Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-18

81 all Coast Cities, and Because
OF the Navy Yard, Coaling Sta
ton, and Smooth, Easy Water in
That Vicinity Commander of the
New Squadron Not Selected Yet.
Washington, March 1.-THE event
OF the day in official circles was an
order for the formation OF new
squadron of naval vessels to be sta
toned at Hampton Roads. The squad
ron in the beginning will consist of six
ships, all the best Of their types. Two
Of them, the battleships Massachusetts
and Texas, are withdrawn from the
present North Atlantic fleet at Key
West and Tortugas.
In ordering this movement the Navy
Department is not animated by any
purpose of yielding to representations
or limitations that may have come
from the Spanish minister. On the
contrary, the formation of the new
squadron was brought about by pure
ly strategic considerations, although it
appears from the nature of the force
so far under orders to rendezvous at
Hampton Roads, that this strategy is
of the defensive nature. The new
squadron can not be called a flying
squadron" because the association of
heavy battleships with fleet cruisers
ike the Brooklyn, Columbia and Min
neapolis reduces the available speed of
the whole fiotilla to the speed of the
slowest vessel and the squadron could
not do much flying" in the naval
sense. Indications rather are that
when reinforced by some smaller cruis-
ers, the squadron will constitute an
ideal naval defense.
Although the other ships to be added
to the squadron have not yet been
definitely selected, it is surmised that
they will include some of the other
hattleships at Key West and the arm
ored cruiser New York, in which case
Admiral Sicard, it is believed, will
command the new force.
In place of the cruiser New York the
people of Key West will look upon the
grim outlines of the big monitor Purl-
tan, supposedly the most powerful ship
in smooth water
IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
She will have to assist on guard the
double turreted monitor Nhantonomah
and the monitor Amphrite, The Pur-
itan is now at Norfolk, almost ready
for sea; the Miantonomah is at League
Island, quite ready and so is the AM
,hitrite at Port Royal, S. c., the order
Id the end will result in the gathering
Of the pick Of the North Atlantic
squadron at Hampton Roads. The
point is said to be the best strategically
Oh the Atlantic coast. 1t is almost
centrally located and the ships from
that point can report to any portion OF
the coast in short order, which is re-
garded as desirable since no one can
tell inst where hotilla of torpedo de-
stroyers or a fast cruiser may turn
up with hostile intent to attack
town. Besides, the second best navy
ward in the country is there to fall
back upon for repairs to the ships.
plenty of the best coal is at Newport
News. there is easy water 70 navigate,
and finally, the forts at Hampton
Roads may serve as base of opera
lions in case of need for protection.
These are the considerations which
animate the navy department in MAX
ing this order tt is announced that
the commander of the new SQUADRON
has not been selected, and pending
that selection. or the arrival in port
of Admiral Sicard, it is expected that
CAPTAIN Higginson, the commander of
tho battleship Massachusetts, and the
senior officer will hold the command
of this squadron.
Remaining at Kew West after the
departure of the Massachusetts and
the Texas, Admiral Sicard will still
have a feet Of his own in numbers
when the spectacle will be presented
of a fleet and a squadron on one sta
ton. something not seen since the
civil war The monitors which it is
designed to send to Key West are said
III be we'll fitted for the service. Owing
ia their light draft of from Is to 16
feet they will be able to navigate
safely the shallow waters of the Flor
ida coast, and will not be obliged, like
the Iowa. to lie six miles out at sea
from Kew West, to secure enough wa
ter under her keel
THE GUNBOAT HELENA
reported to the department that she
had sailed to-day from Funchal. Ma
deira. for Key West, to join the squad
ron. ii is now said that it has been
definitely determined 10 bring the bat
tleship Oregon around South America
to Norfolk. She also will join the flo
tilla at Key West. The Columbia and
Minneapolis are still each 200 men
short Of their full quota, but it is ex-
pected that enough men will be secured
in the course of a few days to enable
the ships to be sent to Hampton Roads
to execute the orders issued to-day.
The naval recruiting officers in the
South are meeting with success at New
Orleans Yesterday they secured 40
men who were professionally fitted for
the navy.
The Spanish minister called at the
State Department at o'clock and re
NAMED with Judge Day something
over an hour. Both parties to the con-
ference were extremely reserved at its
conclusion. 1t is understood, however,
that it developed no new phases, but
was a general talk in which pacific as
surances were exchanged and hope
full view OF the situation expressed.
AL that time the naval department is
taking the battleship Texas from Key
West and assigning the fleet at Hamp
TON Roads was not known at the State
Department, SO that the minister was
not officially Informed Of the fact. He
heard 1T later. however, and naturally
.I "a Jt1 al