The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-05
mo-! SO WARM.
There Are Others That Are
Warmer Than Spain.
Our Government Practically
Has an Option
On Eight Men-Of- War Now
Building
IN EUROPEAN YARDS.
Could Close the Deal Within
Twenty-FOUr Hours
And is Likely to Do So Very
Soon.

New York, March 5.-A special to the
Herald from Washington says:
Fully realizing the Importance of
| preparations for any emergency the
| president has directed the navy depart
| ment to open negotiations looking to
the purchase abroad of war ships. This
| fact is now for the first time made pub
lie. It probably would not have trans
pired at this juncture, but for the ex-
| citement caused by the statement pub
lished that the Spanish government had
purchased or was negotiating for war
| ships being built by the Elswick COM
pany of England for Brazil and for
further ships under construction. With
a view of obtaining the facts your cor
respondent called upon a high official
of the administration and obtained an
official admission-made for the first
time-that while the president does not
anticipate war, he recognizes that there
is a possibility of hostiIities growing out
of the Cuban problem and the Maine
| disaster and that he proposes to be pre-
pared for it.
Eight men of war, which are practi-
ca1ly completed in foreign ship yards,
have been offered for sale in the United
| States. The president has given con-
sideration to the advisability of placing
an option on them.
The navy department has been care
fully watching the construction abroad
through the eyes of its naval attaches
at London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Ber-
lin, Vienna and Rome. This surveil-
lance has been maintained Tor two
months, but more especially since the
Maine disaster.
Through these naval attaches and
from the ship builders themselves the
secretary of the navy has learned that
he can now purchase two small sized
battleshipS, two armOred cruisers and
four torpedo boats, all at a compara-
lively low price. The builders have
promised that they can deliver the yes
sells to agents of this government at
this time complete in every respect and
all that will be necessary for the admin
iStratiOn will be to order the necessary
details of officers and men to proceed
to the ship yards, go on board the yes
sells and take them to any points which
may be desired.
The builders have urged that the
purchases be made at once as they say
that a declaration of war between the
United States and Spain will result in
the enforcement of neutrality laws and
prevent the sale of the ships.
The battleships and armored cruisers
have been built by English and German
firms for governments which are now
unable to pay for them, also that this
government would have no difficulty
in obtaining the vessels by simply put
cash. The four torpedo boats have
been offered by the Thornycroft Ship
Building company, whose boats are rec
Ognized by experts to be among the
best in the world. While your cores
pOndent was unable to learn the names
of the ships which have been offered to
this government, there is reason to be
Heve that among them are three power
full ships under construction at the VuI-
can works, Stettin, Germany for the
Chinese government. These three ships
are 5000 tons displacement contracted
to make 1875 knots and will be able to
carry not less than a thousand tons of
coal in her bunkerS.
There is also reason to believe that in
case of trouble this government could
purchase from Japan the Kasagi and
the Chiosa, which are near completion
at Philadelphia and the Union iron
works. The official with whom your
correspondent talked, had no doubt that
japan would be willing to aid the
United States by selling the warships
before the commencement OF war