The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-08

tain private gun makers have Just
Drought out q type OF repeating rifle
very similar In general feature 10 the
army rifle, using tho same cartridge Of
80 gauge. and with about as great
rapidity OF FIRE. The plants OF these
companies are 80 extensive that they
could turn the arms out very rapidly
SO that the Springficlds In the hands OF
the militia could be replaced In short
In connection with the subject of
purchasing naval ammunition II is said
that no contracts have been closed, but
as to how speedily II could secure every
kind OF ammunition and supplies In
case Of emergency. This inquiry has
shown, In o general way, that the facil-
tiles OF this country are ample to meet
any demand for powder. projectiles,
cartridge cases, primers, fuses, etc.
These supplies are not kept In stock,
however, and In case OF emergency
they would have TO be made In orders.
II II said that the capacity OF one firm
for turning out the brown prisnlatlc
powder required by tho navy is five
million pounds O month, which would
more than meet the demands OF con-
iilct.
While no exact estimate has been
made OF the share OF the S50,000,000 ap-
preparation to be allotted TO nmmuri-
tion- It Is roughly estimated that at
least sl0,00o.0o0 would be 80 assigned
owing TO the enormous cost OF refinlng
the ammunition chests OF the warshlps
now in service. At present there Is not
enough ammunition on hand for one re-
filling beyond that now on board. A
single reflling costs 5000, 900. Each
first class battleship carries 400 tons Of
ammunition. With the amounts on
hand. and the refllls which are being
calculated on. the navy would have an
ample supply Of Ammunition, even if
the ships were called Into frequent ac-
tlon. Naval officers explain that the re-
I'll vii! last through several engage
ments owing to the limit OF endurance
OF men while In action. II the guns
could be worked constantly n refill will
be exhausted In one heavy engagement.
but the guns as well Us the men have
their Limit OF endurance. These con-
slderatlons have all been taken into ac-
count In the rough general estimates
that have been made rs to the refills
requisite for suitable equipment OF the
American feet. 20
The appropriation OF $4,000 900 for
the national defense for which prov!s-
Ion was made in the bill introduced In
the house to-day by Mr.. Cannon, will
not involve the Issue OF bonds. This
announcement was made by the treas
ury officials, who stated that the treas
ury was amply prepared to meet any
demands that will likely be made upon
II. On February the cash In the
treasury amounted to $S56,5T1, ,76s, OF
whtCh tOnl nE9 OF 1f
silver. sl0I. .564. 95S In pape. currency, and
S33.oS4,0o2 In disburs!ns officers bal
ances, etc. SEE
The net available cash on hand above
oil liabilities abounts to ;225 5,56i,e0
1t is not felt at the navy department
that the people Of the Montgomery are
taking any particular risks In going 10
Havana at this time, for 1t Is said that
even should hostNitles break out, Il is
rule Of honorable warfare that they
be given safe convoy out OF the waters
OF the hostile country. or course Gen.
Ice and the members Of the court OF
inquiry at Havana would be equally
exempt from molestatlon. -
The personnel OF the Montgomery Is:
Commander, Converse; lieutenant
commander and executive officer, BeId;
navigator, Lieut.. Hutchirs; watch off,
GERS, Lieut.. Field and Ens!Sns SteIgner,
Spear and Osborne; surgeon, DR.. Cur
tls; paymaster, Ramsey, chief engin-
eer. Reeves; assistant engineer, Allen.
The ship carries a crew OF 22S men OF
oil classes. VT.
Without delay tie officers OF the ad-
jutant general department to-day gave
the necessary orders for the recruiting
OF the new artillery regiments author
lied by congress. The purpose Is to en-
list such men as have had service In the
artillery wherever possible. and no
doubt Is entertained thar plenty OF ma
terial Of the right kind will offen The
names OF the officers or the new regi-
ments are now being selected. As for
the men, 1t Is the plan 10 assign fifteen
soldiers from existing artillery resi-
ments as the nucleus OF each new COM
pany to take hold OF and break In the
new men who nre enlisted, and Il Is
expected that In very shor, time
Uncle Sam will have two good regI-
ments The headquarters Of one OF
these regiments Will be established at
Fort Slocum. In Long Island Sound,
commanding New York, as there are
suitable quarters available there. The
destination OF the other regiment has
not been decided upon.
No report has come to the navy de-
partment since Saturday relative to the
work Of the court OF inquiry at Havana,
and the news is confined to the reports
OF the newspapers, which are carefully
scanned by the officers The CastIne,
which was docked 1T Port OF France,
has sailed for Barbados. The torpedo
boat Winslow has arrived at Charles
ton en- route to Key West. The Ore
gon, which has been fitted with bilge
keel ut the Bremerton dock on Puget
Sound. has sailed to San Francisco.
It is learned that Spain's suggestion
was made originally upon a mIsappre-
hension which was due to O newspaper
report. This report was to the effect
that General Lee had expressed the
opinion to a newspaper correspondent
that Spanish authorities were responsl-
BILE for the disaster to the Maine. Ac-
cepting this report as TO the expression
as correct. the Spanish prime minister
brought the matter to Minister Wood
ford's attention, making at the same
time tho suggestion that General Lees
recall would be gratifying to Spain. 1t
did not require @ great while for Spain
to discover that General Lee had been
according to United States authorities,
incorrectly represented. Before this dis
covery was made. however. the reply Of
President Mckinley, refusing TO heed
the suggestion and expressing q deter
minat!on TO keep Leo at his post. was
received. Spain then retired from her
position. basing her retirement upon the
ground that the original suggestion had
been founded upon a misapprehenslon of
facts. ~
EEDN TN pC pCjILVCD