The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-09
TIE BROOKLYN ORDERED HOME.
she Will ACT as an EmerGepcy Vessel. with
Station at Hampton Roads.

she Will ACT as an EmerGepcy Vessel. with
Station at Hampton Reads.
WASHINGTON. Marsh s.-The armored cruis-
or Brooklyn. Capt. Francis NJ. Cook. has been
selected to act as an emergency vessel. with
station at Hampton Roads. Orders were ca
bled Capt. Cook yesterday to abandon the itin-
erary Of the Brooklyn's cruise in West Indian
and South American waters. and to proceed
to Hampton Roads without delay. The Brook.
lyn accordingly left La Guayra, Venezuela. this
morning. and . telegram reporting her depart
ure was received at the Navy Department at
about noon. She will mako no stops on the
way. 1t was intended to have the Brooklyn
cruise around the northern coast Of South
America for tho next week, and on arriving'at
Colon on March 16, report for further orders,
but the exciting incidents Of the past few days
decided the Department In Its course to bring
her back to home waters at once.
In considering tho possibility of war with
Spain, tho naval administration has been con-
fronted with the fact that the northern Allan.
tic coast Of the United States is without tho
protection Of any naval vessels except the Ter
ror at New York and the several ships now be-
ing rapidly prepared for sea at the League Island
Navy Yard. That a Spanish feet would prob.
ably DO sent to attack northern cities II war
were declared has been Impressed on tho Navy
Department as q strong probability. and there
have been several conferences with q view to
determining means Of affording some degree
Of safety to these places without weakening the
magnificent squadron lying off tho Florida
coast There Is o general agreement among
naval officials that war might come SO sudden
ly and Unexpectedly that powerful Spanish
vessels might be within striking distance of New
York, Boston, Portland, or any OF the more
exposed cities lying north of the Virginia capes.
before the Government realized that there was
danger of attack in that part of the country.
A formidable vessel like the Vizcaya could
proceed to New York SO quickly and secretly
that thcir intentions might not be known until
her long-range gums began to throw shells
toward the metropolis. In order to lessen
this grave danger as much as possible,
Secretary Long decided that the best he could
do would be to station the Brooklyn at some
central point where she could be available for
strengthening the North Atlantic squadron in
the Gulf Of Mexico or augnenting the monitor
Terror In New York harbor. or be available for
the defence of Boston or other Northern port.
The Brooklyn 10 the fastest of the armored
ships and could make quick time between
Hampton Roads and Key West or New York.
BY tho time she reaches Hampton Roads the
nituation may have developed sufficiently to
make q change in her orders necessary, but
HhSSSAs "a W ava ~ SoS v o iOk
emergencies In tho Virginia roadstead. She is
expected to mako quick passage from La
Guayra.
Another Important action taken by tho
Navy Department to-day was the sending Of
orders TO the oommandant Of the Norfolk Navy
Yard to rush work on the cruiser Newark, SO
that she may be placed In commission. Ex.
press directions were contained in these orders
that tho work must be completed and the Now.
ark put in active service within forty days.
While one of the older cruisers OF the new navy,
the Newark will become q vessel Of some for.
midability when her overhauling has been fin.
ished. She will have now rapid.hre guns In.
stead Of tho slow.fre battery with which she
was originally fitted, and her speed will DO ma
terially increased. No decision has been reached
as to her destination after being placed In COM
mission, but 1t is probable that she will DO
sent to augment Admiral Sicard's fleet.
Tho Puritan, now rapidly nearing the compile
ton of her necessary repairs at Norfolk, may DO
sent TO some unprotected port for duty similar
to that with which tho Terror is charged at
New York,