The herald., 1898-03-13
NATIONS NEED
Finds a Quick Response
by the People
THE SPLENDID RECORD
OF SIX DAYS PREPARATIONS
FOR DEFENSE
VAST RESOURCES PROVIDED
THE SPLENDID RECORD
VAST RESOURCES PROVIDED
Forces by Land and Sea Reduced to
Order-Provision Made For
All Possible Needs
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, March 12.-While today
was not marked by particularly important
events, the history of the week just closed
will form a splendid record of what can
be accomplished by the nation in short
space Of time under the necessity Of pro-
vidng for the national defense. Beginning
with the appropriation of $780, 100000 to be
expended by the president without linita-
ton, there followed rapidly the placing OF
orders for enormous quantities Of war sup
plies, the institution Of negotiations for
the purchase of ships abroAq, the enlist
ment of men for the navy..tke creation of
two regiments Of artillery the commits
sionng of monitors, cruisers and rams, the
manning of new posts along the sea
coasts, and, finally, the Encouragement Of
the great military departments to meet
modern conditions in military practice.
LOOKING AHEAD
The sending of the Oregon, now at Mare
island, away from San Francisco is an ex-
hibition of the far-sightedness with which
the secretary of the navX,ls observing the
situation today. The vessefs orders are to
cruise down the Pacific coast, touching
from time to time at various ports where
cable connections exist to receive any or.
ders that the department may have to give.
In this way it is expected that she will
work as far south as Valparaiso, Chile.
where she will wait orders. Valparaiso
is very much nearer to Cuba and to Ad-
miral Sicards fleet than Mare island. while
if it should be desired to send the ship TO
the Asiatic station this can be done almost
as conveniently from Valparaiso as from
San Francisco. At Valparaiso the Oregon
will be where she can be most usefully ma.
nipulated in case of an emergency.
THAT COURT REPORT
The president held a conference at the
White House about noon today with Sec
retaries Alger, Long and Gage. 1t is pre-
sumed that the subject of discussion was
the finances of the situation a subject
which could not be fully treated at the cab
met meeting yesterday, owing to the short
session. After the conference the state
ment was again made, with the emphasis
that has characterized every utterance on
the subject by the presidents constitutions
al advisers, that up to date the administra-
ton has absolutely no knowledge of the
cause of the disaster to the Maine, and
that it has no report of any kind from the
with it.
INSPECTION OF SHIPS
The board of naval bureau chiefs f1nd
it impossible to pass Judgment at Wash
ington upon the fitness for naval service Of
vessels that may be offered for the auxll-
iary branch of the navy at the various sea-
ports, SO they have been aided in their
work by the creation of a special board,
u,1,i xxyi11 rtoly ~ cit ~
ports where ships may be offered and
make careful personal inspection of the
various craft. The board woll consist Of
Lieutenant Commander Kelley, Passed
Assistant Engineer Dixon, Assistant Naval
Constructor Tawrezy and Lieut.. Sargent.
Lieut.. Kelley, having been specially
charged with the inspection of merchant
vessels suitable for naval service, will be
Of great service as member of the board.
The Nashville arrived at Key West today.
while the Marblehead arrived at Tampa.
The naval officials will not state the pur.
pose of the Marblehead's visit to Tampa.
THE CRANK LOOSE
The war talk has had the usual result OF
bringing before the war and navy depart
ments a perfect flood of suggestions and
inventions. Many of these are most re-
markable-balloons, flying machines Kites
and the like, centipede-ike steamers with
manifold propellers and torpec oes of fear
full and wonderful destructive powers. All
of them are given attention and are Of.
fered to the proper authorities for investi.
CATION, but not much is expected from
them.
BIDS FOR MUNITIONS
The war department will, on Monday,
open bids for one of the largest orders Of
shot and shell for heavy caliber guns ever
given including armor piercing projectiles
and deck piercing torpedo shells. The
number and character of these follow:
Nine hundred and thirty-nine twelve-
inch deck-piercing shells weighing 1000
pounds each; 1241 twelve-inch deck-pierc-
ing shells weighing 800 pounds each; 4S1
.en-inch armor piercing shot, capped; 149
eight-nch armor-piercing shells; $50 eight
inch armor-piercing shot, capped.
These projectiles are for the heavy for.
tification guns mounted along the coast.
The purchase Is not to be made under the
fifty million defense appropriation bill, but
is in anticipation of the fortificauon bill.
which grants $4,000 for a reserve supply
of projectiles and powder. AS the making
of the heavy projectiles will take consider
able time the contract will be let ahead Of
the passage of the bill, assurances having
been given from men in congress that no
question would be raised as to the regular
ity of this proceeding. The entire amount
Is designed to give all the heavy guns now
| installed and those to be put in place DUR
| ing the coming year. a full quota of pro-
| jectiles and powder. The twelve-inch shot
are among the largest made. The cost of
| a single round of this class of projectilesi Ia
s511. Aside from the large order to be
placed Monday. the emergency bill will
permit additional orders to meet the ro.
quirements of such fortifcation guns -
may be mounted for emergency. The pres
| ent order Is for the actual needs Of the gus