The Portland daily press., 1898-03-11
Government Bound Not To Be
Caught in Bad Bargain.
CABLEGRAM OFFERS HAVE BEEN
POURING IN FROM ALL AROUND.


Plans For Fitting Merchantmen for the
service-PIenty of Torpedoes on Hand.
Washington, March 10.-The United
States government has not yet acquired a
single additional ship for the navy. The
Navy Department. is proceeding with all
circumspection in looking after the quail
ties and prices of war ships for sale.
There is strong disposition to refrain
from being drawn into bad bargains and
to insist on getting good vessels at prices
not extortionate. Secretary Long received
large number Of cableg1ams today, al
most all relating to offers Of ships. Liuet.
Niblack, the United States naval attache
at Berlin, st. Petersburg and Vienna, is
particularly active in the quest for vessels.
| There was good deal of talk during the
day about the assignment of officers to
the command of auxiliary cruisers, the
| St. Paul and st. Louis being especially
mentioned, but Secretary Long stated
| that he had not made any such assign
ments and had only progressed to the
point of informing himself OF the possibi-
lity-of getting the ships OF and manned.
While looking after new ships the officers
of the navy department are not negleoting
the old vessels Arrangements have been
made to make short repairs on several
ships that in the ordinary course would
receive thorough and time-oonsuming
overhauling. Thus, in the case Of the
Philadelphia orders have gone to Mare
Island to put her in shape for sea within
forty days.
At Norfolk the Newark is set down for
thirty days repairs and as good deal of
work has. already been done on her, she
will be almost new ship when she comes
out Of the yard. The big monitor Puritan
has practically completed her repairs. The
monitor Comanche at Mare Island has
shape. At League island the monitor
Miantonomah and the ram Katahdin
went into commission today, although
they have not yet had their orders. They
will remain in the Delaware river or drop
down into the bay. The torpedo boat
Dupont sailed today from Mobile to at
| tach herself again to the fotilla at Key
| West.
| 1t was said at the navy department. that
nothing had been heard from the court of
| inquiry or Admiral Sicard. The presence
| in the city Of several persons connected
with steamship lines and steel works led
| to the circulation of sensational atories
during the day Perhaps none OF these
| had the persistency Of one chat found cur
renoy until it met with summary denial
| ut the hands of Assistant Secretary Day
to the effect that Minister Woodford had
notified the Spanish government that the
President intended to send to Congress
message announcing the recognition of
Cuban independence.
Commander Hawley left Washington
this evening for the South with Chief
Engineer Webster and Sergeant Pearsons
| to enlist machinists for the navy. The
board started for New Orleans. 1t has
been informed that there are a number of
good men to be had on the Gulf coast and
Commander Hawley will.open temporary
recruiting offices in the Cult cities as he
goes along.
A conference was held at three o clock
in the office of Assistant Secretary Roose.
welt to map out plans for arming and
equipping merchant vessels as auxiliary
cruisers. Mr.. Roosevelt presided and
others present were Captain Crownin-
O'Neil of the bureau of ordance, Chief
Hichborn of the bureau of construction
and Commander Bradford of the bureau
of wards and DOCKS This meeting had
been preceded by call from President
Griscom, of the International Navigation
company. which owns the tour steamships
St. Louis, st. Paul, Paris and New
York. The board meeting brought out a
general discussion of the work of the
Various bureaus would be called upon to
perform in making these and other ves-
sells ready as auxiliary cruisers. About
ninety -f1veape cent of this work would
fall to the lot Gf the bureau of oonstruc-
Lovv AD1,o >f av1rk rkay1
ing magazines, guns, light protection
armor for guns and machinery on which
they swing. This work 1t Is said, could
be accomplished readily within two weeks
time, as all material except the guns is
in hand. The bureau.of ordnance could
not supply all the guns required within
that short time, although some seventy or
more are now available. The supply
would be adequate, for the most effective
auxiliary cruisers, and the complete
armam ant of the merchants ships could
proceed as rapidly as possible thereafter.
On the question of manning the auxiliary
fleet, the navy department feels that the
most effective step would be to enlist in
the United States naval service the
present merchant crews of the several
ships. These crews are thoroughly
familiar with the vessels and could handle
them with greater effect than green crews
of blue Jackets. The ships would be
offiCered from the line or regular navy.
In the case of enlisuing a merchant crew,
the pay and allowances would be about
equivalent to the rates paid ordinary sail
,, ors and the time OF enlistment doubtless
would be limited to short periods.
The proposed batteries for the auxiliary
cruisers consist for the ST. Louis and St.
Paul of eight six inch guns, four six
pounds and four machine guns; the Paris
and New York twelve six inch, six six
FOUNDERS and six machine guns. 1t is de-
signed to give vessels of the Caracas and
Seneca type a main battery of eight four
inch guns and from six to eight rapid fire
machine guns Those of the Vigilancia
class are designed to have main battery
of six five inch and four four inch guns,
four one Founders and three machine
guns. The batteries of the auxiliary
cruisers on che Pacific coast, if these
should be called into use are substantially
similar, six inch guns being the largest
one designed for use In that service.
The navy department. finds itself in
comparatively good shape as to the supply
OF automobile torpedoes, which constitute
one of the most deadly engines Of naval
destruction. The Whitehead torpedo is
now in general use, although few of the
Howell class are still on hand. FIFTY