The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-19

NEW NAVAL POLICY APPROVED !


partment, due to the approach of the
time for the delivery of the report of
the court of inquiry. 1t is not known
just when the document will come to
Washington, and of course, in view of
the reports of the determination of out !
side parties to obtain possession of it
before the department receives the re-
port the officials, if they know, will
not say how the papers are to be
brought to Washington. Ali that Is
known definitely is that the president
has suggested that the report be made
as soon as possible, and in consequence
1t is expected to reach this city in the
course of two or three days. The cab
met yesterday talked over the matter,
and the time stated was the general
opinion of the members when they had
heard all that Secretary Long had to
report on the subject.
There is an impression that Lieuten-
ant Commander Mark will bring the
document, though it is within Admiral
Sicard's power to choose any other Off
GER A cabinet officer expressed the
belief that the report will require care
full consideration on the part of the
president and his cabinet before given
to the public, which would seem to
postpone publication to some time
about the middle of next week, al
though nothing is certain on that point.
The new naval policy embodied in
the creation of another squadron to
rendezvous at Hampton Roads was
| also discussed at the cabinet meeting
at length, and received unanimous ap-
proval. In fact some surprise was ex-
| pressed at the delay on the part of the
navy department in taking some such
step to ensure the protection of the
more valuable coast ports along the
North Atlantic, the gathering of a
uselessly surplus fleet at Key West
being regarded in the nature Of put
ting all of our eggs in one basket.
The San Francisco reported her ar
rival from Lisbon at Gravesend yester-
day. Under his orders the commander
will divide his crew with the Amazonas
and sail at the earliest possible mo-
ment for the United States conveying
the new ship. f'he Amazonas was for
mally transferred to Lieutenant Com
mander Colwell yesterday at Graves
end by Commander CORES, the Brazil
ian officer. The flag of Brazil was taken
down and the Stars and Stripes run
up to the masthead with simple cere-
mony.
Beyond the Amazonas her sister
ship, Abreuall and the yacht May
flower, no purchanse of ships have
been made by the navy department.
A number of fleet steam yachts owned
in the United States are being offered
to the department, and 1t is probable
tha' ome of these will be purchased.
Sc etary Long takes the view that
IL ling to secure the torpedo boat de-
stroyers he wants the best plan is for
him to equip some of these speedy
boats with torpedo tubes and light bat
teries and improvise torpedo boats.
The navy department Is convinced
that the Spanish government has not
acquired possession of the Varsee, the
Italian armored cruiser. 1t would not,
however, be a matter of deep concern
If the report were trSe. The depart
ment itself had the vNsel in mind as
possible acquisition, but abandoned
the idea upon learning that she could
not be made ready for service in less
than three or four months, which
practically put her out of considera-
tion as an emergency purchase.
Some idea of the activity prevailing
in naval circles is given by the state
ment that the payroll of the construc-
tion department, only one of several
departments in the Mare Island navy
yard, for March was $4,000 This great
: expenditure per month, it is said, was
5 not equaled during the late war.
Q 1t is said to be the purpose Of the
0 president and his advisers to keep q
, separate and distinct account of all
funds expended from the 900
emergency appropriation made by con-
1 gress for the national defense. In ac-
cordance with this intention a separate
form of requlslton has been prepared
, and all amounts allotted from the fund
are made upon the direct order signed
by the president himself. The amount
paid for the yacht Mayfiower was
, about 100000.
The ordnance bureau of the war de-
partment yesterday awarded contracts
i, for large number of steel armor
+ piercing and deck piercing projectiles
for the coast fortifications guns, There
were several bidders, but instead OF
giving the contract to one concern the
bureau divided the contracts, so that
/. supplies will be coming from several
Il quarters at the same time,
= The house committee on ways and
= means favorably reported yesterday
with amendments, the Dingley bill foI
r. naval supplies purchased abroad. The
V bill is amended so as TO include mill
tary as well as naval supplies,
Recruiting is going on apace at al
stations for the army and navy, The
Michigan, at Erie, Pa, has enlisted 81
men so far, and good reports come from
all quarters. The Columbia and the
Minneapolis are stlll 2l0 men each short
ol Seventy thousand men is the number
o. of Spanish soldiers who have been kill
ie ed. wounded and otherwise incapaci
s. tated for dlty during the present wal
s. In Cuba. These figures have been re
ceived in this city recently from re
liable sources, and are said to be a.
~ nearly authentic as it is possible I,
~ obtain them without recourse to tn
ce records kept by the Spanish govern
81 ment. From the same source 1t 4
ao learned that Spain's army IN Cuba a
- present consists of $4,000 men, OF whom
so 900 arr effective for military pur
poses There are also 10000 member
At i'm what is known as the voluntar.