The times., 1898-05-25

may be gathered from the fact that she
Is longer than any ship In the United
States Navy except the Columbia. Brook
lyn. and New York, and only four inches
shorter than the latter ship.
Naval officers say that the Ravenna
ought to be a valuable acquisition as a
transport. She is one of a fleet of sixty
two steamships owned by the P & o.
Company. which ply between Brindisi,
Bombay. Ceylon. and other ports in the
far East.
According to Lloyd's Register. the Ra-
VIENNA was built by w. Denny & Brother
at Dumbarton. Scotland. in 1880 She is a
steel single screw three-masted steam
ship of 1886 registered and $50 gross tons.
Her engines are of the compound type,
with two cylinders, fifty-four and ninety
four inches in diameter respectively, with
sixty-inch stroke of piston and $40 nom
iAal horse power. Her principal dimen-
sions are: Length. $50 feet inches:
beam, 80 feet inches; draught % feet 9
inches Glasgow has been her home port.
This ship was specially surveyed in 1885
Appointed Ensign.
Capt. John j. Phelps. of Hackensack.
n. j., son of the late William Walter
Phelps. who applied for appointment in
the Navy. yesterday received a commits
sion as ensign. with orders 10 report at
once TO the Celtic, at Brooklyn navy yard
which he did Capt. Phelps sailed his
schooner yachth Brunhilde round the
world. He passed his examination at the
navy yard last week. when ne was L.
censed as an engineer and as master of a
seagoing steamer.
The SOIace.
New York, May 24-Rear Admiral Err
ben. who has charge of the harbor and
II
terday received pamphlets from the Sec
retary of the Navy detailing the provis-
ions made for hospital ships during the
war with Spain.
= letter from Surgeon General W. K.
Won Reypen, U. S. N, sets forth that the
Solace, the Navy hospital boat, is the first
vessel of any nation fitted and equipped
under the terms of the Geneva conven-
ton. The pamphlet sets forth the ar
ticles Of the Geneva convention, adopted
in 1864 and 1858, providing for the neutrali-
ty OF such vessels. Article 6 declares that
the wrecked and wounded picked up by
the neutral ship must not serve again
during the continuance of the war.
Correspondence on the subject of the
Geneva convention has been carried OF.
with Spain through J. B. Pioda. minister
10 the United States from Switzerland
Minister Pioda has informed the State
Department that Spain has acceded to the
request of the Swiss minister and will
adhere to the articles of the convention.
Article l3 provides for the fitting out of
ships by aid societies, but these. as well
as persons belonging to aid societies In
the field. must be recognized first by the
commander-in-chief. No request has vet
been made on the Red Cross Society, but
the orders are not held to interfere with
their work. Their services have been
rendered TO the Government
Major George II. Torney who will have
command of the Army hospital ship Re-
lief, formerly the John Englis. which is
now being fitted out, said yesterday that
no one would be upon the shin except
regularly enlisted men or civilians in pay
of the Government AS the Red Cross
nurses and physicians are not allowed to
accept pay, this will bar them from the
Relief There will be on the shin sixteen
nurses, six of whom will be women from
the Johns Hopkins Hospital of Baltimore
1t will be the first time that women have
ever been employed on an Army ship.
Stephen E. Barton, of the Red
Cross Society, said yesterday that the
society held themselves in readiness. and
that there was not reason to suppose that
they would not receive orders Every civ
ilized nation had availed themselves of
the services of the society. and the Unit
ed States would probably do so. He did
not look upon the Army and Navy orders
as in any way interfering with the so
cietv'S work