New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-08

IeaVe
men, and she is considered slightly superior
vs.se, 70 her sisters. the Detroit and the Marble
Aead. having developed higher speed than either.
although she and the Detroit were built stimuli
taneously at the Columbian Iron Works. AZ
Baltimore Her battery Is thoroughly MODERN
the chief reliance being placed In ten o-incn
rapid.f,re guns, throwing f1fty-pounder pro'ec-
tiles and two whitehead torpedo TUBES
The Fern is a two-masted steamer built AZ a
transport for the Navy with q displacement OF
$40 tons and speed Of nine knots an hour Her
crew consists OF 1--WE officers and forty-nve men,
and on deck forward Is mounted one six-pounoer
rapid.fire gun. which can be fred eight times
minute.
HuRRYING NAVAL PREPARATIONS
Orders hurrying forward naval preparations
which have been issuing in rapid succession the
last week have demonstrated the ability OF the
navy yards TO accomplish more than has hither-
to been the experience OF ADMINISTRATIONS de-
string to get ships of to sea- The torpedo-o boat
Porter. which II was feared might be delayed
OF Mobile for some time longer on account OK
damage to her propeller shaft strut Iett there
to-day for Key West. the repairs having been
hurried to completion by men sent from NorIoiK
and Bristol. r. I. The Dupont, which met with a
similar acClOent Will lOuOW HeH OA' ="
The winslow will join these and the Gushing
and the Ericsson the last OF the week. being
now on her way South from Norfolk. The Foote.
which is also under expedited repairs at Norfolk,
will come out of dock on Wednesday and start
at once for Key West
SHIPS GOING INTO COMMISSION.
Replies to the Departments Inquiries regard
Ing tho length Of time required to put other
vessels now under repair into commission at
the earliest practicable moment show that the
Puritan, which 10 of the same offensive strength
as the Maine and altogether the most FORA
midable vessel in the Navy after the armor-
clads Of Admiral Sicard's squadron. is now
ready for her crew at Norfolk, and could 90 to
sea on q days notice. The Dolphin has been
ordered into commission March "a but she
u reported In condition to be made ready ten
days from to-day, and her officers have there
fore been ordered to Join on the list Con-
structor Bowlss reports that the Atlanta can
Be commissioned thirty days after her engines
are installed, which indicates :ts.-. she can be
completed early in April TIE Chicago. how
ever. Is over six months from completion at the
ordinary rate. though this can be reduced one
half that time II work goes continuously
The Newark can also be made ready In three
months and the commandant at Mare Island
Cal, says with enough men he can deliver the
Yorktown, the Charleston and the Philadelphia
IN two months
The Miantonomoh and the Katahdin will be
commissioned as ordered next Thursday at
League Island, Philadelphia They will go at
once to Delaware Breakwater. leaving the Navy
Yard clear to the Columbia and the Minneapolis.
which were commissioned with skeletonized
ho recruiting Of
men for these ships has been ordered. notwith-
standing the fact that Congress has authorized
no increase. the President having authorized
Secretary Long as an emergency measure to
get over q thousand men as soon as he needs
them.
PLENTY OF SEAMEN OBTAINABLE.
kilograms sent at once to Lieutenant
Commander w. H. Everett. commanding the
Michigan IN winter quarters at Erie. Penn. TO
enlist all the machnists and ordinary seamen
he could secure and advertisements have been
sent to all the cities on the great lakes. telling
men where to enlist. Commander Hawley. who
is in charge Of the crews OF all ships spent last
summer the great lakes enlisting skilled
men. and he Is convinced that the Navy can
draw most excellent material from that locality
their experience the big lake liners fitting
them peculiarly for the Navy.
Few difficulties are anticipated in filling the
necessities Of the service In the next week or
two with men who require little additional train.
ing 1t happens that many Of the best man-of-
wars men are attracted to the yachting service
during the summer. and these are all idle just
at this season and ready to go back in the
Navy for fear yachting may not be profitable
next summer and because they prefer the ex-
element Of naval life. Numbers Of these have
applied for re-enlstment in the last few weeks.
and they are being accepted now by telegraph
and informed where TO report.
MAKING CONTRACTS FOR SUPPLIES
Men, however. are much easier to get than
supplies, and the various bureaus Of the Navy
are preparing to enter into contracts for numer-
Gus essentials as soon as possible. Arrange.
ments have quietly been perfected In the last
day or two for enormous amounts Of powder
and she'll particularly OF medium calibre. and
proposals have been invited for oils paints and
hundreds OF materials which would rise in value
II war came.
Coal is apparently the easiest commodity to
procure. as il is the most necessary. Com
modore Bradford says he has tenders for a
million tons Of bituminous coal. much Of It now
on board ships ready TO start for any destina-
ton He has not yet made any very large pur-
chases. but his regular monthly bills have grown
larger until the Government ia already buying
more than It is consuming. In order that the
reserve supply may equal any sudden demand.
He has three thousand tons now at Key West
and three schooners are on the way there with
four thousand tons additional These schoon-
ers Will go directly to Tortugas to supply the
feet remaining there until they are emptied.
The naval coalshed at Key Yves. will hold
forty-two hundred tons. but an emergency con-
tract was executed to-day to increase this to
eleven thousand tons.
Charters also made with schooners to.
day to take 10000 tons more to Key West and
Tortugas at once. and part Of this will arrive
there early next week. After that is delivered
It will be followed BY much more as may be
needed.