Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-02
NEWPORT NEWSBUSY
MOVEMENTS OF OUR FORMIDABLE
BATTLEsHrPs IN THE ROADS.
PUTTING EVERYTHING IN READINESS.
Commodore schIey Receives a Cipher
Message, But Its Contents Are I'm
known-Preparatio mt Fort Mon
roe-CauIIxers Resume Work.
Message, ~

NEWPORT NEWS, VA. April l.
| Special -Commodor Winfield Scot
Schley, commanding the Hampton Roads
or flying squadron, received a cipher
| dispatch from Washington this afternoon
| asking how soon he will be ready L
| take his ships 10 sea-
The dispatch stated, further that IT Il
imperative that an immediate answer be
forwarded to the Navy Department.
1t is learned from a trustworthy source
that Commodore Schley sent an imme
date reply, but its contents, or even some
idea OF their nature, cannot be learned
1t is believed, however, that the Com
mander replied that ne could place his
vessels in readiness for action by to-
morrow, but would prefer to await the
arrival of the cruiser Massachusetts, be-
fore putting to sea.
CLEANING THE MASSACHUSETTS.
The work Of cleaning and scraping the
bottom of the batteship Massachusetts
is being carried on very hurriedly to-day.
The news that war is inevitable has
made the officers of the big fighter some
what anxious about the future OF their
ship. One OF the officers informed me
this morning that the work of cleaning
the ships hull would require at least
ten days by the present method. The
work by the divers must necessarily be
very slow, as it is impossible 10 make
rapid progress. If war is declared next
Monday or Tuesday il is possible that
sufficient of the sea growth Will nave
been removed from the forward sides Oh
the Massachusetts to enable her to take
her place with the rest OF the nylng
squadron. OF course, she will go into ac-
ton when it is necessary, but unless her
hull is pretty we'll cleaned she will not
be able to make the required speed.
A force of ship-yard employees is busy
on the flagship Brooklyn to-day repairing
the turrets and fittings TO the rapid-hre
guns. While the damage to these parts
is not serious at all, Commodore Schley
is determined TO take his ship into ae-
ton when ordered without the slightest
flaw. The ship-yard experts who are
doing the work have been ordered TO
rush it to completion by tonight.
THE BROOKLYN HARDLY READY.
An officer from the Massachusetts
stated this morning that he understood
that the Brooklyn is hardly ready to
leave this port, and he believes the story
that she will weigh anchor tonight and
ioin the Columbia TO be without foun-
dation.
Captain Higginson, of the Massachu-
setts. denied to-day the published story
that nineteen of his marines had been
locked up some time yesterday for In
toxication. Such a story, he said, being,
as IL il. without foundation, is not calcu-
lated TO reflect credit upon naval yes
sci. 1t is true, he said, that great deal
of whiskey has been sold to seamen ana
marines from the pleasure pier and car
ried by them aboard the ship, but no
member of the crew has been locked up
for drunkenness.
Yesterday was payday aboard the
Massachusetts, and only a small number
of seamen and marines were allowed
ashore.
HOLDING THE SEAMEN DOWN.
The police have been busy all day ar
resting. seamen and marines from the pat
tleship Massachusetts, who remained
ashore for a longer period than their
liberty permitted
When the last messes OF sailors and
marines were given liberty last night
they were made to understand that they
must be back on the ship at o'clock this
morning. When the hour of rolled
around. and there were still absent thlr-
ty-nine sailors, Captain Higginson sent
instructions TO the Police Department TO
arrest any man found ashore who be-
lcnged to the battleshlp.
ACCOMMODATING this order was n reward
of $40 per man for each and every seaman
delivered TO the officers Of the ship,
making a total of $3.50, that the command
er was willing to pay for the detention Oh
his crew.
Not little significance attaches to this
order. 1t IS not likely that Captain HlS-
ginson would offer 1890 for runaway sea-
men unless there were some important
orders in the wind.
Before noon to-day the police had ar
rested twenty of the thirty-nine absent
sailors. and all Of them will probably be
apprehended before night.
There is now no doubt that Commodore
scblev Is prepared to move his squadron
at a moments notice.
FORT NEARLY READY.
The emplacenfehts at Fortress Monroe
are all ready for the new rapid-fire rifles
which have been ordered by Colonel
Frank, the commandant, and which, In
all probability. will arrive some time
next week. Until the guns arrive httle
more can be done on the emplacements,
since drawings of the guns nave not YET
arrived from Europe and the finishing
touches cannot be put to the emplace-
ments until these are available. There
is a great demand for rapid-fire guns at
all of the defences on the Atlantic coast
and reauisltions were so numerous that
the government was obliged to place or
ders with European gun manufacturers
As Fortress Monroe is regarded as the
most important objective point on the
Atlantic coast IL is more than probable
that the first guns to arrive will be for
warded directly TO Old Point for the
Hampton Roads stronghold
IL is expected that a consignment or
twenty g. and 6-inch rapid-fire rifles will
arrive i'm New York tomorrow. together
with type-drawings. These drawings Will |
be forwarded Immediately TO Fortress |
Monroe and other points where rifles are |
needed badly. and the guns will follow |
with carriages as soon thereafter as prac- |
ticable. 1t is estimated by the engineer |
officers at the fort that. with the draw
Ings in hand I'm advance and the guns re- |
ceiyed within the next week. the rapid |
fire battery at Fortress Monroe can be |
ready for action by the second week in |
April.
RAPID-FIRE RIFLES.
The necessity for rapid-fire rifles at the |
key to the Norfolk navy
yard, the Newport News shp-yard, the |
cities at which these great war-plants |
are located, as well as the State capt.
tall is very apparent. Colonel Frank is |