Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-03-17
| WORK OF A WEEK
EVENTS BEARING ON
SPANISH SITUATION.
SECRETARY LONG ShREWD

His Management Of Vessels on the Pa
cifc Considered FarSighted-War
Department About to Open Bids for
Large Supplies Of Munitions-f'ern
Reaches Mantanzas All Right.
Washington, March 13.-WhiIe Sat
urday was not marked by particularly
important events, the history Of the
week just closed will form a splendid
record of what can be accomplished by
a nation in a short space OF time IN
der the spur Of necessity to provide for
national defense. Beginning with the
appropriation Of $50,000,000 to be eX-
pended by the president without lin
itation, there followed rapidly the
placing of orders for enormous guam
titles Of war supplies, the institution
OF negotiations for the purchase of
ships abroad, the enlistment Of men
for the navy, the creation Of two addi-
tiOnaI regiments Of artillery, the COM
missioning Of monitors, cruisers and
rams. The manning of 6he new posts
along the seacoasts, and finally the re-
arrangement of the great military de-
partments to meet modern conditions
Of military practice.
The sending of the Oregon, now at
Mare Island, away from San Fran
cisco is an exhibition Of far-sighted-
ness with which the secretary of the
navy is observing the situation of to-
day. The vessels orders are to cruise
down the Pacific coast, touching from
time to time at the various ports where
cable connections exist to receive any
orders the department may have to
give. In this way it is expected that
| she will work as far south as Valpar-
also, Chile, where she will await or
ders. At Valparaiso, the Oregon will
| be where she can be most usefullv
manipulated in case Of an emergency,
either on the south Atlantic or Asiatic
| station.
The president held! a long confer
eace yesterday with Secretaries Al
ger, Long and Gage. 1t is presumed
their object was a discussion of the
! financial question.
The statement is again made, with
! the emphasis which has characterized
| every utterance On the subject by the
| presidents constitutional advisers,
| that up to date the administration
has absolutely no knowledge of the
cause Of the disaster to the Maine
and has no report Of any kind from
! the court Of inquiry, or anyone con-
nected with it.
The board Of naval bureau chiefs
finds it impossible to pass judgment
in Washington upon the fitness for
naval service of vessels that may be
offered for the auxiliary branch of
the navy at the various seaports, so
it has been aided in the work by the
creation Of a special board which will
undertake to visit each Of the ports
where ships may be offered and
make a careful personal inspection of
the various craft.
The Nashville arrived at Key West
yesterday. The MarbIehead arrived
at Tampa. The naval officials win
not state the purpose of the Marble
heads visit to Tampa. The war talk
has had the usual result of bringing
before the departments perfect flood
Of suggestions and inventions. Many
of these are most remarkable-ballOn
flying machines, kites and the like
centipede-like steamers with manifold
prOpellOrs and tOrpedOs are all giver
attention, but not much is expected
from them.
The war department viii
tomorrow open bids for on
of the largest orders of sho
and shell for heavy calibre guns eve
given, including armor-piercing pro
jectiles and deck-piercing and TORPEDO
shells. The number and character o
these is as follows: Nine hundred AM
thi1ty-nine 12-inch deck-piercin!
shells, weighing 1000 pounds each; 1,
241 12-inch deck-piercing shells weigh
ing 500 pounds each; 4S1 10-inch arm
or-piercing shells; 49, 10-inch armor
piercing shot, capped; 149 8-inch arm
or-piercing shells; and $50 S-inch arm
or-piercing shot, capped.
The Fern, laden with supplies 70
suffering Cubans, arrived at Matanza
yesterday. Captain Cowles merely re
ported the arrival to the navy depart
ment without making any mention c
the condition of affairs at Matanzas
After discharging the stores there, Cap
tain Cowles will proceed to Sagua an
leave the remainder.
Civil Engineer Menical has been dc
tached from the League Island nav
yard and ordered to Key West. Thi
is regarded as significant, and indicat
ing the purpose on the part of the nav
department to make immediate an
considerable improvements at til
naval station at Key West
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