The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-23
Most Powerful DerriclSs and Machin-
cry Possible to Obtain to BE Put in
Operation within "a Week.
MOVEMENTS OF WAR VESSELS
SOUTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON COMING
UP TO WEST INDIAN WATERS.
Monitor Terror VIII Probably Be Sent
to New York-Message from Capt.
Sissbee-ReIief Proposition.

| WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-All the gov
! ernment departments were closed in Wash
| ington to-day save the Navy Department.
| where a few of the officials assembled to
! receive dispatches that might arrive and
| to close the contract with the wreckers for
! the recovery of the effects on the Maine
and the vessel herself if that be prac-
! ticable. The signing of the wrecking con-
| tract with the most important event of the
| day and this concluded the officials closed
| up shop and went home to enjoy a
| spite from the rush of the past week. Capt.
! Sigsbee was heard from in a dispatch,
/ which indicates that close attention will
| be given to the coal bunkers by the naval
! court of inquiry at Havana. Officials un-
! questionably have been for some time pre-
! pairing for any emergency that may arise,
but appearances at the department to-day
would indicate that any necessary orders
| already have been given and that the stua-
tion was not one calling for immediate
! activity at Washington. The Castine and
! Cincinnati, in accordance with orders made
known some time ago, to move much
further north to West Indian waters, and
at Norfolk the monitor Terror has been
| OIQtI6Q 10 DG III IedQlleSS anu may We sent
! to New York later.
! The Senate passed a bill to add two ar
tillery regiments to the strength of the
army. This measure has been urged for
many months by officials of the War De-
| partment, who foresaw that while Con-
| gress of late years had taken measures for
the protection of our coasts by considerable
! appropriations for extensive works and
| great guns, it had not provided the men
necessary to operate these engines of war.
| Should the House pass the bill it will en-
able the department to carry out plans it
has long had in view.
| Criticisms lately passed on the state of
| the army and our Notifications has caused
increased activity in military matters and
to some extent this is responsible for re-
ports arriving from various quarters of
movements at army posts. A report was
circulated that General Miles, as COM
mander of the army, had issued additional
orders for troops at all forts to be on the
alert and ready for immediate action, but
this promtly denied by the generals
chief of staff. Nothing whatever of q sem
sational character occurred in Washington
and on the whole the day was free of
rumors by comparison with it's immediate
predecessors for the past week or more
If1E COORI OF Inquiry.
Secretary Long said to-day that the naval
regulations under which the court of in
quiry was proceeding at Havana absolutely
precluded the conveyance by any member
of the court or the court as a body to any
person, even the secretary of the navy of
any facts developed during the progress of
| the inquiry, unless the action of the depart
ment was necessary upon some develop
/ m further ha tferat
reason the secretary does not expect to
learn anything official or unoffically for
several days from any of the members of
| the court, and, as Captain Sampson, the
! president of that body, has given notice at
| Havana that the proceedings would be kept
secret there, the officials here do not see
| how any one can know what the court is
doing.
The naval officials assert that the report
! to the effect that the movements of the
| South Atlantic squadron now under way
are with view to the early assembling OF
| the vessels near Havana is without foun-
dation This movement they say, is i'll d-
rect accord with the plan outlined in De-
cember last by Captain Chester of the Gin
cnnat in command of the squadron and
approved by the department. This plan was
about as follows: After the smaller vessels
were docked at Buenos Ayres, he would as
semble the squadron and proceed up the
coast of South America for squadron drill,
visiting all the ports where American inter
ests exist, going as far as Paraguay. Upon
the return of the squadron from the north
| he would make a long visit TO Rio Janeiro
with all the vessels. Near Rio Janero is
! the harbor of Isle de Grande, where the
vessels would have target practice and 9TH
er squadron exercises This would also give
the smaller vessels an opportunity for tor
pedo practice. 1t is said at the Navy De.
partment that some time ago word came
that the vessels of the South Atlantic
squadron were in need of coal, but that
| yellow fever prevailed at Paraguay, where
they were then and south Of them in Bra
| zil They were authorized to proceed to
| some healthy port for their coal and thus.
it is stated, they came to go to Barbados.
! TERROR TO REPLACE THE MAINE.
| In explanation of the order given yester-
day to the Norfolk navy yard officials to
have the Terror in condition for service, Sec
retary Long said this order had been given
/ to replace the Maine, it being deemed de-
sirabe that the armored fleet should not
! fall below a certain number. There was
very little work to be done on the Terror,
! and forty-eight hours should suffice to fin
ish it, The Terror is our most powerful
double turreted monitor. and although not
as effective a sea boat battle ship, in
the smooth waters Of the harbor she would
probably be able TO hold her own against
almost any craft.
The following telegram was received by
the Navy Department this afternoon from
Captain Sgsbee; Send to Forsythe for
sigsbee. transverse sectional drawing of
Maine through forward ten-inch magazine
aaa shell room. showing pocket coal bunk