The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-19
SUSPENSE IN WASHINGTON
NAVY DEPARTMENT IS AWAITING
 NAVAL COURTS REPORT.

No Information Vouchsafed as to How the
 Papers Are to be Brought, but There is
 an Impression That Lieutenant Com-
 mander Mark Will Have Charge of
 Them-The Naval Policy.
 Washington, March 1S.-An air of suspense was noticeable in the navy department to-day, due to the ap- proach of the time for the delivery of the report of the court of inquiry. It is not known just when the document will come to Washington and of course in view of the reports of the determin- ation of outside parties to obtain pos session of it before the department re- ceives the report the department, if it knows, will not say how the papers are to be brought to Washington. The cabinet to-day talked over the matter. There is an impression that Lieutenant Commander Mark will bring the docu- ment, though it is within Admiral Si- cards power to choose any other off1- cer. A cabinet officer expressed the be- lief that the report would require care full consideration on the part of the president and his cabinet before being given to the public.
 he New Naval Policy.
 The new naval policy embodied in the creation of another squadron to rendezvous at Hampton Roads was o1 ot ooI rY1patinp at length to-day and received unani- nous approval. In fact, some surprise was expressed at the delay on the part of the navy department in taking some such step to insure the protection of the more valuable coast ports along the North Atlantic, the gathering of uselessly surplus fleet at Key West be- ing regarded in the nature of putting all of our eggs in one basket. The San Francisco reported her arrival from Lisbon at Gravesend to-day Under his orders the commander will divide his crew with the Amazonas and sail at the earliest possible moment for the < United States, conveying the new ship. Besides her sister ship Abreuall and the Mayf1ower, no purchases Of ships have been made by the navy depart ment. A number of steam yachts own ed in the United States are being offer- ed to the department, and it Is possible < that some of them will be purchased. $ Secretary Long takes the view that, failing to secure the torpedo destroy CTS, the best plan is to equip some of { these speedy boats with torpedo tubes and light batteries, making them inn provised torpedo boats. The navy de- partment is convinced that the Span < ish government has not acquired pos session of the Varese, the Italian ar mored cruiser. It would not, however, < be matter of deep concern if the re- E port were true. The department itself < had the vessel in mind as possible acquisition, but abandoned the idea up- < on learning that she could not be made s ready for service in less than three or B four months, which practically put her out of consideration as an emergency s purchase.
 Activity.
 The gunboat Newport reported by cable her arrival at Greytown. She < will bring back to the United States 5 the Nicaragua canal commission and s then will be attached at once to the < North Atlantic squadron. Some idea < of the activity prevailing in naval cir
 cles is given by the statement that the payroll of the construction department in only one of several departments in the Mare Island navy yard for March { was $SO,00O. This great expenditure per
 month, it is said, was not equalled dur < ing the late war It is said to be the
 of tha TaraSidnYf nd 1,ic adyic-
 CTS to keep a separate and distinct ac- count of all funds expended from the x $50, ,000, ,000 emergency appropriation for
 the national defense. A separate form of requisition has been prepared and < all amounts are entered upon the direct
 order signed by the president himself.
 'The president wants to report to con X gress just how every cent of this mon- < ey is spent" said member of the
 cabinet to-day, land for this reason is ' adopting the course above outlined"
 SsOO,OOO for Mayfiower.
 The amount paid for the Mayflower
 was about $S00,000. Recruiting is going { on apace at all stations of the army < and navy The Michigan at Erie, Pa. I has enlisted fifty-five men so far, and good reports come from all quarters X The Columbia and Minneapolis are still z 210 men each short of their proper < force This is accounted for by the < fact that firemen, machinists and coal
 passers are wanted. An officer at the X department said that 5000 landsmen
 could be secured in a day if they were M desired. The Marblehead is at Tampa # The little Bancroft, on her way across X the ocean, reported by cable her arri- x val to-day at Horta, Fayal. She ap- q pears to be making about as good time X as her larger consort, the Helena. The < Samoset arrived at Key West to-day X as did the Montgomery, while the De- Y troit sailed from that port for Tortu- H gas The Machias has arrived at Bos- v ton, where she will have slight repairs ~ made.
 k Two Terrible Explosions.