Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-20
EMERGENCY PREPARATIONS CONTINUE,
Biggest Order on Record From Navy
Department for Brown Powder.
SENATOR'S SEE CABINET MEMBERS
They Want To Know About Cuban
situation, md Arc Told That Maine
Court Report VIII Be Sent to
Congress Promptly on Receipt.

aIAlNh ol StNeIal SURVIVORS OF the Maine
and their extended conference with
President Mckinley and Secretary Long
furnished the most interesting feature
Of to-day's developments in the Spanish
situation. Three officers of the Maine
Lieutenant c. +. w. Holman. Lieutenant
George p. Blow. and Lieutenant A. w.
Catlin of the Marine Corps. accompanied
by Boatswain Larklns-came on unex-
pcctedly from Key West. 1t was said
their visit was purely voluntary on their
part, as they are now on waiting orders
and are free to so where they please.
Their long conferences at the Navy
Department, and later az the White
House, led 10 much conjecture, however,
90 being asserted that Lieutenant Blow
brought with him the report of the court
Of inquiry, or at least the general con-
Clusions reached by that court
1t can be stated positively however, |
from an authoritative source, that the |
officers did not bring with them the re-
port, either as a whole or as to its gene
raj conclusions. 1t is stated with equal |
positiveness and authoritativeness that
they do not know what the action of tho
court OF inquiry is, and therefore are
not in a position to convey any informa-
ton 10 the President or the Secretary
Of the Navy on that point. Their talks
were confined entirely TO graphic narra-
tyes of their experience on the night Of
the explosion. In the course of their
narratives. however, individual opinions
as To the cause Of the explosion found
expression. These opinions. as already
stated, were purely personal and not
founded on the proceedings of the court
of inquiry. They were, however, It was
learned reliably. strongly favorable TO
the theory of an external cause leading |
10 the destruction OF the Maine.
The officers themselves maintain the
strictest reserve. After the conferences
with the President and the Secretary OF
the Navy they did not return TO the
Navy Department, and considerable care
was exercised in having their where
Rbouts kept from public attention.
Another interesting parsonage OF the
day was Constructor Hoover the techni-
cal expert sent 10 Habana 30 identify the
twisted plates in the Maine wreckage,
with view 10 learning whether the eX- :
plosiOn was Of internal or external origin, J
Mr. Hoover also maintained silence con-
Cerning the wreck. He made no report X
TO the Secretary Of the Navy, as he was
sent TO Habana TO learn facts, and then
embody them In testimony before the
court Of inquiry. !
MORE SHIPS IN SIGHT.
Later in the day the prospects became
much brighter for the acquisition by the
United States of the fine Warships-the u
armored cruiser San Martino, belosging u
TO the Argentine Republic, and the hat- | Z
,leship General OHiggins, belonging to u
Chile. The hope Of getting these ships o.
had been almost given up, but cablegrlms Ia
o.. "a n
son. now I'm Europe, made the outlook q"
more encouraging. Up to the close Of q
Jfice hours no actual purchase had been b'
Concluded. but a high official summed up m
he situation by saying the negotiations z,
we're getting very hot" NJ
The San Martino was originally built o.,
or the Italian Government, and was then h,
.nOwn as the Narez, but since her pur- 10
hase by Argentina she has been re-
amed. Her dimensions are: Length, S2S 70
.eam, 80; draft, p; displacement $50 ii,
ons. Horse power 1900; speed, 1885 wl
uots. Her armament is two S-inch, Ii
8pid-hre guns, mounted in barbettes and de
rOtected by hoods; ten 6-inch, quick-hre
uns. in redoUbts; six A7-inch, quick no
ring guns. on the lower deck and twen- Ia
y-twO smaller quick-hre guns on the Ju
pper deck All the guns on the upper co
eek are protected by steel shields. 50
The General O'Higgns is a battleship .
$500 tons. built at Elswick. Her di- ma
tensions are: Length 400 feet; beam, a.; III
raft, % feet. Her contract speed is p Ii
nots. Her armament is four S-inch, ten
inch, four AZ Armstrong guns, eight p
JundeTs ten 6-pOunders and four sub La,
erged tOrpedo-tUbes. Her protective
eek is a belt Of Harveyized steel, ceven 7
ches thick. Her gun-horses for the s.
ch guns and the easements Of he g. Hi'
ch guns are protected by six inches Of tan
excl steel for
BIG ORDER FOR POWDER. we
Both Navy and War departments con no,
lue their active preparations for an Der
lergency and contracts in all branches pla
armament are being made daily by tea
"a various bureaus. The Naval Bureau An
Ordnance has contracted for $4,000. pal
unds Of brown powder. which is pro. no,
bly, the largest single order ever given. | ~
bis was distributed between the Cali Ca,
mia Powder Company and the Dupont -
WIDER Company The order Is sufficient 80
the aggregate TO give 200 rounds for ~,
cry gun afloat in the American navy, Sui
a with this large supply on hand, the I -
Wy, for the first time in years VIII be 80
.re than amply supplied with powder. 90 c'S
IVA unusually large number of senators a. "a.
TX advantage Of the fact that the Sen ~ w.
was not Ina session to-day 20 call nv
Jn the Cabinet officers. with the hope rlH
securing definite information as 20 the Nui
ban situation. They succeeded only Gus
learning that the report Of the Maine emu
Irt Of inquiry had not arrived, but DOT
t II was expected early next week IHc'
that il would be forwarded TO Con- JON
ss Immediately upon it's arrival. un- othe
IS Il should be OF an Unexpectedly
rtllng character. some Of the officials
he State Department delberating upon
line Of policy 10 be pursued in case Una
report OF the naval court should
ne the effect Of entirely eliminating the ct
Inc incident from the situation. ,Ihe c.
te department officials did not make 'oPe
positive declaration that such infor- Nlsi
ton was in their possession, rather Chai
ancing Il as a tentative suggestion, pist,
when pressed for information on this 60
n replied that th6y only knew that raj
report was 30 come next week, and cbec
tney had no advance hioiih"'io' white
TO its contents. will
ONE SOUTHERN CONTRACT form
n important contract was let by the nate
eau OF Yards and Docks. Of the Navy plete
artmeDt to-day. II was for dredging whic
It 800 600 feet Of the harbor about perm
Jefferson, on Dry Tortugas Island, WORN
n Will enable the large naval ana PRIV
chant ,essets 10 anchor very near sent
shore 40 ,ska on coal This is the liquic
IT,, .aLar h,, ,bs Navy Depsrtment Of ;h