Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-04
POWDER FOR 1HE SHIPS
United States will Send Tons Of the Explosive
10 Its hsiatic Squadron.
WAR kMEASURE FOR DRY roRTUeAs.
Island Wanted by the War Dep,r,p,nt-n
Step to be Taken In Time of
Emergency.

washington, March 4.-The navy de-
partment is making preparations to re-
plenish the supply of ammunition of
the U. $. warships on the Asiatic sta
ton. To this end orders have been
sent TO the training ship Mohican. now
nj Mare Island, to carry the ammuni-
ton. The ship was Just about to leave
for long cruise with the naval ap-
prentlces going as far as the shelton
Islands. Her first stop was to be at
Honolulu. and the department has
seized the opportunity to utilize her
as powder ship without interfering
with the itinerary already arranged for
her cruise. She will carry thirty tons
Of ammunition for the China fleet, ana
VIII start almost Immediately. II is
SAID at the department that this is only
n part Of the regular supply of am
nlunition forwarded to the II. S. naval
stations abroad when opportunity
serves.
Every warship under the regulations,
mas a certain allotment of ammuni-
ton. She is expected to have target
practice at least once every quarter,
yet the regulations provide that her
supply OF powder must never be al
iNNNu ~ dftI DtlOW a certain SDeri-
hed quantity to meet any emergency.
ON the Astatic station from the ex-
pendlture of an undue proportion of
ammunition in target practice or
through the failure of the department
to keep up the supplies, some of the
ships are Obliged to forego further tar
get practice until fresh instruments of
powder are received. The department
has gathered hundred tons of ammu-
milton at Mare Island for the Asiatic
neet and the stock has been lying there
Tor several months on account of the
inability of the ordnance bureau to for
ward 1t. The merchant marine engaged
In regular passenger traffic either re-
fuse absolutely to carry such a DANGER
Gus cargo or ask exclusively lightweight
rates in order to protect themselves
against loss Of Insurance. The first OPP
portunlty that presented itself in many
months was the sailing of the gum
boat Concord some weeks ago, but
owing to her limited freight carrying
capacity she was able to transport only
u portion of the ammunition. The pres
ent plan is fot the Mohican to take
the remainder to Honolulu, where it
Will be either transshipped to the Bal
timore of the Bennington. now lying
there and forwarded to the fleet at
Hong Kong.
The Boston and Concord both arrived
at Hong Kong yesterday.
WORD FROM LEE.
The only word received at the state
department from Gen. Lee during the
past "a hours came in a short cable
gram received last night addressed to
Assistant Secretary Day. The consul
general had formerly notified the de-
partmcnt that as one result of his eff
forts to improve the condition of the
poor of Havana he had secured from
the Spanish authorities the use of q
large store which he proposed to use as
an orphan asylum to shelter the many
little children left parentless by the
war. His cablegram of yesterday read
as follows.
Havana, March 3.-Have estab-
lished asylum for destitute families or
orphans regardless of nationality. The
money sent by you will be applied to
the purchase of food for said orphans.
LEE"
TRANSFER OF TORTUGAS.
The war department. 1t is understood,
will endeaVor to induce the treasury Of
ficials to return the Tortugas islands to
its jurisdiction. AT the treasury de-
partment 1t is said that no request has
yet been made for the transfer Should
the request be made, 1t is stated, it
would be complied with at once.
Some years ago this island, then un-
der the control Of the war department
for use as quarantine station with the
stipulation that II would be retrans-
fsrrcd at any time upon request. Since
then the government has established
upon Tortugas one of the most COM
plete quarantine stations in the coun-
try. This fact however, would not even
be considered should the war depart
ment need 1t for its own purposes.
Possession. 1t is said. would be given
within forty-eight hours.