pull gun, were examined. No
contracts were made, but the confer
ence led to full understanding.
This representative Of the Win
chester company stated that the pres
ent commercial demand, particularly
that connected with the Klondike ex-
element, kept the company at its full
capacity, but that government orders
would be filled without reference to
| private obligations.
Bids were opened in the quartermas-
tiers office Of the war department to-
day for transporting some Of the artil-
lery batteries that are to man the for
LITIGATION works recently completed
- On draught or bottled-Hamm's Book Beer.