The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-15
aN0 NEW WAR VESSELS.
Purchased by Uncle Sam From the
s.. Brazilian Government.
SPAIN had MADE A BID FOR THEM

But Was Unable to Close the Bargain
The Auxiliary Cruiser Hoard Exam.
lining Vessels Mt New York-Unusun
Activity Mt Sandy Hook.
u Washington. March 15.--A weeks
negotiations closed yesterday by the
triumphant purchase by the navy de
partnent, in London, of the two fine
cruisers built and building at Eswick
for the Brazilian government. Pos
eibly the officers took more pleasure in
closing up the business in this manner
because Of the knowledge that the
Spanish agents have been steving To
secure these very ships. to whom 1t is
said they would be Of much greater
value In case of trouble than to the
Emitted States. The United States nas
rfll be hoisted over the new ships
within week, probably. and Just ~
soon as the crew can be put aboard tho
Amazonas she will start for the UNI
ted states. The other vessel will fol-
low al tho earliest possible moment.
The terms OF sale are secret.
The availability of the two Brazilian
chips was first brought to the attention
Gf the navy department by Mr.. Lane
agent OF the Maxim -Nordenfeldt com
Tany. who was authorized to dispose of
These ships and two others In course of
construction in France. Mr.. Lane said
today that The two ships purchased
would be q most desirable acquisition
10 the American navy. as they were
the latest and best products of the ia
mous Armstrong; yards. One Of the
ships is complete in every respect. has
her coal supply and ammunition op
board, and steam Gao lie raised at any
time. There will be no trouble in bring
Ing this ship across. as an adequate
force from the local yards can he Sc
cured for the service. IT Is said the
coal and ammunition on board passed
With the sale to the United States. The
ammunition is not all of the kind inI
use by the United States navy. SO that
The supply OF ammunition is neces.
ssry adjunct to the new ships.
The other ship has been launched. |
but II will take some time to make her
ready for sea. Mr.. Lane believes, how
ever. that there will be no difficulty in !
bringing her over Immediately If It ls +
desired to make the move without de-
Lay. as the hull of the ship is so well
along that she could DO towed and her
own sail power utilized for the trip
across.
The two Brazilian vessels will be- ex-
tremely useful additions to the United
6intes navy In either war or peace, In
the opinion Of Secretary Long. They
are steel. sheathed and coppered, with
twin screws, and will be the first
cruisers In our navy to embody that
mos. important useful feature Of naval
sheathing. for which
Constructor IIichborn has worked
Earnestly for many years past. He
rDaily succeeded in having some of the
smaller Runboais constructed on This
principle. The Anlazrnas is rated at
IAo tons displacement. with an inhi-
rated horse power under natural
ira uslt of 800. which is calculated 10
ttyslop 20 knots speed. Thus while
tha ship Is about the size of the
she Is much faster Her
"a also much more fnrmi3-
.be
dangerous deficiency in the .engl-
,scr branch of the navy has been
brought to Light strlkinGly IN the fact
hat II Is scarcely possible to secure
taft Of engineer officers to bring back
o the United States any Of the ships {
purchased aboard. A short time ago.
shen orders were given to rush The
york of putting the cruiser Chicago in &
hape for active service. the engineer t
o chief proposed that he would have c
he ship ready in three months. IN r
tcad or Six, us was estimated To do
his he would work forces day and
light. and to keep them at the work '
% would place an engineer officer
board the ship. to stay there day and O
light Passed Assistant Engineer Dix II
n was chosen for the work, but he had II
OF been employed more than week e
cfore it was found necessary TO de-
lch him in order to find an engineer C
nicer to aot as member OF the board V
ppointed to examine auxiliary cruis- IL
Ts. This state Of affairs has been tt
rouSht to the attention of the house W
avail committee. but so far II Is feared G
ithout meeting that degree of sue 81
ass which 1t was hoped for in the 81
'ape OF an amendment increasing the
amoer OF engineer officers in the ser
ce.
Colonel Hayweod, the commandant Of sc
le larlne csrpg, yesterday made five m
'tails Of psylnes for cruisers now be OIL
E gsR9ireAN x eFs yeaqy for commission. q:
TWO esti;n4tss ef appropriations to in
Get the 'eSst aof = the recently author W
ed addition ~ two regiments of artil- p,
~ TO theR RaEmy,. were sent to con- th
'ess 'tektSfaSy. BY Secretary Alger W
no Was sf0E g supplemental estimate lu
s4sl, lSs feEs, The appropriation for &C
o pay Is the .aghag for the next hscal I'll
ar. ana tie 6tlssr. was for deficien- WI
OF sB+s170 in the current year ap- Tie
oprlatiohs to defrey the added exr tn
dlprSs for the remainder OF this ov
ar. = ~ So. In
senator Proctor visited the White ss
'use ard uptown departments yes
DAY, and his eaNs excited a good
interest. He spent half an hour first
tn Secretary Alger, explaining. It Is ar
Iieved. tfe rliiitary situation In fa'
ba, and afterwards had a conference ia,
h Judge Day. assistant secretary Of a {
to. He then went to the White pa
'lae. apd waG clesatsd with tho presi- pla
Il for two hours and a quarter. orc
l.