The Portland daily press., 1898-03-14
A VERY QUIET SUNDAY.
Departments Received No Important
"War" News.
THE HURRY OF PREPARATIONS
STILL CONTINUES.
Board of Auxiliary Cruisers Had Meet
ing Yesterday-Navat Department.
Have Number of Crafts in Mind Which
May Be Secured in an Emergency.

ing Yesterday-Navat Department
Have Number of Crafts in Mind Which
May Be Secured in an Emergency.
Washington, March 13.-Today, unlike
last Sunday when the statement OF tDe
desire for the recall of Lee and the request
of the Spanish government against send
ing war vessels with supplies to Cuba
caused much excitement among official
circles, were quiet There had been no
information bearing ON the doings OF the
court Of inquiry on the Maine explosion
| received during the day or any other de-
spatohes calculated to cause conferences
between the heads of the various depart
ments.
There were several experts of the war
department. at their desks for time
during the forenoon to attend to some
pressing matters, while at the navy de-
held final meeting preparatory to the
departure of the special board to New
York.
Secretary Long was at the navy DEPART
AAACAAp A0A u SiiOLo WhA4Ss A4S oseAeS~ A@~SS~
in the afternoon, that there was no news
Of any nature for the press and added in
response to specific inquiry that nothing
had been received from the court of in
quiry.
The board on auxiliary cruisers met In
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt's room
during the morning. There were present
in addition to the Assistant Secretary,
Chief Constructor Hichtorn Of the bureau
of construction and repair; Captain Fred
Rogers of the naval board Of inspection
and survey; Captain O'Neil, chief Of the
organizing bureau, Lieut.. Sargent, re-
corder of the bureau of inspection and
Lieut.. Peters of the naval intelligence
bureau Lieut.. Com. Kelley and Naval
Constructor Towers, the latter now on
duty at Cramps shipyards, were expected
but their orders to attend had evidently
arrived too late to permit them to do SO.
Each of the Lureau chiefs present was
able to give the board information incl
dent to work that may be required to fit
out any ships that might be obtained.
Several of the members Of the board as
originally appointed to look into the
present time so that it was determined
that q special board of which Captain
Rogers will be president should be de-
signed to go to New York to undertake
the work in hand. An efdce will be
opened at 26 Cortlandt street, New York,
tomorrow, at which owners and agents
for ships will be invited to make their
proposals for turning over to the navy
such vessels as are of value for conversion
into war purposes.
The naval officials say there will be no
difficulty experienced in obtaining all the
vessels that are desired, as there are hun
areds available. Thanks to the careful
work of the naval intelligence officer the
department keeps in close touch with the
construction of all craft that could be
utilized in the event of hostilities and
just now it has record of forty such
ships of all sizes and GLASSES which will
| be inspected and examined and if their
owners desire to part with them. num-
Der of them will be taken by the navy de-
partment. A number of vessels which
have been constructed under the subsidy
act of Congress are now engaged in carry
ing the mails. The vessels to be examined
will include all classes from liners to
ocean going tugs which can be of very
material service for number of purposes.
Tonnage, draft, speed, conditions OF
boilers aud machinery and other at
tributes will figure in the thorough in
speotion which will be undertaken by the
board before any chartering or purchasing
is recommended.
Both the ordnance bureau and that en-
gagged in the work of construction and re-
pair are ready to take their part in fitting
out and equipping such vessels as may be
acquired.
At the Washington gun factory there
are now in various stages of construction
not less than $50 guns of formidable
character on which work is being done
night and day with view to their early
completion. No new guns are being
started, but the entire efforts of the
| factory are devoted to finishing those now
under way. A naval officer said there
would be enough of them when finished
| to constitute a fair armament for thirty
or more auxiliary cruisers should such
| largo fleet be found necessary to supple
ment the regular war ships. The gun
boat Machias which has just arrived at
Norfolk from the Asiatic station by way
of the Suez canal has been found to be in
fair shape as q result of the examination
by the naval inspection board. A
Thorough overhauling will be necessary
in the present instance and she will be
sent to Boston where all necessary repairs
can be made to her in about twelve days.
The ordering Of the Helena ard the
| Bancroft now on the European station to
the United States will leave Admiral
Howell commanding that station with
only one vessel, namely the San Fran
CISCO.
| No explanation for the action is
vouchsafed by the officials of the navy de-
| partmept a1,d Cacratorxy ,opcr when asked