The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-19
Sick Leave Revoked and Ordered to
Report For Duty.
FOREIGN WAR VESSELS
UNCLE SAM ABANpONS PLAN OF
SECURING MORE.
Efforts to Secure the Origins Given
Up-Commodore Howell in Com
mand of Newly Organized Patrol
Fleet-Steamer St. Paul-Spanish
Torpedo Boats-Navy News.

Washington, April 1S.-PrObably with
the view of availing himself Of the
large experience of Rear Admiral ST.
card, Secretary Long has revoked the
sick leave of that officer and ordered
him to duty at his own Office in the
navy department. Admiral Sicard 5
home is in New York state. and he is
expected to report at the navy depart
ment within "a hours. Being familiar
with every detail of construction ana
the strength and weakness OF every
vessel in the fleet under Captain Samp-
sons command as well as those now
living at Hampton Roads, under com
mand of Commodore Schley, the ad-
miral is expected TO be of great as
sistance to the department in the ar
rangements of any plans OF cam
paign.
The ST. Paul is expected to arrive at
Cramps shipyard some time during the
day, if the tide serves, having passed
the capes early in the morning. 1t is
believed that about ten days time,
working day and night. will suttlce to
make the necessary alterations in the
vessel. She will be given light armor-
ed protection over vital points, sucn
as the engines, boilers and gun mouths
Tt is not expected she will undertake 10
cope voluntarily with full-fedged war
ships carrying heavy guns and arnor
for protection, but she is fleet enough
to escape from such craft. and her
field of operations probably Will De
confined to the running down OF craft
of her own kind that may be COM
manded by the Spanish government as
privateers or commerce destroyers.
The navy department has changed
its plans as to the Venezuela, just pIr-
chesed from the Red d line. Instead
of using the vessel as an Ordinary
cruiser. as originally intended, she is
now destined to be employed as
TRANSPORT for marines. These Will be
gathered up at the principal Atlantic
ports. placed on the Venezuela ana
TRANSPORTED to Key West and Hampton
for detail to the fleets there. The Ven
ezuela is at present at the Morgan
Iron Works, New York, where work
has begun upon her
COMMODORE HOWELL.
Secretary Long today decided to as
sign Commodore Howell to command
the newly organized patrol fleet, con-
sisting of the Yosemite, the Prairie,
the Yankee and the Dixie.
Secretary Long was very anxious 10
avail himself of the experience Of Com
modore Howell, but found some diff
Guilty in doing so, in view of the fact
that he outranks both Commodore
Schley and Captain Sampson. in COM
mand of the two fleets. Neither OF
these officers could in justice have been
relieved TO make room for the former
commander of the European squadron,
and the creation of the new feet solves
the difficulty.
1t Is probable that the San Francisco
viii be retained by Commodore Howell
as his flagship. thus materially increas-
ing the strength of the coast squadron.
NO MORE WAR SHIPS.
1t was stated at the navy depart
ment this afternoon that the efforts to
secure the Chilean battleship OHiSglns
have been practically abandoned and
that there is no longer any prospect
that the United States desires or will
be able to secure any more warships,
either belonging to foreign nations or
having been built in foreign shipyards.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt said
this afternoon that it was more prob
able that the department hereafter will
confine it's efforts in this direction to
the requirement of yachts. tugs, and
small craft generally, for the auxiliary
navy.