The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-08-20
USE MONITORS
Several of the Old Ships Will Be
Sent to Porto Rican and
Cuban Coasts,
Where They Will Be Used as a
Coast Guard and to Enforce
Order.
Newer and More Formidable Mon
itors to Go to Havana, Santi-
ago and San Juan.
Only Draw Twelve Feet and Are
Peculiarly Adapted to the
Service.

New YORK. Aug. 2o.-A special to
The Tribune from Washington says:
The navy department has decided to
send all the single turreted monitors 70
Cuba aud Porto Rico for duty as per.
manent guardships in the chief harbors
OF these islands. The preliminary or.
ders assigning officers and crews from
the regular navy to the IL seaworthy
vessels Of this type are being made
out. and several Of these formidable
vessels will start for their new posts in
a week or two These monitors. which
were built for service III the Civil War,
several Of them bearing scars Of the
conflict. after Sd years Of disuse, were
restored 10 excellent condition soon
after the batteship Maine was blown
up. During the war with Spain
they have been manned By naval
militiamen and constituted the chief
source OF strength Of the auxiliary
naval force guarding the Atlantic
coast. Orders were given several days
ago TO place them out Of commission
as soon as possible and return them &c
the League Island tpa. navy yard un.
til an emergency demanded their USE
In the meantime the complicated prob.
lens involved in maintaining law and
order. particularly in Cuba, led to con.
sidera,ion OF the advailability Of these
vessels rs guard ships and the authori.
ties quickly reached the decision &c
use them Tor that purpose.
These Vessel. selected.
The vessels selected are the Ajax, the
Canonicus. the Mahopaca. the Man.
haitian. the Wyandot,e, the Catskill,
the Jason. the Leh,sh. the Montauk,
the Nahant. the Nantucket and the
Passaic. They draw only i2 feet OF
water and each Of them carries two ID
inch smooth bore guns In its turrets
II Is intended that they shall not only
provide for the defense OF Cuban har
bors against exterior assaults. but thei,
magazines are to be stored with large
quantities Of grape and canister for the
purpose Of maintaining order along the
shore. There is no concealment OF tht
design on the part Of the naval anc
military authorities 70 use, X necessary
this grape and canister for FIRE frou
the hugo guns. TO
Command . Wholesome Res pect
for the United States authority anon.
the Cuban insurgents and other ele
ments which will have TO be restrained
when the Spaniards evacuate tn
islands. aud tho naval officers. who vii
be especially selected for these vessel
on account Of their discretion and Goot
judgment. will have full authority (
d,sperso any mobs which may com
within range. At each OF the port
where the monitors are located it viii
not be necessary to have . militar.
garrison. 1t is proposed to locate thes
single turreted monitors at Matanzas
Cardenas. Sagua La Grande. Jibara
Neuvitas, Manzanillo, Guantanamo
Trinidad, Cienfuegos and Bahia Hond
in Cuba. and ut Ponce in Port
Rico. 1t is also the intention G
tho navy department to send tn
double turreted monitors Purita
Terror, Amphitrite and M,antonomol
to Havana, Santiago and Sun Juar
Porto Rico.
These vessels. while amo ng the mo:
disagreeable in tho navy for actiy
cruising service in tropical waters. q,
considered more comfortable than an
other type Of vessel when stationar
and are altogether peculiarly fitted
meet the present necessity.