The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-16
SEAMEN FOR THE AMAZONAS
PART OF THE SAN FRANCISCO'S
CREW TO BRING THE SHIP ACROSS.
Made for TranspOrta-
ton of TrOOps-FiVe Modern Dry
Docks to Be Built.

other busy day in the War and Navy
Departments. Secretary Alger was enabled
to make an allotment of funds from the
appropriation of $50, 900 900, which will great
ly facilitate the work of the bureaus. These
bureaus had not been able to conclude any
contracts for the procurement of war sup
plies because no allotment had been made,
but this afternoon the Ordnance Bureau
was given two and one-half million dollars
and business went forward with rush. 1t
is true that this sum is already mortgaged
under provisional arrangements made dur
ing the past week, but with the assurance
of more funds to come the work of the
bureau is now moving rapidly.
Secretary Long was exceedingly busy to-
day having not only to give a good deal
of time to the Cabinet, to which he was
Obliged to return twice, but also being
obliged to see a great many persons with
whom the department has or expects to
have contract relations. Among the latter
was Mr.. Herreshoff, the torpedo boat build
or from Bristol, r. /. He turned two of
these boats over to the department few
days ago and the secretarys purpose in
consulting him was to learn how much he
could hasten the work on one Of the boats
remaining in his hands which, in ordinary
times would require about two months to
complete. The secretary also spent a good
deal Of time at intervals during the day in
consulting over the long distance telephone
with naval officers in New York, and it is
believed much of this consultation con-
cerned the procurement of suitable vessels
from among the auxiliary navy for war
purposes.
Mr. Malster of the Columbian iron works
that he will be able to turn over to it the
torpedo boat Rodgers next Saturday. The
Rodgers is a boat which smashed her en-
gines in the midst of a trial trip about six
months ago. 1t was necessary almost to
replace the engines, but under the hurry
orders from the Navy Department this has
been done in good time. 1t is expected that
the boat will be taken at once from Balti-
more to Norfolk. The department has no
disposition to waste time at this juncture in
making trial trips but knowing the boat to
be of satisfactory type, like her sister boat,
the Winslow. and of good workmanship, ac-
cording to the naval inspectors reports, she
will be accepted out of hand, as were the
Gwin and Talbot last week.
The new cruiser Amazonas, according to
present plans will be manned entirely from
o'clock this morning from Lisbon and will
arrive about Friday 1t is expected she will
divide her officers and crew with the Anna
zonas, placing Lieut.. Commander Arthur P.
Nazro, executive officer of the San Fran
cisco, in charge of the latter vessel With
out doubt the Amazonas will be got
across the ocean as soon as possible, and it
is expected that the San Francisco will con-
voy her.
OFFERS TO SELL PLANS.
The agent in this country of the Thorny-
croft Torpedo Boat Company of England,
Mr.. Plat, has submitted to Secretary Long
a proposition for the sale to the government
of designs and complete working drawings
for the magnificent torpedo boat destroyers
built by his firm. Predicting that the de-
partment would find it absolutely mpossi-
BILE to buy any of these craft in Europe at
this juncture, Mr.. Plat has urged the pro-
priety of having the government here start
Immediately a number of our ship building
firms to work in the construction of these
boats. The particular pattern submitted is
that of the torpedo boat destroyer Fame,
built for the British government. This
craft, the type of those so strongly desired
by the Navy Department just now, is of
more than thirty-knot speed and three hun
dred tons burden, large enough to be thor
oughly seaworthy and carrying sufficient
coal at economical speed to run four thou
sand knots. This advantage is not pos
sessed by any of our boats, and it's impor-
lance is fully illustrated by the difficulties
confronting the efforts of the Spaniards to
get their torpedo boat fotilla across the At
lantic to Cuba. Based upon the statements
of ship builders who have been approached
on the subject, the department has satisfied
itself that a number of these boats can be
built in from six to eight months. We now
have under construction in the United
States four boats rated as thirty-knotters,
but, with the exception Of the one built at
the Union iron works, which is so per cent.
advanced toward completion, very little
progress has been made in their construc-
ton. One of the boats is building at Hor-
Ian & Hollingsworths, one at the Gas En-
CINE and Power Company and one at Wolff
&, Zwickers, Portland, Ore.
The Navigation Bureau OF the Navy De-
partment is receiving reports of the results
of the efforts making at various recruiting
stations to obtain men for the navy.
Twenty boys have been received on board
the receiving ship Wabash at Boston, and
thirty more will be enlisted in a day or two.
All will be transferred to the training sta
ton at Newport Owing TO the limited slc-
commodations there however the depart
rnent has not been able to progress as rap
idly as 1t desires in enlisting boys. So far
the Columbia is about two hundred men
short OF her full quota OF 402, but It is
hoped that the accessory men, mostly fire.