The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-12
ships That Are Building.

ships That Are Building.
The War Department is especially ac-
tive at this time and there have been sev-
eral consultations and conferences in
Secretary Ayers office: one of them was
attended by Assistant Secretary Roose-
Welt ana had to do with the joint OPERA
uons of the naval and military forces.
Ahe question OF transportation Of trooDs
was thoroughly discussed in its relations
10 the protection which must be rendered
the transports by ships or war. IT has
not vet been decided what shall be the
port OF departure. but il is likely to he
Tampa or New Orleans. both of which
points from the camp Of mobilization at
Nhickamauga are accessible by direct
railroad routes.
The Navy Board Of Strategy today dis
cussed at some length the proposition for
the purchase of the Holland submarine
boat. 1T has been presented to the De-
partment that a foreign government is
anxious to acquire this craft, and that the
inventors and owners are desirous of SELL
ing il to their own Government instead
There is a good chance that the HoI-
land boat may be purchased, in addition
to the boat of similar type, known as the
Plunger. under construction for the Navy
in Baltimore and which is not quite
three-fourths finished
=
ment today with a report on the progress
OF construction. From this report. il an
pears that the Kentucky and Kearsarge
are 81 per cent toward completion: the
Illinois. - per cent; the Alabama 46 per
cent; the Wisconsin, 81 per cent: the gun
boat princeton, 20 per cent. while the tor
pedo boats are described as follows.
eowan, 81 per cent; Dahlgren. 45 per
cent; Craven, IS per cent; Farragut, 60 per
cent; Davis, Is per cent; Fox, q per cent;
Morris 81 per cent; Mackenzie 92 per
cent; Mckee, so per cent; Stringham i
per cent and Goldsboro 2 per cent.
The cruisers purchased from the Nor
gan Line viii be placed in commission
within the next few days. The Yosemite
will go into commission on April l3: the
Dixie on April Is; the Yankee on April
l3, and the Prairie a little later
The augmented United States Army
will be modified at the Chickamauga
National Park Secretary Alger expects
war and all the War Department plans
and transactions of today were with this
result in view. 1t has been intimated that
Chickamauga would be made the point
of concentration. but it was not until to-
day that Secretary Alger formally ordered
that preparations should be made to ac-
commodate the regulars and the volun-
teers who will assemble at the call for
troops.
New York. April l2-"Leadfng colored
men believe that war with Spain viii af-
ford a great opportunity to prove that
their race is second to none in patriot
ISM" said the Rev. ]. NJ. Henderson. Of
Bethel Church. THE A. NJ e. Church
can raise $4,000 soldiers.
THE ministers of The African Methodist
Episcopal Church. of which there are
about 5000 have been instructed by their
bishops to do everything in their power
TO rouse the patriotism of the members of
their churches. While this was hardly
necessary there have been many who
have tried to impress upon the colored
people that the United States had no
use for them other than to send them to
Cuba I'm case of war, where they would be
likely to die Of yellow fever. But when
their ministers hastened to show them
that this was glorious opportunity that
the race might never again have the COL
ored men were ali ready even eager to
die for their country
Il have written 10 the governor that IL |
IL should become necessary I could raise |
loco men. ] would Immediately throw |
open the church as a recruiting station. |
enter their names.
Il would be willing TO enlist as chap |
lain. surgeon or Private. Many of the /
ministers of the African Methodist Epis- /
copal church are able-bodied and come i
within the age limit fixed by the Army Il
regulations. While some could enlist more /