The evening times., 1898-06-08
FOR NEW MONITORS
The Naval Construction Board
Decides Upon Their Features.
THEY WILL BE WELL ARMED
The New Defenders VIII Have One
Turret, Mounting Two Twelve
Inch Rfaes-1he Craft VIII Also
Carry Four Four-Inch Rapid
Firers Apiece.

-Four formidable single turretted moni-
tors armed with Finch guns will be
added to the Navy for coast defense
twenty-seven months hence.
The Naval Board on Construction has
practically completed the circular setting
forth the general characteristics of these
vessels. The most important decision ar
rived at by the board today was to equip
each monitor with two 12-inch guns In
stead of 1O-inch guns as was proposed,
and by this action, members Of the board
are confident that the vessels will be able
to resist the attack of an enemy's battle
ship.
Besides the 12-inch guns. 1t is proposed
to give each monitor a secondary battery
of four finch rapid-fire guns and several
and 1-pounders. the latter being neces-
sary to repel torpedo boats or torpedo
boat destroyers. The Pinch gun turret
will be forward on the amidship line and
the armor will be eleven inches in thick
ness. This thickness of armor will also
protect the sides.
On account Of the small limit Of cost set
by Congress. II has been necessary to fix
the displacement of each vessel at ESQ
tons. If sufficient money had been ap-
propriated to build vessels of $500 tons it
would have been possible to equip each
. one with four Pinch guns mounted in
two turrets. and the fighting efficiency of
the craft would have been doubled
Twelve knots win be the maximum
speed for the monitors It being held by
the board that greater speed Is unneces-
sary, as the vessels are especially intend
ed for harbor defense. This speed will
be obtained by means of twin screws
driven by triple expansion engines Each
vessel will be provided with a coming
tower and VIII have accommodations for
15o officers and men.
In anticipation of the intention of Sec
retary Long to name at an early date
the three battleships authorized by Con-
gress number of Congressional delega-
tions and influential citizens have filed
applications in behalf of various STAKES.
whose names they desire shall be placed
on the Navy list. In accordance with the
expressed wish of Congress, one of the
battleships will be named the Maine, in
commemoration of the one sunk in Ha-
vana harbor.
Ohio. Pennsylvania and Missouri are
the States whose representatives are
specially active in presenting petitions
that their names be used. Ohio's claim
is indorsed by Senator Hanna The Pres
ident is also understood to be interested
In having battleship named in honor
OF his State, and the probability is that
Ohio will be selected. AS to the third
battleship. the probability is that Mis-
souri, will be It's name
Commander J. NJ. Miller. formerly in
command Of the collier Merrimac, has
been assigned to the command of the COL
lier Pompey, to succeed the late Lieut.
Commander E. w. Sturdy. Commander
Miller is now at Key West where the
Pompey is lying. and 1t is possible that
he may be ordered to return to Santiago
de Cuba with coal for the fleet
Within the next week naval officials
confidently predict. that the monitor Mo-
nadnock will be en- route to Manila The
officials understand that she will be dock
ed at once at Mare Island and as soon
as her hottom is scraped and painted she
will be ready to start on her long voy-
age. She will be towed by the Nero, as
the. collier Whitgift has been renamed,
while the Monterey will be lowed by the
Brutus.
A Conner in Ships.
Patriotism. apparently. cuts no figure
with owners of steam vessels suitable for
use as transports. for the Government in
its' efforts TO obtain steamers of sufficient
size and number to carry troops to Cuba
and Porto Rico. has been hampered at ev-
cry turn and the embarkation of the men
has been delayed.
Great as the difficulties were at the
start. they have increased of late. and the
point has now been reached when no more
transports can be procured by charter
Whether this is due to an understanding
among ship owners, who wish to force the
Government to buy their steamers out
right or to other causes. cannot be def
nftely determined.
Army officers do not hesitate to say that
ring" exists, the purpose of which is
to compel the United States to purchase
instead of chartering. Owners of steam
ers contend that they cannot offer their
boats for charter without a loss to their
business which would more than cover the
charter price.
When the demand for transports was
first made the steamship companies doing
business with Cuban ports and the West
Indies. whose business naturally came to
standstill by the opening of hostilities,
willingly gave-their steamers on charter
to the Government. The Ward line thus
disposed of the vigilancia, City of Wash
ington. Santiago, Seneca, Saratoga and
Seguranca, and the Plant line turned over
the Mascotte and Olivette Both of these
lines then suspended their ordinary busi-
ness. The Mallory line obtained charters
for the Lampasas. Concho and Leona. the
clyde line for the Comanche and Iroquois
and the Cromwell line for the Louisiana
All OF these steamers were sent to Tam
pa and Key West for the projected land
attack upon Havana. When the plans
were changed and it was decided to send
troops for a land attack upon Santiago
de Cuba, and upon San Juan de Porto
Rico, more steamers were needed. Al
though the Quartermaster's department
has raked the entire Atlantic and Gulf
coast and inspected all vessels that have
been offered, only one additional trans
port has been recently obtained She is
the Catania, owned by r. NJ. Sloman &
Co., and is now being fitted up at this
port.
Major Summerbayer. assistant depot
quartermaster, inspected several other
steamers yesterday, but found none of
them that was suitable. The Government
wants several additional ships and none
are to be had by the ordinary method of
charter. The army is held up in about
the same manner that the navy was
when the steamers for auxiliary cruisers
and Golfers were wanted. Exorbitant
prices were charged by boat owners and
all sorts of schemes to foist poor YES
sells on the Government were adopted. A
similar experience followed on the Pa
cific Coast when the Government started
out to get transports for the troops go
ing to the Philippines.
There are plenty of good steamers in
the Atlantic coastwise feet which would
admirably serve the purpose of trans
porting troops to Cuba and Porto Rico.
but few of these have been offered for
charter. The Red D line, from whom
the Government purchased the venezue-
la, now the auxiliary cruiser Panther;
has several steamers tied up. The Nor
gan lfne,. from whom the Government