Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-24
THE CRISIS AT HAND.
This Feeling Universal in Federal
0ilCial Circles.
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCES.
Ihe President Consulting Leaders Of All
Parties in Congress.
The OLD MONITORS TO BE UTILIZED.
Ih0 New and Formidable Monitors Puri-
taO and Terror GOiRS 10 Key West.
REVENUE CUTTERS As TORPEDO. BOATS
This Arrangement is Discussed, and
May Be Decided On.
ZANE WRECK TO Be ABANDONED.
Practically All Of Our Naval OflCerS at
Uohana fo Ra ponolIo1
This Arrangement is Discussed, and
May Be Decided On.
EBlKE WRECK TO Be ABANDONED
Practically All Of Our Naval Officers al
HabaDa 10 Be Recalled.
STATE MILITIA IN CASE OF WAR
Representative Marsh, of House
Committee, Urges That First Re-
course of Government for VoIun-
tccr be tn the Citizen soIdiery.

lccr nc 10 the citizen SOidiery.
WASHINGTON. March 23.-The feeling
was universal throughout official circles
to-day that the elimination Of the Snan-
lsH crisis was near. at hand With the
report Of the Maine court of inquiry only
@ little while of, with the White House
the centre Of long and earnest confer
snces between the President and the
party leaders in Congress, and with the
activity in war preparations of the War
and Navy departments, there was abun-
dance Of surmise as to developments
about TO be reached.
Among the callers on the President
were Senators COckrel, Turpie. and
Foraker, General Dan. Sickles formerly
United states Minister to Madrid. and
representative William Alden Smith. Of
Michigan, who has recently returned
returned from a trip to Cuba. The call
OF Messrs. Coclrell and Turpie was re-
garded as particularly significant. as they
are representative Democrats in the SEN
ate, and their visit followed that of SEN
gror German yesterday. 1t was generally
understood that in the present emergency.
the President desires patriotic unity,
without reference to party.
Secretaries Long and Alger also con-
ferred with the President during the day.
Secretary Long said later that the Maine
report would probably reach Washing
ton tomorrow night. If, however, it did
not come before 8 o'clock Thursday eve
ming. Mr.. Long said he would probably
not receive it until Friday morning, when
it would be laid before the President i'm
mediately. The Secretary did not lhink
the President would give the document
any consideration at late hour to-mor-
row night 1t was more probable, he
thought. if Lieutenant Mark arrived at
"a late hour that he would take the re-
port to a hotel for the night
REPORT NEXT MONDAY.
There will be no change in the plan of
sending the report to Congress early next
week. probably Monday, accompanied by
"a message from the President. 1t is de-
unitely settled, however, that the message
and the papers accompanying it will re-
late exclusively TO the Maine disaster. 1t
will not take up the feature of the condi-
ton Of affairs in Cuba, as shown by the
report Of United States consuls, these be-
ing reserved for subsequent action and
later message to Congress.
Secretary Long determined to-day to
oIder the double turreted monitors Purl-
tan and Terror 10 Key West where they
viii reinforce the squadron in those
waters. He also determined to bring into
service the eight single-turreted monitors
at the League Island navy-yaTd, Phild-
delphia, two of which will be sent TO Bss-
ton and two to New York, and four held
I'm service at Philadelphia. The Puritan
and the Terror take the place of the bat
tleships Massachusetts and Texas, recent
ly withdrawn from the squadron at Key
West. ii was stated at the Navy Depart
ment that this move was i'm accordance
with a programme previously agreed
lpon. although this programme had not
been announced heretofore. The Puritan
bv many experts is regarded as the most
formidable fighting machine in the navy
REVENUE CUTTERS TO BE USED.
In addition TO its other preparations for
rossible trouble. the Navy Department to-
dav took steps toward utilizing ten Of the |
sta-going reyenue-cutters for use along |
the Atlantic coast. Captain Shoemaker, |
Cbief Of the Revenue-Cutter Service, con- |
tered with Assistant Secretary Roosevelt |
during the day on plans for turning over |
these cutters 10 the navy. They will be |
f,st sent 10 Norfolk where additional |
runs will be mounted. and then will pro- !
coed 10 Key West and become part of |
the squadron there. Their main service, |
boweyer will be as naval pickets, chain |
~ these Aeet-cutters being maintained |
outside Of the cruisers and batueships
,Tbe Revenue-Cutter Service now has |
ready for instant and active service IA |
line officers. a engineers SO enhsted men,
and ~ vessels. Of which IA are on the At
.autic coast TWO others are IN course oil
construction at Cleveland, and with rush
work can be completed and reddy TOT sea
\, gror, thirty TO forty-fve days. The
Manning. the Gresham. the Algonquin, n,
.E. orondapa and the Window are all
new. fast. and efficient vesseis' ne MAJ
ming Is considered an 1S-knot boat. All OF
Nom II is said. could be quickly convert
ID into torpedo-boats. Whether this last
move would be made Is not definitely ue-
.fded. Secretary Long said to-day II had
lecone evident that torpedo-boats couId
hot be bought abroad, and could not De
,uIlt soon enough In this country. so that
ne might have to equip other craft win
orpodoes.
IMPROVEMENTS AT ToRTuGAs.
The Navy Department opened BIDS To-
iay for extensive improvements at 'hS
Dry Tortugas and Key West iornal
transfer having been effected as reBaIus
NE Tortugas. which passes from Tue
Treasury 20 the War Department "V0o
.onglst Of two solid steel piers 10 DC
constructed nj the Dry Tortugas, win
wo extensive ooai-sheds and an eiapo-
ate mechanical equipment for loaulhs
vessels with coal Al Key West the im,
lroyements consist OF steel pier anu
NO coal-sheds. with similar machinsIS
or loading warships with coal me
Ids ranged from a.l5i.OOO for the entire
work down 10 about si0O.000 Among 'hs
,ldders for the Dry TOrtugas piers ana
oal-sbeds was the S. S. Leonard com
any. at Jacksonville. at $27S,7OO On 'he
<ey West work the S. S. Leonard Con-
.anv,s bia was aSSO00 Two bids were