The record-union., 1898-03-05
AMERICA PREPARING FOR WAR
NEGOTIATING FOR PURCHASE
OF WARSHIPS.
The President Said to Have Given
the Navy Department Authority
to Buy Vessels Abroad.

NEW YORK, March "a special to
the Herald from Washington says:
Fully realizing the Importance OF pre-
para.ions for any emergency, the Pres
ident has directed the Navy Depart
ment 70 open negotiations looking 70
the purchase abroad of warships. This
fact is new for the first time made pub
lie 1t probably would not have trans
pired al this juncture but for the ex-
citement caused by the statement pub
lished that Spain had purchased or was
negotiating for warships being built in
England for Brazil, and for other ships
under co-..:truction.
With q view of obtaining the facts.
your correspondent called upon a high
official of the Administration and OBJ
tainad an official admission-made for
the first time-that while the President
does not anticipate war he recognizes
that there is a possibility of hostilities
growing out OF the Cuban question
and the Maine disaster. and that he
proposes to be prepared for il.
There has been ample evidence Of this
in he preparations. patent TO every
body, which have been in progress for
some time, but there has been no official
admission TO this effect until now Eight
men-of-waY which are practically COM
pleted in foreign shipyards have been
offered for sale III the United States
The President has given consideration
to the ACCESSIBILITY of placing an option
on them.
The Navy Department has been care
fully watching the construction abroad
theseyes of its naval attaches
at London, Paris, ST. Petersburg, Ber-
lin, Vienna and Rome. This surveillance
has been maintained for two months,
but more especially since the Maine
disaster.
Through the attaches and from the
ship-builders themselves the Secretary
of the Navy has learned that he can
now purchase two small-siZed battle
ships two armored cruisers and four
torpedo boats. ell at a comparatively
low price The builders have prom
ised that they can deliver the vessels
to agents Of this Government at this
time complete in every respect, and all
that will be necessary for the admins
tration to do will be to order the nee
essary details of officers and men to
proceed to the ship yard, go on board
and take them to any points which may
be desired
The builders have urged that the
be made at once. as they say
that a declaration OF war between the
United States and Spain would result
in the enforcement OF neutrality meas
ures. and prevent the sale Of the ships.
The battleships and armored cruisers
have been built by England and Ger
man firms for governments which are
now unable to pay for them: also. that
this Government would be able to OBJ
tain the vessels by simply putting down
the amount of cash The four torpedo
boats have beer offered by the Thorny
croft Ship Building Company, whose
boats are recognized by experts to be
among the best in the world
While your correspondent was unable
to learn the names Of the ships which
have been offered 10 this Government.
there is reason to believe that among
thsm are three powerful ships under con-
struction at the Vulcan Works, Stettin,
Germany, for the Chinese Government.
These three ships are 5000 tons dis
placement. contracted TO make 49,.
knots and will be able to carry not less
than a thousand tons of coal in their
bunkers.
There is also reason to believe that in
case of trouble this Government could
purchase from Japan the kaisaig and
the Chiosa, which are near completion
at Philadelphia and the Union Iron
Works. The official with whom your
talked had no doubt that
.Japan would be willing to aid the
United states by selling the warships
before the commencement of war.