The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-25

49, -
/ act in any emergency.
Vallejo, Cal, March 25.-Great activ-
| ity prevails at the Mare Island navy
| yard The cruiser Philadelphia has been
hauled from the stream and lies along
/ side the quay wall, near the Charleston.
| The gunbOat Yorktown has also been
| tOwed to the wall and all three ships
| fairly swarm with men at all hours.
| The Charleston is rapidly nearing COM
pletion and will be ready to go into
| commission in a comparatively short
| time. The Yorktown, too, is nearly
| ready for sea and the purchase of sup
plies for both is now being made.
Washington, March 25.-The report of
| the Maine court of inquiry is now in the
! hands of President Mckinley The
! formal transmission of this momentous
document was accomplished at, 9:4O
o'clock this morning. 1t was delivered
by Lieutenant Commander Mark, judge
advocate of the court OF inquiry, to
Secretary Long and by the latter taken
to the White House and handed to the
president. Lieutenant Commander
Mark and Lieut.. Carl Jungen left the
Ebbitt house, where they had kept the
report through the night a few minutes
before 9 o'clock They were in civilian
dress and attracted little attention
along the street as thev proceeded to-
ward the navy department. Lieut..
Jungen carried a large canvas bag. or
portfolio, enclosed by straps, containing
the report. They arrived at the de-
partment at exactly 9 o'clock. Secre-
tary Long already was at his desk in
anticipation of their coming. The two
officers proceeded first to the office of
the judge advocate general. Capt.
Lemly, in accordance with the naval
regulations requiring the transmission
to be made to that office. Capt. Lem
ly greeted the officers and together they
went direct to the secretary's Office a
colOred messenger going ahead with the
report.
They were ushered into the secreta-
rvs office, where the formal delivery
was made by Lieut. Commander Mark.
capt LemIy then retired, and for 20
minutes Messrs. Long and Mark were
together. The secretary did not, how
ever, open the report.
At 9:35 o'clock Secretary Long came
from his office with Mr.. Mark and pro-
ceeded to the White House. The report
was still carried by the lieutenant COM
mander, while Mr.. Long had in his
hand a long sheet of transparent paper,
such as maps are made on, wound round
a wooden roller. The secretary also car
ried a large black bag. Mr.. Long cor
daily greeted the group # newspaper
correspondents, and remarked that he
had not opened the report and knew no
more than they did of it's contents.
Then they stepped into the navy de-
partment brOugham and were driven
around to the main entrance of the
White House.
1t was 9:3S as the secretary and Mr..
Mark entered the White House doors.
They did not go direct to the presi-
dents office, but passed through the
private corridor on the first floor and
thence to the blue room, to await the
president. He had-been- in his office
before their arrival but at the moment
was in the residence portion of the
house. A few minutes later the secre- |
tary and Lieut.. Commander Mark
Joined the president in his library and |
the report of the Maine court was for
mally delivered to the chief executive. |
The arrival of the report hardly Gre
ated ripple of excitement at the White ]
House, except among the group of !
newspaper correspondents gathered
there.
Assistant Secretary Day had called |
about 9 o'clock but as the president |
was at breakfast he retired, but re-
turned about 10 o'clock. Secretary Al |
ger came about half an hour later, and
was followed by the postmaster gener- |
al and Secretary Bliss. The other mem |
bers of the cabinet did not arrive until
about the usual hour for meeting, IL
o'clock
Washington, March 25-Commodore |
Winfield Scott Schley, at present con-
nected with the light house board, has
been ordered to command the flying
squadron at Hampton Roads, with the |
Brooklyn as his flag ship.
Commodore Schley received the news |
of his assignment at the light house |
board, where he was engaged in closing |
some of the work of the bureau. He |
expects that it will be a day or two
before he finishes his work here and |
command at present comprises three
vessels the Brooklyn, Columbia and
Minneapolis, all ocean grey hounds, but |
in a short time his squadron probably
will be swelled to about a dozen ships.
Commodore Schley refused to talk at
all concerning rumorS that the flying !
squadron might be sent out to inter- |
rupt the Spanish torpedo boat f1Otilla. |
He said that was a matter concerning |
which he could say nothing at all
Commodore Schley has a fine record |
for discretion, good judgment and fight |
ing qualities. He was in command of
the Baltimore during the Chilean trou- |
BILE, which threatened to end in war and |
had peaceful termination, which it is |
believed was due largely to his tact and
discretion.
His three vessels at present under his |
command, are all swift cruisers and !
among the others which probably will
be added to his command are the st. |
Paul and the St. Louis, of the Ameri- !
can line, which were built so that they |
could be turned into efficient fighting |
machines at a few days notice. These
vessels have not been impressed as yet,
but arrangements have been perfected |
between the government and President
GriscOm, so that no delay will result as
soon the decision is reached that the |
outlook justihes the large expenditure |
of money necessary for their transfer to |
the navy department.
Officers have been Professionally pick |
ed out to command these ships, Com |
mander w H. Emory and Commander |
Willard H. BrownsOn, at present in !
Europe, on a special mission for the |
government being the officers who it is
expected will be assigned to command |
of the St. Paul and the St. Louis.
Two battleships are on their way to |
add to the fighting strength of the |
flying squadron. They are the Texas !
and the Massachusetts. One of them |
may reach Hampton Roads today and |
the other should be there tomorrow.
The assachusetts is a first-class
battleship of 10,28S tons displacement,
while the Texas is a second-cIass bat |