Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-03-10
PLANNING FOR WAR
APPROPRIATION OF FIFTY MIL.
LIONS.
All Branches of the Government Unito In
Preparing to Meet spain's Attack
Spain Does Not Insist Upon Lees He
call.

Washington, March S.-There were
no less than five important events to-
day having II bearing more or less d.
rect upon tile troubled relations be-
tween the United States and Spain,
Wiz, the Introduction In Congress by
Mr.. Cannon of II resolution carrying
fifty million dollars for the public de-
fcnse. the withdrawal by the Spanish
government of Its intimated objection
to the continuance In office OF Consul
General Lee, the order for the cruiser
Montgomery to proceed to Havana In
place of the Fern, the passage through
the House of the bill increasing the
army by two artillery regiments ana
the institutions Of negotiations looking
to the purchase Of wnrships for our
navy.
Mr.. Cnnnons resolution probably led
nil other topics In interest, particular
ly when II became known that 1t was
the result of n conference between the
author. the President. Senator Hale
and other leading spirits In Congress.
Mr.. Cannon's bill IL ns follows:
That there IL hereby appropriated,
out of any money In the treasury not
otherwise appropriated. for the nation
al defense and for each and every pur-
pose connected Herewith. to bc cX-
pended at the discretion of the Presi-
dent and to remain available until
June 30. 1890. fifty million dollars.
1t was referred to the committee on
appropriations.
As there has been no explanation 80
far OF the purpose which promoted the
Introduction OF Mr.. Cannon's resolu-
tiOn, II may he said that the money In
wanted primarily as mn emergency
fund. 1t liz said by officials who will
have the disposition OF this treasure
that 1t by no means follows because
Congress places such sum OF money
In the control Of the President that he
Will feel bound to spend nll OF It,.
Those who look for Wholesale pur-
chase OF wnrships from the bargain
counters OF European builders are
likely to he disappointed. The Navy
Department mt present IL Inclined TO
make but one purchase OF this kind,
nt first mt least. In the shape Of n sub
stantial ironclnd. II does desire to get
possession OF several OF the larger
class OF torpedo boat dcstroycrs. such
as the SclSul OF the Russian navy. YES.
sells OF 1900 tons. able to keep the sea
In bad weather. n weak point with our
own boats. and capable OF enormous
speed. such ms tliirty.two knots. Hut
such crafts are not for sale mt nll
times. They are built to order gcncr-
nlly, ana could not be procured In this
manner In less than six months from
the date Of contract. even In Europe,
unless special prices were paid. There
IL no disposition on the part Of the
Navy Department to lumber the navy
with u lot OF unscrviccablc craft In u
spasm of fear. but rather TO get few
OF the hest vessels TO bc had.
The offers of ships TO the Navy De.
pnrtmcnt nre now assuming definite
and formal shape. During the dny
Secretary Long received call from a.
i. Lane. representing the Maxim Nor
dcnfcldt Company. nnd the agents Tor
several war ships now nearing compile.
tIon In large foreign ship yards. These
include two cruisers of'tlic type of the
Cincinnati. which are designated to be
twenty knot vessels. and two ironclnds
OF fourteen knots. which would bc
called thir,l-class battlcships under our
rating.
There are things that are wanted
much more than warsliips In ease OF
trouble and the army shares these
needs. 40 that fair proportion Of the
fifty million dollars would have to 60
to the War Department. These nre
abundant supplies Of shot. shell and
powder. The army Is as short as the
navy of some essential stores.
While no eXnct estimate hns been
made of the share of the fifty million
dollars appropriation to he allotted Ia
ammunition. II Is estimated Mt least
ten million dollars would he 40 con.
signed owing TO the enormous cost OF
refilling the ammunition chests Of the
wnrships now In service. At present
there IL MT enough ammunition on
hnnd for one rcfilling beyond that on
board, ns u single refilling costs three
million dollars. Each of the battlcsliips
carries 400 tons OF ammunition With
the amounts on hand. and the rcfills
which are being calculated on. the
navy would have nn ample supply Of
ammunition. even II the ships were
called into frequent nction.
without delay the officers of the ad-
jutnnt generals department to-day
gave the necessary orders for the re-
cruiting OF the new artillery regiments
authorized by Congress. The purpose
IL to enlist such men as have had scrv-
Ice In the artillery wherever possible.
and no doubt IL entertained that plenty
Of material OF the right kind will ofrcr.
The nnmcs Of the officers OF the new
regiment are now being selected. AZ
for the men. 1t is the rlan to assign
fifteen soldiers from existing artillery
regiments ms the nucleus of each new
company. to take hold Of and break In
the new men who enlist. and II IN cS-
pccted that In n very short time Uncle
Sam will have two grand regiments.
The headquarters Of one Of these rcgi-
mcnts will he established at Fort Slo-
cum. on Long Island Sound. command
ing New York. as there are suitable
quarters available there. The dcstinn-
tlon Of the other regiment has not been
decided upon.
1t ia not felt ut the Navy Department
that the people of the Montgomery are
taking any particular risks In going
into Havana at this time. for. II Is
said. should lostilities break out. II IL
n rule of honorable warfare that they
be given safe convoy out of the waters
of the hostile country. or course. Cen
eral Lee and the members of the court
of inquiry Mt Havana would be equally
exempt from molcstntion.