The Portland daily press., 1898-04-04
MAKING READY,
Rushing Work on the ycsuvius at Wash
ton.

Washington, April 2.-The secretary OF
the navy issued an order today, closing
the Washington navy yard to visitors.
This order takes effect tomorrow morning.
The commandant says that it was
especially desired that the yard should be
closed to all visitors tomorrow as it was
intended to complete the work on the
Vesuvius SO that she would be enabled to
leave on that day If necessary.
The navy department. has been informed
of the departure of the gunboat Marietta
orally understood that this vessel has been
ordered to join Capt. SIMPSONS fleet at
Key West with as little delay as possible.
Similar orders, it is understood, will
be issued to the commander of the battle
ship Oregon, now due at Callao.
The steamer Standish, attached to the
Naval Academy, left here last evening for
Annapolis. She brought cargo of old
guns which had been stored at the Naval
Academy and were somewhat out OF re-
pair They will be put into good condit-
ion as quickly rs possible at the Washing
ton gun factory and shipped to points
where they can do the most good.
| Assistant Secretary Meikeijohn Of the
war department. received II telegram to-
day from the secretary of the Omaha
lodge of Elks. No. SO extending on the
part of that body greetings and sympa-
thy and through him to the President of
the United States the assurance that Gall
Eiks will be found loyal to home and
country. To this end we pledge our lives
and sacred honor"
The fact that neither branch of Con
gress WAS in session today was response
| Bile for the resence of a great number of
| the members of both Houses at the state,
war and navy departments. In some in
stances they came at the request of ollie
ials This was the case at the navy de-
| partment where committee consisting
| of Messrs. Hanna, Chandler, and Platt
| Of Connecticut, were consulting with
| Assistant Seoretary Roosevelt for an
hour, discussing the naval appropriation
| bill The conference followed meeting
CT the stragetic board which consists
of Mr.. Roosevelt, Capt. Crowinshield and
Capt. Glover.
meeting Of the defense board This
board consists of Capt. Barrier of the
navy and Col. Wagner OF the army.
They are considering the question OF the
-aost desirable point in the South to be
used as a central base of operation in
case of Possibilities. Gen. Miles is of the
opinion tnab lUU:OuV 1lSH Coti U 10 a
ported to any point on the 1uIf or The
Atlantic coast in the South within IS
hours after the cRll to arms.
Secretary Alger had number OF callers
during the morning, including Senators
Pasco, Cullom, Carter and Platt OF Con
necticut, and Representatives Hull,
Corliss and Dingley shortly after IL
O'Clock the Secretary left the White House
where he had matter Of some business
to transact with the President. During
the morning he also saw number of
chiefs of DEPARTMENTS and Gen. Miles.
The $500, 900 allotted to the quartermas-
ter's Office from the emergency fund is
for the purpose of meeting any expenses
incident to the shipment of troops, stores,
guns and other munitions of war that
cannot be made from the annual appro-
priation.
Gen. Greeley, chief signal officer, re.
ports that the work of connecting by
electricity the defenses at the seacoast is
we'll started In ten days the connections
will be made at New York city and with
in a few weeks at all the other place.
Range finders and other apparatus de-
signed to measure with accuracy, the
speed and distance of passing vessels
will also be installed.
The officials of the navy department
say that the cruisers San Francisco and
New Orleans should reach New York
about the 10th inst
The bureau Of construction aud repairs
of the navy department has given di-
rections to the officials at the Mare Island
ya1d to improyise means for the protection
of the tools and machinery necessary to
the repair of the vessels now at the yard.