The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-03-14
Call Office, Riggs House.

Washington, March Ii.
To-day, unlike last Sunday, when the
published statements of the desire Tor
the recall of General Lee and the pro-
test of the Spanish Government against
sending war vessels with relief supplies
to Cuba caused much excitement among
official circles, was comparatively qul-
ct. 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 dispatches
calculated to cause conferences between
the heads of the various departments
There were a number of experts of the
War Department ordnance officers at
their desks for a short time during the
morning to attend to some pressing
matters, while at the Navy Department
the board on auxiliary cruisers held
final meeting preparatory to the de-
parture of the special board to New
York.
Secretary Long was at the Navy De-
partment for short time. He stated
late in the afternoon that there was no
news of any nature for the press, ana
added in response to a specific inquiry
that nothing had been received from
the Court Of Inquiry.
The Board on Auxiliary Cruisers met
in Assistant Secretary Roosevelt room
during the morning. There were pres
emf. in addition to the Assistant Secre-
tary. Chief Constructor Hichborn of the
Bureau of Construction and Repair,
CAPTAIN Frederick Rogers of the Naval
or1 SURVEYS and
Captain ONeill, chief of the Ordnance
Bureau; Lieutenant Sargent, recorder
of the Board of Inspection, and Lieu
tenant Peters of the Naval Intelligence
Bureau Lieutenant Commander j. D. j.
Kelley and Naval Constructor TaWreSey
the latter now on duty at Cramps
shipyard, were expected, but their or
ders to attend had evidently arrived toe
late to permit them to do so. Each OF
the bureau chiefs present was aple 70
give the board some information incl
dent to the work that may be required
to fit out any ships that might be OBJ
tanned. Several of the members of the
board as originally appointed to look
into, the matter are unable to leave the
city at the present time, so it was de-
termined that a special board, of which
Captain Rodgers will be president,
should be designated to proceed to New
York tonight to undertake the WORK
in hand. An Office will be opened at Is
Cortland street, New York City, to-
morrow morning, 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 to war purposes.
The naval officers say there will be
no difficulty experienced in obtaining
all vessels that are desired, as there
are hundreds available. Thanks TO
the work of the naval intelligence office
the department keeps in close touch
with the construction of all craft that
could be utilized in the event of hos
tilities, and just now it has a record OF
forty such ships of all sizes and classes
which will be inspected and examined
If their owners desire to part with
them A number of these are vessels
which have been constructed under the
subsidy act of Congress and are en-
gagged in carrying the mails. The YES
| sells to be examined will include al
classes, from liners like the st. Pau
to ocean-going tugs, which can be OF
very material service for number Of
purposes. Tonnage, draft, speed, con-
ditions of boilers and machinery anC
other attributes will figure in the thor
ough inspection which will be under.
! taken by the board before any charter.
ing or purchasing is recommended
Both the ordnance bureau and that en-
/ gagged in the work of construction an(
/ repair are ready to take their part il
| fitting out and equipping such vessel!
as may be acquired.
At the Fort WASHINGTON factory ar,