The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-29
ACTIVE MOSQUITO FLEET
ESTABLISHED BY AN ORDER OF
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT
Small Vessels of All Sorts to Be
Armed as an Auxiliary Line OF
Defense-CustOma Activity In
the Way of War Preparations
Again I'm Evidence nt the Cap1t"l
of the Nation.


WASHINGTON, March 2S.-The Gus
tomary activity which has prevailed In
all branches of the war and navy de-
partments for the past month, was APP
parent again today. Particularly was
this the case in the latter, where Sec
rotary Long and Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt We're on hand early holdlnS
conferences with bureau chiefs and
number Of visitors who had business
Of Importance.
Among the public men who saw Sec
retarv Long was Senator Frye, or
Maine. At 10 o'clock the secretary left
the department for the White mouse,
intending not to return until O'CLOCK.
There was no additional information at
the department regarding the location
of the Spanish torpedo boat notllla'
now on its way to Puerto Rico from
the Canaries. excepting that it was ao-
Vancing steadily.
The highest naval authorities con-
tinue to say that this movement Is the
most formidable menace to the ships
of our navy that has yet occurred.
The most significant of the naval or
ders issued by the navy department TO-
day was the detaching of Commander
Horace Elmer from Cramps shlpyard
and ordering him to duty in 1.-The mos
quito fleet"
This auxiliary organization of the
navy to be called into active service in
time of war, is to be composed of small
crafts of all kinds that may be obtain
able by the department upon what a
gun may be mounted and other de-
fensive devices placed.
The fact that the organization is to
be composed exclusively of small crafts
Of all descriptions that may be avail
able gives the cause for its designa-
ton as the mosquito fleet"
Its prospective formation is the re-
suit of the observation and work of
the naval college for the past five
wears. and the officials believe that with
the material that may be obtainable,
and the manning of the vessels by the
naval militia of the states, a formid-
able organization of its kind will re-
suit.
Mosquito Fleet.
The naval militia of the states, how
ever, will not be relied upon entirely
to man the ships, but in case Of neces-
sity resort will be had to seamen
wherever they may be picked up.
Commander Elmer is at the New
York navy yard, which Will be the cen
ter of his future operations. His duties
respecting the selection of craft for
the fleet are exactly the same as those
performed by the board which for the
past two weeks has been engaged in
the inspection of merchant vessels fol
the auxiliary defense preliminary tC
their purchase by the navy department
The commander and his assistants
will visit various places along the coast
and will communicate by letter with
persons and firms owning small craft
with a view to determining just how
many are available and at what price
the owners would sell or charter them
to the government.
The big naval fleet in the vicinity Of
Key West received an addition today
in the arrival of the cruiser Cincinnati
and the gunboats Wilmington and Cas-
tine, which were at port.
The fact that Admiral Walker cable6
announcing his departure for home, re-
wives the speculation as to the likeli.
hood of one of the highest officers OF
the navy, active or retired, being plac-
ed in charge of the entire naval opera
lions, including the fleet under Capt
Sampson, Commodore Schleys flying
squadron and any auxiliary lines o.
defense that may be established.
1t was stated, however, at the navy
department, that Admiral Walker:
home coming is because of the conciu
sion of the work of the Nicaragua
canal commission, Of which he is presi
dent, and that it was not fastened be
cause of the present naval activity
Moreover, the name of Admiral Bunce
who is still on the active list, is tn,
most frequent name mentioned amont
the highest naval officers as the on,
most likely to be chosen for this su
preme command if it should be deter
mined upon.