The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-29
New Addition to the American Navy
Decided Upon.
GROUP 0FLITTLEFIGHTERS
TUGS, STEAM YACHTS AND
OTHER SMALL CRAFT.
Naval Malta of the States Will Not
be Relied Upon Entirely to Nan
the Crafts-Fleet at Key West
Flying Squadron-Amnesty to De-
serters.

Washington. March 2S.-The customary
activity which prevailed in all branches
of the war and navy departments for the
past month was apparent again today.
Particularly was this the case in the lat
ter where Secretary Long and Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt were on hand hold
ing conferences with bureau chiefs and q
number OF visitors VINO mad business of
Importance. Among the public men who
saw Secretary Long was Senator Frye of
Maine.
At 10 O'Clock the secretary left the de-
partment for the White House. intending
not to return until O'Clock There was
no additional Information at the depart
menI regarding the location of the Span
ish torpedo boat fiOtilla. now on its way
TO Puerto Rico from the Canaries. eX-
cepting that it was advancing steadily :
The highest naval authorities continue
10 say this movement is the most formid-
able menace TO the ships OF our navy that
has yet occurred.
MOSQUITO FLEET.
1t was disclosed for the first time by
one OF the naval orders issued today that
the department had determined upon the
formation of ar additional new fleet, TO
be known as The Mosquito fleet. TO be
composed Of tugs, steam yachts and other
small vessels which may be obtained,
which are to be used as a sort of mobile
developed in this connection that the
naval militia of the several states is TO
be called upon 10 man this auxiliary fleet.
The fact that the organization Is TO be
composed exclusively of small crafts of
all descriptions that may be available
gives the cause for its designation as
Tho Mosquito fleet It's prospective
formation Is the result of the observations
and work of the naval college for the past
i've years. ana the officials believe that
with the material that may be obtain
nh Nra inc nf fan VOC
the naval militia Of the states. fOrmid
able organization Of its kind will result
The naval militia of the states. how
ever. will not be relied upon entirely TO
man the ships but in case of necessity
resort Wi! be had to se2men wherever
they may be picked up.
COMMANDER ELMER.
The most significant Of the naval orders
issued by the navy department today was
the detachment of Comma nder Horace
NJ. Elmer from Cramps ship yard and
ordering him to duty in the Mosquito
ileet."
Commander Elmer is at the navy yard
which viii he the center Of his future
operations. His duties respecting the Sc
lection @. CRATE Cor the feet are exactly
the same as those performed by the
board. which. for the past Two weeks,
has been engaged in the inspection of
merchant vessels for the auxiliary de-
ferse preliminary to their purchase in
the navy department. The commander
ana MS assistants VIII WISH various places
along the coast and viii communicate
by letter with persons and firms owning
small craft With q view To determining
just how many are available and at what
prices the owners would sell or charter
them to the government As far as prac-
ticablc II is the intention of the depart
ment thct there shall be = separate set
of ships for she defense o. the seacoast
citiec, the whole TO compSe the Mos
quito feet In the event Of necessity
for a rendezvous of several of these local
fleets. it can be arranged. the primary
idea is for each local fleet 70 form the
mobile defense' of the particular city
where it is made up. The bureau Of
ordnance will be called into service TO
assist in furnishina armament for YES
sells in the event Of wS- Naval officers
will be assigned 10 the command OF each
OF the several local fleets.
KEY WEST FLEET.
The big naval fleet in the vicinity of
Key West received an important addition