The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-03-15
NEW BATTLEsHIPs
Provision For Three In The Naval
Appropriation Bill.


Provision For Three In The Naval
Appropriation Bill.
Washington. March 13.-HopinS Tor
the best and prepared for the worst
about represents the situation in the
war and navy departments these days.
The officials still profess confidence
that there is to be a peaceful outcome
OF the present threatening difficulties,
but meanwhile prepare with serenity
to get their duty if events should
shape themselves otherwise. The
most important and significant de-
veloI ments OF the day were the decis-
ion of the house naval committee to
place in the naval appropriation bill
provision for three new battleshlpS,
and conclusion on the part of the
secretary of war to issue an order Gre
ating new military department in
Guiding within it's confines that part
of the country which would be in all
likelihood nearest to the field of hos
t.lities in case is should come to that.
The order will create commOtion in
the south. The present department Of
Texas is abolished and the headQuar-
tiers, which have been at San Antonio,
Tex, for so many years, are aban-
doned In place of the place of the
old department is created a new one,
the department Of the South Gen.
GrahanI, at present commander of the
department of Texas, will command
The New Department.
This department will include the
States Of South Carolina. Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
lana and Texas. All of these states.
save the last, are at present attached
to the department of the East under
command Of Gen. Merritt of New
York. Headquarters Of the new de-
partment will be at Atlanta, Ga,
chosen because of it's fine strategic
value from it's excellent railroad con-
nections.
1t is without question the most I'M
usual mark of confidence in an eXecu-
tive officer to empower him to give
orders without limit for the purchase
of war material, yet this is what the
president and Secretary Alger have
done in the case Of Gen. Flagler, chief
OF ordnance, and that officer has not
shown any disposition to shirk this
large responsible ty, but has instructed
every concern capable Of supplying
war material, such as rapid-fire guns,
shot, shell and ammunition, to go to
work at full capacity
The navy department has now rea-
sons to believe that it has secured
the two warships, Amazonas and her
sister ship now building in England
for Brazil. 1t was stated at a cabinet
meeting by Secretary Long that the
naval attache at London, Lieut.. Col
we'll had almost
Completed the Negotiations
for the sale. So far, however, the
final notification from him that his
offer has been accepted has not yet
reached the navy department.
The day passed again without word
from the court of inquiry according to
tile statement of Secretary Long, who
says that he has received nothing
whatever from the court itself or from
Judge Advocate Mark
In anticipation of a rupture between
the United States and Spain many
naval officers on the retired list have
notified the secretary of the navy of
their willingness and readiness to
profession that he may deem suitable
for them. There seems to be consid-
cradle misrepresentation on the part Of
the general public as to the available
ity Of officers on the retired list for
active duty in times Of war. Section
14G2 of the revised statutes, bearing
Oh this subject, provides as follows:
mo officer on the retired list of the
navy shall be employed in active duty
section it is apparent that if war
should break out all officers on the re-
tired list competent to serve will be
subject to orders from the secretary of
the navy.
False in Every Particular
The statement was perSistently cir
culated yesterday afternoon, and in
some cases the report came from those
whose sources Of information should
be reliable, that the administration
was in possession of intimations or in
formation that the result of the in
yestigation of the court of inquiry as
to the cause of the Maine disaster
would show that the explosion which
destroyed the Maine came from some
external agency. A cabinet officer was
even quoted as making this announce
ment, and another report had it that
the stenographic notes of the INQUIRY
We're before Secretary Long. When
the matter was brought to the atten-
ton OF Secretary Long he pronounced
me slatement as false in every partic-