The Red Cloud chief., 1898-01-28
A WARSHIP ITO CUBA
THE MAINE ORDERED TO
SAIL FOR HAVANA.
Eccrctary OF War Long Says No Hostile
Move n Intended senators arc Pleased
Over tho Sending of the warship-
Powerful Fleet Gathered on Florida.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 70. -tO1SlIcrnOlc
comment was created in Washington
to-day, principally because OF It's prob
able eject on tho hot.headcd Span.
iards, by the announcement that the
United States war ship Maine, now
with the great Zee: Off tho coast OF
Florida. has been ordered to Havana
It was said at the Navy department
that no disturbing news had been re.
ceived from there, but that the move
ment was in the line OF u resumption
Of free intercourse of United States
naval vessels in Cuban waters such ns
prevailed prior to their withdrawal
On account Of the outbreak Of ho,tili.
lies.
Members Of the Senate foreign
affairs committee received the inform.
alton with evident satisfaction. Mr..
Frye said the arrangement was emf.
nently satisfactory to him Mr.. Gray
said it was very proper To have n war
ship in Havana for the protection OF
American interests. Mr.. Morgan said
Germany had shown the United States
the way By sending her war ships TO
Havana and was evidently badyering
tiilo EoNSt hiC "a -
The administration has for some
lime believed that the previous ad-
ministrntion made u mistake in aban.
doning tho practice Of sending the
North Atlantic squadron Oh cruises to
the West Indies with stops at Havana,
especially rs other nations con-
,tinued tho practices. Last November
Secretary Long announced his pur-
pose to send tho squadron To the Tor
tugas for their winter m%ancuvera
Then the guDboa's Wilmington and
Annapolis were sent on cruises in the
West Indies Finally came thu orders
TO the Main. to-day.
Senior Dupuy dc Lone called ut tho
state department. to-day to advise as
to the negotiate n of n reciprocity
treaty for Cuba. lie declared that the
orders to the Maine mean. nothing
serious. =. - vw TV -
Then. Assistant Secretary Day went
TO the White house and met Secretary
Long OF the navy. Attorney Gen
eral McKenua and General Miles.
All callers were denied access to
the Presidents room, this being tho
day most largely assigned to the re
ccption OF congressional callers. The
conference lasted for = npar.y IN
hour. aud when it broso up it was
with evcry evidence Of conddcncc in
the peaceful outlook.
Secretary Long said concerning tho
rumors.afoat in regard to tho move
ments al the ships; ''So,far from there
being any foundation for the ru nor
yesterday OF trouble at Havana, mat.
ters are now in such condition that
our vessels are going to resume their
friendly calls ut Cuban ports and 20
in and Out just as the vessels Of other
nations do. The Maino will go in n
day or two on just such 4 visit The
department.ha las issued orders for yes.
sells to attend the, public cele brations
mt Mobile and tho Mardi Gcassat New
Orleans and for the torpedo boat
iotilla to visit Galveston, Texas"
Senator Foraker was particul ariy
pleased To hear the news. He said he
wished the Texas and the other YES
sells of the squadron would be ordered
to follow tho Maine. Senator Cullom
said: II am glad to hear it. hop,
the Maine will be- followed by othei
~esscls."
Never has 30 large and powerful
feet Of warships OF the United State
been gathered together as that nov
Off the extreme southern coast o
Florida, within direct striking dis
lance Of the island Of Cuba, engage
ostensibly In drill, but really in watch
ing the progress Of events across tn,
narrow channel which separates tn,
Dry Tortugas from Havana.
For n year the navy department ha
6ecn preparing for this emergency
The Atlantic squadron, now under tn,
orders Of Admiral Sicard, with head
quarters at Dry Tortugas, and telc
graphic address ut Key West, is mad
up Of the battle ships Indiana. low
and Massachusetts, the second elias
battle ships Maine and Texas, tn
monitor Terror, the armored cruiser
New YORK nnd Brooklyn. the cruiser
Detroit and Montgomery, the torped,
boats Cushing, Dupont, Ericsson an
Footc, the dynamite cruiser Vcsu viu
and the little dispatch BOAT Ferr
With the exception of the Cushing
which was put into service in 1890, nc
ship in the fleet has been in con
mission for five years.
These vessels are the flower OF II
new navy and are armed By 3}7 Oh
Gers and ASA men, besides tho N
rincs. when in action the fleet wi
be throwing shells from seventy-eigl
rincd runs, with an addition OF fit
rapid. fire rifles. All this Is for loi
range business and is in addition
the secondary batteries OF ow ca
bered guns. The torpedo feet
armed with fifteen ls'inch Witches
torpedoss, and the ships themselv
are fitted with tubes for sending OF
twenty-three more, while the Yes
vius mounts three dynamite guns.
C..s 0 ,aEnn % nnn