The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-06
The United States Has Already Be.
gun Negotiations.
OFFICIAL ADMISSION IS OBTAINED.
Eight Men Of War Have Been OF
fcred to Uncle Sam.
THEY CAN BE BOUGHT cHEAl
Purchase. However. Must ne Made
Prior 10 Any Dcciarnsion or War.
The Ships In View.

| New York, March 5.--A srecitl to the
| Herald from Washington SAYS Fully
realizing tho Importance OF preparations
for any emergency. the president has e.
rccted tho navy department 10 omen no.
gotiations looking to the purchase abroad
OF warships.
This fact Is now for the first time made
public. 1t probably would not have
transpired at this iuncture but for tho
excitement caused by the statement pub
lshed that Spain had purchased or was
negotiating for warships being built by
the Elswick company of England for
Brazil and for other ships under con-
structipn.
With "a view of ascertaining the facts.
your correspondent called upon a high Of
fetal OF the administration and obtained
an official admssion-made for the first
time--that while tho president does not
anticipate war, he recognizes that there
is possibility of hostiities growing out
of the Cuban problem and the Maine dis
aster, and that he proposes TO be prepared
for 1t.
Eight men -of-war, which are practically
completed in foreign shipyards. have been
offered for sale In the United States. The
president has given consideration TO the
Rdyisability of placing an option on them.
The navy department has been carefully
watching the construction of ships abroad
through the eyes OF its naval attaches mt
London, Paris. st. Petersburg. Berlin,
Vienna and Rome. The surveillance has
been maintained for two months, but more
especially since the Maine disaster.
Through these naval attaches and the
shipbuilders the secretary or xle. nnvy';ha
learned that he can now purchase two
small battleships, two armored cruisers and
four torpedo boats, all at comparatively low
prices. The builders have promised that
they can sell the vessels to agents OF this
government at this time complete in every
respect, and all that will be necessary for
the administration to do will be to order
the necessary details OF officers and men
to proceed to the ship yard. 60 on board
the vessels and take them to any point
which may be desired.
The builders argued that the purchases
be made at once. and say the declaration
of war between the United States and
Spain would result in the enforcement OF
the neutrality laws and prevent the sale OF
the ships.
The battleships and armorcd cruisers
have been built by English and German
firms for governments which are now I'm
able TO pay for them, so that this govern
ment would have no difficulty in obtnining
the vessels by simply putting down the
necessary amount of cash. The four tor
pedo boats have been offered By the
Thornycraft shipbuilding company. whose
boats are recognized by experts TO be
among the best In the world.
While your correspondent was unable TO
learn the names OF the ships which have
been offered to this government, there Is
reason to believe that among them are
three powerful ships under constructino at
the Vulcan works At Stettin. Germany Tor
the Chinese government. These three ships
are OF 5000 tons displacement, constructed
TO make 1915 knots, and will be able to
carry not less than thousand tons OF coal
in their bunkers.
There is also reason to believe that in I
case OF trouble this government could par
chase from Japan the Kasagi and the Chi
osa, which are nearing completion at Phila-
delphia and the Union Iron works. The
official with whom your correspondent
talked had no doubt that Japan would be
willing 10 aid the United States by selling
the warships before the commencement OF