The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-12

the best and preparing for the worst
about represents the situation in the
war and navy departments these days.
The officials still profess confidence
that there is to be a peaceful outcome
of the present threatening difficulties,
but meanwhile prepare with serenity
to meet their duty if events should
shape themselves otherwise.
The most important and significant
developments of the day were the de-
cision of the house naval committee
to phase in the naval appropriation bill
a provision for three new battleships
and a conclusion on the part of the
secretary of war to issue tomorrow
morning an order creating a new mill
tary department. including within its
confines that part of the country which
would be in all likelihood nearest the
field of hostilities in case it should
come to that. The order will cause
commotion in the south. The present
department of Texas is abolished, and
the headquarters, which have been at
San Antonio, Tex, for so many years,
are abandoned.
In place of the old department is
created a new one, the department of
the south. General Graham, at present
commander of the department of
Texas, viii command the new depart
ment. This department will include
the states of South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi-
ana and Texas. All OF these states
save the last are at present attached to
the department of the east, under COM
nand of General Merritt of New York.
1t is said at the department that Cen
eral Merritt is fully compensated for
the strength of his command which
passes away from him by the addition
to his forces OF the two regiments of
artillery now recruiting.
Headquarters OF the new department
of the south will be at Atlanta, Ga,
chosen because of its fine strategeticaI
value from its excellent railroad con-
nectiOns. At present the government
has no accommodations in Atlanta for
the headquarters of the department, so
il win be obliged to hire the most avail
able buildings.
BRAZILIAN VESSELS.
Most of the time of today's cabinet
meeting was taken up in the discussion
of measures which have been put into
operation for the acquisition of naval
vessels by the government. One of the
members said otter the meeting:
1t is now altogether probable that
we will secure the two vessels that are
under construction for the Brazilian
government. 1t is not possible just
at this time to show just how many
ships the government will be able to
secure. 1t has options on a number
that have been offered, but nothing is
likely to be definitely accomplished in /
the way of acquiring them until an
examination is made into their condi-
ton, for which purpose a naval officer
has been dispatched abroad. We do /
not want lot of vessels that old ma
tions contracted to be built and now
find are not up to expectations. f.
should not be surprised but what the /
1,o ,11T
five or six vessels in all. The fact is Z
notorious that there are not a great 4
many really good vessels to be had (
but I should not be surprised if we |
were able to get a half dozen formid- /
able ones at least. The $50. O00. 900 ap-
propriated for war preparations will /
be expended in this country, except /
such as may be used in the purchase /
of ships and in the acquisition of mu-
nitions of war that are not obtainable !
here.
british SYMPATHY.
Yes. I think the sympathy of the
British government in this controversy
is with the United States. At any rate
she does not side with Spain l do NOT
mean by this statement to have you
infer that the Englishmen will openly
advocate our cause and extend us sub
stantial help. but that they will give
US their moral support
The day passed again without word
from the court of inquiry, according
to the state ment of Secretary Long,
who says that ne has received moth
ing whatever from the court itself or
from Judge Advocate Mark
The officers of the navigation bureau
were very busy translating cipher
messages today. 1t was said that all
OF these had come in over night, and
presumably they related to the pur-
chase of ships abroad
Secretary Long Said that he had not
ordered the fleet in China to the Philip
pines, as was rumored here today.
EUROPEAN AMMUNITION.
The naval officers who are endeavor-
ing to effect the purchase of ships
abroad have encountered an obstacle
that promises TO give some trouble
This is found in the difference be-
;ween the calibres Of the guns mounted
on foreign built ships and the United ,
States navy standards. Not only do
these guns differ in calibre from our
own in most cases. but as they are al
most all designed for the use of smoke
less powder, their combustion chambers
are too small to use the ordinary brown |
powder with which the American navy
is still supplied. This obstacle is SER
ious, but not insurmountable. IT will
require the procurement in Europe of
a large quantity of ammunition in spe
cial sizes for these ships, as it would
require a good deal of time for our do
nestle ammunition makers to change
their plants and make the special sizes
SPANISH MAINE INQUIRY.