Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-25
SPIiTS HOSTILE MOVE.
r. , Biz Torpedo FI0'illa to Western
'e''"' Waters.
,,,sosp AS A MENACE TO AMERICA.


by 80 80 court of inquiry was one Vi
he Man ,.d activity in all ofiicial
anfNa. Advices came early Una.
''N sranlsh torpedo hotilia hau sa,,e a
The st .se Canarles for Porto RICO anu
iO'" mis- moment the most ehers ',.
from VI" ,neasures followed one announcer
Instant succession.
In cons .,oyement of this fleet has peeh
..',cbed with the keenes. ,n', ,iossin,,
Wa''n ,o,t TO involve serious poss,p''
II We s.hleh might compel the oh, ,'.
iies ,,yerument to protest against
STATES ,rt MS of a hostile charac-
the nv aaet consists of six torpedo
,a ;, and seven torpedo boat destroy
po"'. .,Ir,een in all, constituting one "a
ers' ~ formidable torpeuo sau'
rons afloat, 80, the receipt of the
an,"i dispatch from one Oh ou, ,,r
atlaen%,1, of the fleet, the iact was
the sAn ,a,.n To the President ana an
mace h"',,f.rauce was held between
eafhes, Secretary Long ana Assist"ht
him anu roosevelt. The seriousness
secietuS ;ovement was fully considered
OF lne president was advised that
ana W. ,,,tegists regarded II as es-
ha. aa that this torpedo fleet shou,u
senuI' allowed to reach western
, nv, What, II any, CONCLUSION was
,,ssched is not known .,,,..,. q,
There is very decided curtent VI
lns. ~, among naval officers IN
se sasinc some OF the highest. In favor
ciuui anssisive and immediate acton
81 cav that il would be most unfor-
lhV! a., This time to have this great
aSo notilla brought within easy
apb NJ our squadron at Key west
rsrs I, can be stated, is not mere ma
In', ,nscuIation. but has been given
va .n.iat cngnizance and has been urged
v vaNn The President. 1t was due TO the
H. imnortance of the movement thht
,ns,rctions were issued some days
arn 10 keep the navy department I'M
,Ssdlately advised on the departure Oh
~ +ornedo fleet from the Canaries.
"1 Totar in the day the Spanish minis
,sr senior polo y Bernabe, called at
A. state department and spent some
,ra with Judge Day. 1t was natur-
sIy inferred that the approach OF the
snanish notilla was one of the sub
XXI referred to. Whether. however,
mere was any suggestion against the
move was not disclosed either by
J1dge Day or the Spanish minister,
itb Of whom maintained the strictest
rticence regarding the conference
and refused to speak concerning II.
Following the notilla announcement
ir,nortant news followed rapidly. The
arst was the announcement by Secre-
tary Long, indicating the placing of
our squadron and fleet on n war foot
ing.
il developed that Capt. Evanss or
ders to take command of the Iowa
had a most important sequel in the as
signmeni Of Capt. Sampson. present
commander Of the Iowa, TO succeed
Admiral slcard In command of the
North Atlantic squadron. This is prob
ably Che most important assignment
the apartment has made in many
months 1t Is due mainly to the find
hgs OF medical court now sitting nj
Key West that Admiral Sicard is tenn
plarily incapacitated from active duty
tving to long illness.
Capt Sampson, who now assumes
Command of the North Atlantic squad
no. Is regarded as one of the best
| equipped officers in the navy. having
sen active service during the Civil wal
ard since then having occupied many
Important positions. He Is high
authority on naval ordnance, and be-
fore taking command of the Iowa was
chief Of the bureau Of ordnance of the
navy department He Is student OF
naval affairs, of genial temperament
and Is considered an officer of eXcep-
tional executive ability. The retirement
Of Admiral Sicard has the effect of
raising Capt. Sampson to the rank OF
Commodore, He is II native of New
York, entered the service In September
l5i, and has been over forty years In
tIN M
were spent on the sea. He concluded
his last cruise In June. 1892. since which
time he served as chief of the bureal
ot0rdnance up to the time of his MS.
slgnment to the command of the Iowa
Hardly less important than the as
sgnment Of Capt Sampson was tbs
PRACTICAL determination to place Com.
motore W, $, Schley In command oI
the fleet now assembled at Hampton
aoads. The two commands under
commodore Sampson and Commodor,
SChley will be Of equal dignity and vii
be entirely Independent of each othei
ior the present at least.
commodore Schley commands tn,
fullest confidence of the administra,
uoh. During the present crisis he hai
bten frequently called into consultation
WIN the navy chiefs, who recognized
hls complete familiarity with every de
Mlf Of naval procedure. when the fly
lhs squadron was first suggested hi
name naturally presented itself NJ
PROBABLY the fittest man m the servlc,
lot that particular duty. He cam,
PROMINENTLY into public notice by tn,
successful prosecution of the Greel,
rellet expedition and later was com
Mahder OF the Baltimore at Vnlpa
luton. wv
although the announcement. did no
1 ce So II soon became known tina
Solhmodore w. S. Schley was slated I,
mulinand the flying squadron" Thl
announcement was recognized Mt one,
unusual Importance at this June
.lre Admiral Sirard has been in com
mahQ OF the fleet at Key West through
s0 s ,he critical period of the Main
sasler CAPT. Sampson has been IL
Ihahd OF the Iowa. but more re
,nt,y mas been conspicuous before tn
n s-oue as president OF the Main
4 "vl' OF inquiry.
4 me next important move ree n de
vss s to create Joint commits
ns r rom the war and navy depart
n rs,s, s SO as to bring them into har
81 pgus action on all measures. Capt
II fnra the naval aide of Secretar,
n 10y was designated to represent IN
\, ~ department in this common MIA,
w,s seuon. The representative of III
nsn department has not vet bee
ths"e " Will not be necessary 70
Ss 1.-TWO TWO officers to leave WASHINGTON
a, oeuy can best arrange n Joint plal
obtaS'Non IN conference with the bureat
Ths.oi me two departments here.
an "a, az the close OF the day, cam
p1r,,,all, uhcement that the navy de
EIGHT ''v ny mad succeeded in purchasln
turs steam yachts and four stenr
foy SI ~ presumably at or near New Yorp
boats ~, W me auxiliary naval fleet. Tn
an e,, l,e about 400 tons each. and /
TORPEDO SSeney would be suitable n
are among I'm" ~ The yachts purchase