The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-08-20
ATLANTIC AUXILIARY FLEET.
Battle Scared Monitors Being Fitted for
Service in Cuban Ports.

NEW YORK. August i9.-A special to
the Tribune from Washington, says:
The navy department has decided to
send an the single turreted monitors to
Cuba and Porto Rico for duty as perma-
nent guard ships in the chief harbors Of
those islands.
Preliminary orders assigning officers
and crews from the regular navy to the
twelve seaworthy vessels Of this type
are being made out and several Of these
formidable vessels win start for their
new posts In a week or two. These mon
itors which were built for service In the
civil war. several Of them bearing scars
OF conflict after 90 years Of disuse, were
restored to excellent condition soon after
the Maine was blown up, some OF them
being equipped with entirely new water
tube boilers and having the benefit OF
extensive improvements. During the war
with Spain they have been manned by
naval militia men and constituted the
chief source Of strength OF the auxiliary
naval force guarding the Atlantic coast
Orders were given several days ago to
place them out Of commission as soon as
possible and return them to the League
island pennsylvania navy yard until an
other emergency necessitated their use.
In the meantime, however. the compli-
Gated problems involved in maintaining
law and order, particularly in Cuba, led
to consideration OF the availability OF
these vessels as guardships and the au-
tnorities quickly reached the decision to
utilize them for that purpose.
The vessels are the Ajax the Canoni-
Gus, the Mahopaca, the Manhattan. the
Wyandotte. the Nahant, the Nantucket
and the Pasalc. They draw only Y feet
of water and each OF them carry two
l5-inch smooth bore guns in its turret 1t
is intended that they shall not only pro-
vide for the defence Of Cuban harbors
against exterior assaults but their mag
azines are to be stored with large guam
titles of grape and canister for the pur-
pose of maintaining order ashore. Their
is no concealment on the part Of the ma
val and military authorities 10 use this
grape and canister TO command a whole
some respect Of the United States au-
lNuIllS among Tue Oupdu llSAISNlllS dLN
other obstreperous elements which will
have to be restrained when the Spaniards
evacuate the islands, and the naval Off
GERS, who will be especially selected for
these vessels on account OF their discre-
tion and good Judgment, will have full
authority TO u.sperse any mobs which
may come within range. In each of the
ports where monitors are located there
will be no necessity for military gar
rison.
1t is proposed to locate these single tur-
reted monitors at Matanzas, Cardenas,
Sagua la Grande, Gibara, Neuvitas, Man
zamllo, Guantanamo, Trinidad, Cienfue-
gos. Bahia Honda in Cuba, and at Ponce,
in Porto Rico
1t is also the intention of the navy de-
partment 10 send the dou5leurreted mon
itors Puritan, TERROR AmphtSrlte and
Ailantonomah to Havana, Santiago and
San Juan de Porto Rico, perhaps two Of
them being stationed at Havana. These
vessels. while among the most disagree
able in the navy for active cruising SER
vice in tropical waters, are considered