The news & observer., 1898-03-08
FOR PUBLIC DEFENCE,
Continued from First Page)

chasing Naval ammunition, it Is said
| that no contracts have been closeu Uut
| the department has informed Hseih
fully as TO how speedily it could secure
every kind of ammunition and supplies
in case of emergency This inquiry has
shown in n general way that the faclli-
| fins of this country are ample to meet
any demand for powder, projecties, car
fridge cases, primers, fuses, etc. These
| sunDlics are not kept in stock, however,
| and in case of emergency they would
have to be made on orders. 1t is said
that the capacity of one firm for turning
out the brown prismatic powder re-
ouired by the Navy is five million pounds
month which would more than meet
the demands of Il conflict.
While no exact estimate has been
made of this share of the So0,000,OOO ap
propriati0n to be allotted to ammunition
it is roughly estimated that at least
$40, 100000 would be SO assigned owing
to the enormous cost of refilling the am
munitiOn chests of the warshipe now III
selWicc. At present there is not enough
ammunition ON hand for one retilllnS be-
yond that now on board. n single re-
filing costs S3.000,000. Each irst-claSs
battle ship carries 400 tons of ammunl-
tion. With the amounts ON hand, ana
the refills which are being calculated ON,
the Navy would have alh ample supply
of ammunition, even if the shiDs were
called into frequent action. Naval ONT
GERS explain that n refill will last through
several Cnga gementS. owing to the lim-
ii of endurance of mon while in action.
If the guns could be worked cOnSti Lt.y
refill would be exhausted in one heavy
engagement but the guns as we'll as the
men have their limit of endurance. hose
considerations have all been taken into
account in the rough general estimates
that have been made as to the rctillS
requisite for a suitable equipment of the
American fleet.
BONDS WILL. NOT BE NEEDED.
The appropriation of SJ0,000000 for
the national defence for which provi-
sion was made in the hill introduced in
the House to-day by Mr.. Cannon. will
not involve the issue of bonds. This an
nouncement was made by the Treasury
officials. who stated that the Treasury
was amply prepared To meet any de-
mands that will likely be made upon it.
On February /. the cash in the Treas
ury amounted to 1856, ,571 .T66. of which
$204. .063.911 was gold: $511 ,SJS, ,S34 sill
yer: S107 .J64.9 .95S in paper currency and
S;33. .0S4 .O02 in disbursing officers bal
ances. etc. The net available cash ON
hand. above all liabilities, amounts TO
S225. Sc. .203.
1T is not felt at the Navy Depart
ment that the people of the Montgomery
are taking any particular risks in going
to Havana ut this time. for it is said
that even should hostilities break out.
ii is Il rule of honorable warfare that
they be given safe convoy out of the wa
tiers of the hostile country. OF course
General Lee and the members Of the
Court of Inquiry at Havana would he
equally exempt from mOlestation.
The personnel of the Montgomery Is
Commander Converse, Lieutenant Com
Inander and Executive Officer Beld;
Navigator. Lieutenant Hutchins; Watch
Officers. Lieutenant Fields and Ensign
Stieguer. Spear and Osborne: Surgeon.
DIR. Curtis: Pay Master. Ramsey; Chief
Engineer, Reeves; Assistant Engineer,
Allen.
The ship carries a crew of 80 men Of
all classes.
Without delay the officers of the Adj
jutant Generals department to-day gave
the necessary orders for the recruiting
of the two new artillery regiments an
thorized by Congress.
ENIIISTuNG ARTILLERYAIEN.
The purpose is to enlist such men as
have had service in the artillery where
ever possible and no doubt is entertained
that plenty of material of the right kind
will offer The officers of the new
regiments are now being selected. As
for the men, it is the plan to assign
fifteen soldiers from the existing artillery
regiments as the nucleus Of such new
conjpany to take hold of end break in
the new men who are enlisted and it is
expected that in a very short time
Uncle Sam will have two good regiments.
The headquarters of one of these regi-
ments will be established at Fort SlO-
cum, ON Long Island Sound commanding
New York. as there are suitable quarters
available there The destination of the
other regiment has not yet been decided
upon.
No report has come to the Navy De
partment since Saturday relative to the
work of the Court of Inquiry at Havana,
and the news is confined TO the reports
of the newspapers. which are carefully
scanned by the officers. The Sastine,
which was docked at Port of France has
sailed for Barbados. The torpedo boat
Winslow has arrived at Charleston en-
route to Key West Oregon, which has
been fitted with bIge keels at the Brem
erton dock on Puget Sound has sailed
to San Francisco.
The sentiment at the capitol to-day
and especially on the House side was
unanimous i'll support of the action OF
the President i'll declining to recall
General Lee. The immense gravity of
the situation seemed profoundly to inn
press the members who stood about the
Iobbies before the House met Without
regard to party all united in comment
ing upon the Presidents firm stand and
the unanimous desire expressed was in
support of any measure he may deem
necessary to maintain the American con-
tenti0n.
TO SUSTAIN THE PRESIDENT.
Senator Hale, chairman of the Senate
Conmittee on Naval Affairs and also
chairman of the Committee on APP
rropria tons to consider the Naval bill.
said to-day that the had suggested TO
7 Of tNax-xr ,.t