Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-24
yHE AUXILIARY NAVY
Meeting ofthe Board to Consider Its
Future.
ABOUT 100 CRAFT TO BE DISPOSED OF
Those at Hampton Roads to Be
Inspected First.
RELEASING THE SAILORS

The special board of naval officers ap-
pointed to pass upon the question of the
disposition of the large feet of auxiliary
craft. some 100 in all, met at the Washing
ton navy yard this morning. and 'after ar
ranging for daily sessions. to begin to-
morrow morning. adjourned until that time.
The board as at present organized is some
what different from that originally desig
mated. The present board comprises Capt.
F. ]. Higginson commanding the battle
ship Massachusetts, who serves as presi-
dent of the board: Capt. Henry c. Taylor,
commanding the battle ship Indiana, and
Commander ". Edwin Wright, recently
connected with the lighthouse service.
Other officers familiar with the auxiliary
fleet will assist the board. The members
have been authorized to visit the various
yards where the vessels are lying.
Will Go to Hampton Roads.
1t is probable their first move will be to
Hampton Roads. where the greatest num-
Der of the auxiliary craft are located. after
which they will go to New York, Boston
and such other points may be necessary
for survey of all the vessels of the auxil-
larry fleet.
Capt Clark of the battle ship Oregon
and Capt. Chadwick, commanding the cruis-
er New York, who Were originally selected
for service on this board, We're excused:
latter because of other pressing duties.
Releasing Men of the Auxiliary Navy.
Naval officials say that within the next
week all the men called from the various
states to man ships of the auxiliary navy
VIII be on their way home, with the pos
sible exception OF those on the four old
monitors around Boston. The department
is delUged with inquiries as to how soon
IIese naval mil1tiamen can return home
The letters come not only from relatives.
Out from business Hrms. The latter say
that as the war is over they want their
clerks TO return to duty. These influences
have been aided by senators and repre-
Sentatives in all sections. and altogether
heavy pressure has been brought to bear
to get the naval militiamen released from
naval service. As a result the department
1eels some satisfaction in stating that all
the men will be released by September l.
except those on the four old monitors at
Boston.
Discharged Today.
The discharges are going on today and
will continue from day to day till all are
released. Today the Inca is dischargfng
her men from the Boston naval militia at
Boston. The Restless. with men from the
New York and Connecticut militia is or
dered from MontauK to New York where
she will discharge her crew. The Aieen,
nanned by New York men, is under similar
orders. The Arctic. manned by PennSyi-
vSaia men, is discharging today at League
Island The Elfreda and Hunt-ess manned
by New York men, will remain at Mon
tauk to assist in hospital work. The Chey-
enne and Chickasaw, manned by North
carolina msn are discharging today at Port
Royal The California militfamen on the
Active. lroquois and Vigilant are also be-
Ing mustered out Today at Mare Island
Cal The Yankee mas been orlered north
10 Tompkinsv1lle. where she will muster
out 80 men of the New York naval militia
On her arrival. The Baltimore men On the
monitor Ajax were discharged YESTERDAY
The Rhode Island men on the monitor
Manhattan are being discharged tcGay.
The North Carolina man on the Nantucket
also are being let Of today.
Thus the release of the naval n.ilit;amen
Is proceeding rapidly. The four old mon
ttOrs will be the last to release their men
mainly from Massachusetts and Maine
this delay beirg due % the nece ssi1y of
sending the monitors to the League Island
navy yard. Philadelphia, before the crews
can be released.
Fleet to Be DisbandeG
The feet to be disposed of by sale or
otherwise. according to the report of the
Higginson board, includes thirty cruisers
and large yachts, four of the cruisers be-
ing the transformed Morgan liners. each
or I,JUN tons, now known as the Prairie
Dixie, Yosemite and Yankee: fifteen COL
hers OF from 1000 to 5000 tons each; seven
supply ships. ambulance ships distiIIing
Shlps and repair ships. the largest being
the Celtic. $50 tons: eleven steamers for
various uses and twenty-seven tugs the
largest being the Irocuois, 100 tons and
the smallest the Sioux, 155 tons
This fleet cost many million collars. The
yachts averaged in cost about $50 900 and
the tugs $1,000. while the big liners trans
formed into cruisers and Golfers cost sew
erai hundred thousand dollars each
The naval board now to pass upon this
feet will require month or more to make
the survey and appraisal which the law re-
quires when naval material is to be sold
The board Will determine at the outset
what vessels should be retained, as many
OF those on hand are serviceable as col
Hers. supply, ambulance or dstilling ships
VIII Go to Highest Bidders.
Those to be sold will be appraised. and
the Navy Department will then advertise
Tor bids for the ships not wanted. There
Will be no auction. Bids will be received
at the Navy Department, the sales being
made TO the highest responsible bidder at
not less than the appraised price. There is
some curiosity as to the amounts which
Will be offered for these vessels When
they were bought the urgent needs of the
government compelled the payment of
prices which, in some cases, We're regarded
IS fancy. Doubts are expressed in naval
circles whether these same fancy" prices
VIII prevail when the offers to the govern
ment are made, the impression being that
some of the contractors Will make good
profits at both ends, selling high and buy
Ing low The naval board will see how
ever, that the government is protected
against serious loss.
List of the Vessels.
According to the Naval Register the aux
Hilary navy is composed of the following
vessels:
Cruisers-Badger. Buffalo, Dixie Har-
ward. Panther, Peoria, Prairie, ST. Louis
st. Paul. Yale, Yankee and Yosemite
Yachts-Aileen. Dorothea. Eagle Elfrida
Enquirer. Free Lance, FroIic, Gloucester
Hawk, Hist, Hornet, Huntress, Hanawah,
Inca, Oneida, Restless, Scorpion, Shear
water, Siren, Stranger, Sylph. Sylvia vi
king. Vixen. Wasp and Yankton.
Golfers - Abarenda, Alexander Brutus
Caesar. Cassius. Hannibal, Hector, Justin,
Lebanon, Leonidas, Pompey. Saturn Sem
Ola, Scipio. SOuthery and Sterling.
Steamers - Iris. Marcelius Merrimac
Nanshan, Neo, Niagara, Resolute, Vulcan.
Supply ships-Celtic, Glacier, Supply,
ZafrO.
Tugs-AccOmac, Active Alice Apache,
Cheyenne. Chickasaw, Chocktaw Hercules
lroquois, Massasoit, Modoc. Mohawk Nez-
insect, OsceOla, Pawnee, Pfscataqua Pom
Ilac. Potomac, Powhatan, Seminole. Sioux,
Tacoma. TeCumSeh ITncas Vicilapf