The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-10
HUNT FOR WARSHIPS.
Uncle Sam Has Perfected No Ar
d rangements For Purchase.
PLENTY AMMUNITION TO BE HAD.

The Government Can Quickly Secure
Powder and Other War Material In
Case OF Necessity-Arranging For
Guns to Arm Half a Million Men.
- Washington, March 1O.-The feature
Of yesterdays events was the prompti-
house bill carrying the appropriation OF
f, l60, coo 900 for the national defense, and
the haste with which 1t was put through
the formal proceedings, engrossed and
matter has been considered 1t can be
stated that the fund has not vet been
allotted among the various branches
of the government service. Each, OF
these had prepared roughly and tenta-
lively an estimate of the funds it could
dispose of to advantage. but upon look
ing over the ground the president con-
Cluded that it would be well perhaps
to avoid making the allotment until the
necessity became apparent.
The reason back of this is that the
sum that can be profitably spent fol-
warships cannot even be guessed at
with any approximation to accuracy
Just now. AS the ships are to be first
choice in the steps for defenses until
their cost is ascertained 1t is not pos
sible to divide the remainder of the ap-
,>,to ha nth har Iraf, f,rIf
Of the military and naval services. The
secretary of the. navy is making every
effort to secure from our naval at
taches and diplomatic officers abroad
all information obtainable respecting
the number of ships building, their
price and other data. This does not
necessarily interfere with the execu-
tion Of the plans confided to Captain
Brownson, who sailed for Southampton
yesterday, but rather promises to as
sist him materially in making speed
with his inquiries.
Up to this moment not only has the
United States government bought no
warships, but it has not even secured
an option on one. There are many
applications coming to the department
from persons and firms who desire to
sell ships to our government, but in
most of these cases either the craft Of
fered Is not suitable for naval needs
Or the date of possible completion Is
10 distant that 1t cannot be regarded
as worthy of purchase to meet an
emergency.
There Is less difficulty experienced In
In pf al
as shot and shell and powder, and tho
navy department has almost assured
itself of an abundant supply of certain
kinds of smokeless powder abroad at
short notice. The officials Of the de-
partment are In daily correspondence
by mail and telegraph with agents of
ammunition houses, and besides are
now fully acquainted with the plans of
domestic powder makers for enlarging
their plants to meet an emergency.
The representatives of the armor max
Ing firms are in consultation with the
department steadily, generally relative
to the supply of gun forgings and such
material for use In the gunshops here
and at Watervliet, but the question. of
armor is receiving little attention, as
the armor makers report that they can
not undertake by any known agency to
turn out such armor as would be re-
uGired for modern battleship in less
than seven months, for the reason that
tempering and face hardening cannot
be fastened without destroying the
value of the armor.
The statement was made at the navy
department today that the report of the
Maine court Of inquiry probably would
come to the department some time next
week. 1t did not appear, however, that
This statement was founded upon any
direct report from the court, but was
rather an estimate based upon the
progress so far made as revealed by
lhe change of methods on the part of
the court. 1t is not expected that Lieu
tenant Commander Mark the Judge
advocate of the court, Will leave the
court until it has completed its labors,
rs it Is the custom for the judge ad-
Socate to assist in the preparation of
ths final report of the court.
Admiral Sicard has been authorized
70 enlist suitable men for the navy at
Key West IL he can find the material.
applications from machinists and sea-
mel. and was Immediately given power
to take the men. The department Is
etill striving vigorously to secure ma
chinists, especially men who know how
to run stationary engines. These men
can be quickly taught how to run ma
rire engines, and require little other
training to make them valuable aboard
ship.
Official reports indicate that the au-
toncmy scheme projected at Porto
Rico has been put into successful oper-
alton. This is interesting mainly be-
cause of resemblance between the pro-
Sect and the plan which 1t is now sought
to put in play in Cuba.
The war department is arranging to
secure a large supply of the most mod
crn rifles, sufficient In time Of emer-
gency to arm force of 100000 men.
The need Of these modern guns has
long been apparent, but congress has
not shown disposition to supply any
reserve of rifles for use by a volunteer
Force in time of emergency. Now, how
ever, an adequate supply Of the most
affective rifles will be among the first
uses to which the war department will
put Its share of the defense fund, Like
attention is being given to supplies Of
powder, cartridges. etc, for the army.
Thsse in authority say orders can be
allied without delay, and that about
khs only branch Of ordnance on which
The facilities are not fully up to an
emergency demand are those for heavy
kortificaton guns.
I Much conjecture has been indulged In
kouching the visit paid yesterday to
khe WhitA House by the British ambas-
pador. Tho Washington Post this
morning says on this point:
Y, Aapesp Victoria has, through 81.
Hulisp Pauncefote, conveyed to Presi-
Msnt Mckinley her qualification at the
Dfiss And cothervatve course which he
~ thus far pursued in relation to tn,
nban and Spanish situation. She also
Impressed to him her thorough SYM
pasby with ahe efforts put forth by the
Uni'sd stst.s to rslieYe suffering hu.