The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-21
from attempting to destroy property
along the coast

from attempting to destroy property
along the coast
The final decision to organize the fleet
was reached at conference between the
secretary and his chief of bureau on nav
igation Monday, although it has been a
matter of considerable discussion for sew
eral days. The cruiser San Francisco will
be retained as Commodore Howell's hag-
ship, and the other vessels which will be
assigned to his command will be the aux
Hilary cruisers Yosemite, Prairie, Yankee
and Dixie.
On account of the necessity of convert
ing these vessels, it will be impossible for
Commodore Howell to collect his feet
under three weeks. AS soon as it is
formed it will be the duty of the COM
mander-in-chief to do as the official
nature of his squadron indicates-patro
the coast and be ready to strike an enemy
the moment advices are telegraphed to
him that ship flying the yellow and red
nag OF Spain is nearing a port for the
purpose OF attack. New York Is to be the
headquarters of the patrol squadron.
New York is recognized as central
point, in that it is convenient both to
New England and to the Southern cities.
One reason why the officials do not desire
to send the squadron south with Com
modore Howell In command is the fact
that his rank is senior to that of Commo-
dore W. S. Schley, commandment chief of
the flying squadron, which Is at Hampton
Roads. and of Captain W. Il. Sampson,
commander-in-chief of the North Allan
tic squadron, stationed at Key West. The
formation of the patrol squadron is indi-
catlve OF the purpose of the department
to employ the North Atlantic and Flying
squadrons solely for offensive purposes.
The Navy Department has arranged to
place some light armor on the four yes
sells. The Carnegie company has under
taken to roll Immediately light steel plate
l.2 inches thick. Two layers of this
plate will be placed around the boiler and
engine rooms of the boats, making about
twenty-five tons of armor in each case.
This will be sufficient at least to repel
the fire of machine guns and perhaps to
Keep out SIX pounQer shells.
These vessels to comprise this patrol feet
originally piled between New York and
New Orleans on the Morgan line. They
were freighters swift and strong vessels,
a little short of 5000 tons each, or about
the size Of the cruiser Chicago.
The four ships of the Morgan line W ere
originally named Ell Nord, FL Sol, Ell Sud
and Ell Rio. They have been renamed by
the secretary of the navy, Yankee,
Yosemite, Dixie and Prairie, those names
corresponding in part with the points
of the compass indicated by the original
names. The Yankee, which will be
manned by the Massachusetts, Naval Mill
tia, will patrol the coast from Eastport,
Me-, to Montauk Point
The ship to be assigned to the New
York Naval Militia. probably the Prairie,
will patrol the coast from Montauk Point
to the Capes of the Delaware.
One of the other ships will be assigned
to the coast of the Southern States, and
the other will doubtless be placed on duty
in the Gulf of Mexico. In service each
WiAA No 01illC WAuA UWOAUy-UWO guns OIL
all sizes, the largest probably being six
inch rifles.
Commodore Howell is New York man,
and was appointed from that state in
1854, He served on the European squad
ron in 1858, and at the breaking out of
the civil war be was detailed to the sloop
Ossipee in the North Atlantic blockading
squadron. He took part in the battle of
Mobile Bay. Since the war he has served
in various capacities in different squad
rons, the last post being in the European
squadron, which he commanded.
His flagship, the cruiser San Francisco,
is smaller than the other ships of the fleet,
being 40s3 tons displacement. She car
ries twelve guns and has speed of twen-
ty knots.