The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-12
HOPING FOR THE BEST,
Governments Officials Are Actively
/ Preparing For the Worst.
70 BUILD THREE BATTLESHIPS.


House Naval Committee Will So Re-
port-A Military Department of the
South Created-MinIsterD De Bernabe
@ says Spain WIN Try to Avert War.
Washington, March 12.-Hoping for
The best and prepared for the worst
about represents the situation in the
waroand 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 meet their duty If events should
shape themselves otherwise. The most
important and significant develop
ments Of the day were the decision of
the house navel committee to place
In the naval appropriation bill a pro-
vision for three new battleships and a
conclusion on the part of the secretary
of war to issue an order creating a
new military department, including
within its confines that part of the
country which would in all likelihood
be nearest to the field of hOStilities in
case 1t should come to that
The order. which was issued this
morning, will create a commotion in
the south. The present department of
Texas is abolished and the headquar-
ters, which has been at San Antonio,
Tex, for SO many years, are aban-
Ioned. In place of the old department
is created a new one, the department
of the south. General Graham, at
present commander Of the department
of Texas, will command the new de-
partment. This department will in
clude the states of South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi
Louisiana and Texas. All of these
states save the last are at present at
tached to the department of the east,
under command of General Merritt, of
New York. Headquarters of the new
department will be at Atlanta, Ga.
For the first time yesterday officials
of the war department admitted that
they were straining every nerve to i'm
prove that part of the defenses Of the
country confined to their care. 1t is
without question the most unusual
mark of confidence in an executive Of
iicer to empower him to give orders
WNUOul lllIll tIlt pultllisc VI Wa
material. yet this Is what the president
and Secretary Alger have done in the
case of General Flagler chief of ord
nance General Flagler has instructed
every concern capable of pplyinG war
material such as rapid fire guns, shot,
shell and ammunition, to go to work
at full capacity
The navy department has now reason
10 believe that it has secured the two
varships Amazonas and her sister ship,
now building in England for Brazil. 1t
was stated at the cabinet meeting yes
,terday by Secretary Long that the
naval attache at London, Lieutenant
Colonel Well, had almost completed the
negotiations for the sale. So far, how
ever the final notification from him
that his offer has been accepted has
not yet reached the navy department.
Secretary Long has determined that
there shall be no wasteful extrava-
gBEce in his department In the expendi-
Iture of the funds so generously pro-
vided by congress, and to this end he
has addressed the following letter to the
assistant secretary of the navy, the
colonel Commandant of the marine
corps. and to each of the bureau chiefs
of the navy department, instructing
them TO incur no expense or liability
except after written statements and
estimates made by them and approved
by the president and secretary.
III anticipation of a rupture be-
tween 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
perform any duty in the line of their
profession that he may deem suitable
kor them. The president has power to
assign any retired officer of the navy
10 duty during the progress Of war,
but he can only assign him to the COM
mand Of squadfons or ships by and
with the advice and consent of the SEN
hte. There are army officers on the
retired list in the full enjoyment of
health and mental vlgor despite the
fact that they are over 62 years Of age.
The statement was persistently cir
eulatad yesterday afternoon, and in
eomc cases the report came from those
Whose sources of information should !
be reliable, that the administration
WAS in possession of information that
tho result Of the investigation Of the
court OF inquiry as to the cause of the
Maine diraster would show that the
explosion which destroyed the battle
chip came from some external agency.
"a cabinet officer was even quoted as
making this announcement, and an
other report had it that the steno-
graphic notes of the inquiry were be-
fore Secretary Long. When the mat
ter was brought to the attention of
Secretary Long he pronounced the
statement as false in every particular
Ii -
Fl THREE NEW BATTLEsHIPs.
Ghey WIN Do of tho Finest, and VIII
A. Cost $D.Ooo,O0O Each.
4 Washington. March 12--Three new
battlesbihs Of the staunchest type
Ahoat Hsrs authorized by the house (
Eommttee on naval affairs yesterday,
and a .prqvisiop. for their construction
WAS iDasrtsd in the naval appropriation
bill. AT TIA came time the committee
agreed on A maximum price of $500 per
kon for arrneS plate for eur vessels,
Increased the torbe Of naval marines by
H7a men, aHd put matters in fair shape
Eor q deaiSiqa today on tho location Of
kgy dookA probably four in number,
Eapabls o. Accommodating the largest
klged war velSsiA
The new warships provided for will
pc of the finest pattern. 1t Will be two
years. doubtlasA before they can be
placed In commission. One of theIp.