The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-20
STILL TRYING TO BUY SHIPS.
SAN MARITIME AND 0'HIGGINs APT
TO BE SECURED.


Pounds of Brown Powder-state
Department Ohicinls DeIiberating
ON the Policy TO BE Pursued in
Case the Maine Is Eliminated from
the situation.
Washington, March 19.-Late to-day the
prospects became much brighter for the
acquisition by the United tSates of two
exceptionally fine foreign warships, name
ly, the armored cruiser San Martino, be-
longing to the Argentine Republic, and
the battleship General o'Higgins, belong
ing to Chill.
The hope of getting these ships had been
almost given up, but cabegrams received
to-day from Commander Brownson, now
in Europe, made the outlook more encour.
aging. Up to the close of Office hours an
actual purchase had not been concluded,
but a high official summed up the situa-
ton by saying the negotiations were get
| ting very hot"
The San Martlno was originally built
for the Italian government, and was then
known as the Varez, but since her pur-
chase by Argentina she has been renamed.
Her dimensions are: Length 32S; beam, 80;
draft "a; displacement, 6,S40 tons; horse
power, 1900; speed, 1888 knots. Her arm
ament is two eight-inch rapid-fire guns,
mounted in barbettes and protected by
| hoods; ten six-inch quick-fire guns in
| central redoubt: six 4.7-inch quick-fire
guns on the upper guns. and twenty-five
| smaller quick-hre guns on the upper deck.
The General o. Higgins is a battleship of
frr,c bail NJ Tar.
sions are: Length 400 feet, beam, 81; draft,
p feet; her contract speed, 2lh
knots Her armament is four
4-inch, ten 6-inch, four 47-inch
| Armstrong guns, eight 12-pounders, ten
| 6-pounders, and four submerged torpedo
tubes. Her protective deck is a belt of
| Harveyized steel seven inches thick. Her
gun horse for the S-inch guns and the case
ments of the 6-inch guns are protected by
six inches of nickel STEEL
| Both the navy and war departments
continue their active preparation for
emergency and contracts in all branches
| of armament are being made daily by the
various bureaus. The naval board of ord
| nance has contracted for 4,500,OO0 pounds
of brown powder, which is probably the
largest single order ever given. This was
| divided between the California Powder
| Company and the Dupont Powder Compa-
/ n.y. Inc Ofuef Is SuIUclent. IN Cue aSSEe-
| gate to give 200 rounds for every gun
afioat in the American navy, and with this
large supply on hand the navy, for the
| first time in years, win be more than am
ply supplied with powder.
| An unusually large number of senator's
| took advantage of the fact that the Sem
| ate was not in session to-day TO call upon
| the cabinet officers with the hope of Sc
| curing definite information as to the Gu
How eft, vAnrr I.aa 1x- u,
learning that the report of the Maine
court of inquiry had not arrived, but that
it was expected early next week and that
it would be forwarded to Congress imme-
diately upon its arrival, unless of an un-
expectedly startling character.
Some of them found the high officials
of the state department celebrating upon
the line of policy to be pursued in case
the report of the naval court should have
the effect of entirely eliminating the
Maine incident from the situation. The
state department officials did not make
any positive declaration that such infor-
nation was in their possession and they
advanced it as a tentative suggestion, and
when pressed for information on this
point replied that they only knew that
the report was to come next week and
that they had no advance information as
to its contents.
bureau of yards and docks of the navy
department to-day. II was for dredging
about 100000 feet of the harbor about Fort
Jefferson on Dry Tortugas island, which
will enable large naval and merchant YES
sells to anchor very near the shore to take
on coel. This is the first step taken by
the navy department toward making a
supply coaling station at the Tortugas,
work on which win now be pushed as
rapidly as possible. The Alabama Dock
and Jetty Company of Mobile were award
ed the contract
There is no doubt that the authorities
are keeping themselves fully advised as
to the movement of the Spanish torpedo
fotilia, now en- route from Spain Per-
sons acquainted with the facts say that
the feet at the Canary Islands is only
temporary, and that there is no purpose
on the part of the Spanish government TO
call back to Spain the torpedo boats be-
cause of the removal of the Texas and
Massachusetts from Key West On the
contrary, the purpose, as made known IN
Washington, is that the torpedo fiotilla
will continue its trip to Cuba and Porto
Rico. 1t was stated to-day by one high
in naval authority that no steps had been
taken toward intercepting this fiotilIa or
warning it away.
The state department posted the follow
ing memorandum during the day: 'sThe
elections for the Cuban House OF Repre-
sentatives will take place on April "a. ana
that for the council of administration on
April 49, The Cuban Parliament will meet
May O."
The diplomatic aspect of the Spanish
question developed no new aspects today.
Messrs. Angulo. Valera and Cadenas.
the three commissioners named by the
Cuban cabinet to act with Minister Polo
in framing a commercial treaty will Re
presented to Secretary Sherman and Judge
Day on Monday next They expect to take
up the negotiations with Commissioner
Kasson after the ceremony of presentation
is concluded.
Commodore Farquhar, formerly chief of
the bureau of yards and docks Of the navy
yard, was In conference with the naval Of
ficials to-day. He reported that the finIsn-
ing touches have been put on the monitor
Puritan, and that she Is In fine condition
for sea service. II is expected that the
Puritan will leave soon for Port Royal. s.
c., at which place it has been reported
the navy department will locate fleet or
torpedo boats, which may be called on FOR
assistance either by the fleet at Hampton
Roads or that at Key West should neces-
sity arise Port Royal Is ct a convenient
distance from either Of the two places.