The Portland daily press., 1898-03-23
TWIN LAUNCHtN @ THUR SDAY.
The Kearsarge and Kentucky To Be Given
to Waves.

~N--C
cabinet day, interest in the Spanish Sit
uation was conferred in the. meeting OF
the President and his advisers. as 1t was
felt that with the report of the court
of inquiry so near at hands full I'M
Outstanding would be reached as to the
course to be pursued when the document
arrives. Prior to the meeting the state
ment was reiterated that neither the re-
port nor any part of 1t had reached the
authorities here. With the cabinet Off
GERS at the White House and with Mr..
Roosevelt at the Capitol beforeithe SEN
ate naval committee, there was lull in
the usual activity about tho navy de-
partment Mr.. Long had busy hour,
however, before he left for the cabinet
meeting. Judge Day came over from the
state department and had an extended
talk with the naval secretary. President
Orcutt of the Newport News Shipbuild-
ing company, also talked with Mr.. Long
on the plans for the launching of the
new battle ships Kearsarge and Kentucky
at Newport News next Thursday. Owing
to the condition of affairs here MIR. Long
is not likely TO attend the launching, as
Thursday i is the day on which the report
of the court Of inquiry may be received.
For the same reason many of the naval
chiefs who had hoped to see these line
ships glide into the water will be unable
to attend the launching. A distin-
guished party is to leave here tomorrow
night, however, including members Of
the Senate and House naval committees
and such officials as are not pressed by
the present emergency conditions. Mr..
Orcutt stated that the Kearsage would
leave tho ways at 10 a. M, thursday
and the Kentucky one hour lator.
4 MIR. Herbert Winslow, wife OF Lieut..
Commander Winslow. and Miss Christine
Bradley, daughter of Gov. Bradley, the
sarge and Kentucky, respectively, will
reach Newport News tomorrow. Gov.
BRADLEY and party of three hun dred
Kentuckians will arrive at the same
time to do fitting honor to the ship
which bears the name OF their state.
After launching an hour will be given
to inspecting the ship yards, including
the work on the big batties1lp iillnols
and later collation. will be served. Mr..
Oroutt speaks in the highest terms of
the two new battleships and says that
on a pinch they could be made ready for
service within eight months and possibly
less.
The negotiations for the purchase OF
ships abroad Is going steadily forward,
DuU Gl0r9 WAS u I6kfCb1ttD10 uIpaPtoAho-
ment in this connection today. The au-
thorities had been exceedingly anxious
to get the big torpedo cruiser Tupy, built
for Brazil She IS one of the most
formidable torpsdo craft af1oat. her size
placing her in the torpedo GLASS, while her
torpedo armament gives her the effective
ness of torpedo boat and cruiser COM
bined. It was learned positively today,
however, that the Brazilian government
would not part with the Tupy and this
closes the efforts for one of the best ships
under negotiation.
In q small measure this was offset by
the success of the navy department. in Sc
curing trim little Yarrow- built launch
which, though very small, will serve AS
harbor torpedo boat. She Is only II
tons displacement, go feet long,. 81
beam, and 3.8 draft. Her speed is 10
knots or better. The armament consists
Of two Hotobkissl 1-pound quick fire
guns, and one topedo. tube. She is of
the same class as the Moxoro. built for
the Brazilian navy. The price paid for
her was less than $25, 200, with her arma.
ment complete, delivered at New York.
Being SO small she will be shipped over
on one of the Atlantic liners. A name
will be assignedsto her later.
The war department. has received in
formation of the recent arrival at New
York of the steamer Nordkyn, with 800
pounds of foreign smokeless powder
aboard. This powder is for testing pur-
poses at the Sandy Hook proving grounds