The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-22


lo-lnch shot at 1926 each, one-half to be
ueAVered in forty days and the remainder
IN seventy days. The 12-inch shells of So0
ana LOCO pounds each the COMPANY hid
10 furnish at S2l.2S and $2S. 81. respectively
offering TO supply fifty of each kind in
1orty days ana the remainder at Quick in
tervais.
The lo-inch shot the Rome On. " Ma
chlne Works offered to supply at s14.
each' to begin the delivery inc one week,
ana they agreed TO turn over the entire
amount in four weeks.
The battleship Texas started northward
from Key West to-day, thus settling the
question as to the formation of a second
squadron at OF near Hampton Roads II
IS expected that the Massachusetts will
loIioW IN few days, but the final orders
Tor that move have not been made.
The navy department received a prelim-
mary report to-day from one of its agents
VINO is at Havana, watching the progress
Oh the Wrecking. 1t is understood that this
refers mainly to the technical work of sal
wage, ana not to the question of cause
Inc judge advocate generals office. where
the report was received, will not disclose
the details of the report.
Inc government has made no further
purchases of warships, but its negotja-
lions on that line have been productive of
at least one important result, namely in
establishing that unless the battlesb1,
zen. . Higgins becomes the properly OF
the United States it will not be sold at
all. Spain, 1t is confidently asserted. viii
not De able TO secure this war vessel nor
are her chances any better or as good as
those of the United States. Practically
the same condition prevails as to the Ar
! Sentine armored cruiser San Marlino
which will become the property of this
! government if it passes out of the hands
of Argentina.
The Spanish minister called at the state
! department to-day and presented Seniors
| Anguelo, Valena and Cardenas. who are
the representatives of the autonomst cab,
met of Cuba. With this presentatio ne
gotlations toward a commercial treaty
will be opened.
A high officer of the navy, who has in
innate knowledge of its affairs, said to.
| day: THE greatest difficulty is being ex-
| perienced by the government in procuring
| ships from abroad, but it is hard at work
and Is making as much progress as could
| reasonably be expected under the circum,
| stances Spain is rushing work on her
war vessels The Pelayo, its largest and
best battleship, is practically ready for
sea, and its second biggest ship, the Carlos
| V, will be ready in a fortnight or three
weeks. The officials of the navy depart
ment are doing everything in their power
to prepare for any possible conflict.
According to the orders to the navy Of
ficers, issued by the navy department to-
day, the battleship Maine is still in exist
ence. At least, two of the orders would
seem to give that impression They read
as follows:
Lieut. A. w. Catlin, u S. M c., de-
/ tached Maine, and at home; Lieut.. G. F.
w. Holman, detached Maine, home, and
wait orders"
1t is presumed that the ill-fated battle
| ship will not be stricken from the naval
register until after it has been finally es-
tablished beyond the possibility of doubt
that the shattered hull cannot be raised
from it's present bed of mud in the har-
Dor of Havana, and reconstructed into at
least a semblance of it's former self.
Although there is scarcely ground for
the hope that the vessel can be raised and
restored to the navy, the department will
not abandon it's efforts in that direction
until the wreckers now a. work upon it
report that it is impossible.
Although there is moi much prospect Of
raising the Maine with its reported broken
backbone, there is good reason TO believe
that the reports of the divers Will snow
that many, if not all, of the guns may he
put in places where they may be able to
| render good service.
The enlistments of Gen. William M. Gra-
| ham. assuming command of the new mil
! itarv department of the Gulf, have been
received at the army headquarters here.
! Although no information to that effect has
vet been received, it is thought that Gen.
Graham has taken up his station at Attain
ia. which is to be the headquarters OF the
new department.
II is said here that no immediate move
| ment of troops as result of the change
of lines of the military divisions recently
| put into effect is contemplated, but that
| the movements for the present VIII be con-
fined to the transfer of artillery troops TO
| man the Notifications recently completed.
The enlistment branch Of the navy de-
partment to-day issued a large poster ad-
| vertising for men for the United States
| navy. The recent putting into commission
| of the cruisers Columbia and Minneapolis
| and the prospective demands that Will be
necessary as a result of the acquisition oI
the Brazilian ship Amazonas and the
| American yacht Mayhower requires the en-
Ijstment OF additional men.
The short session of the Senate to-day
was uuite-unusual for the hrst working
| de, Of the week That no one was pre-
! DaTe0
vas given as the explanation, but pri-
vately the opinion was stated by some OF
the senators that while the Cuban ques-
tion remained in such suspense, there was
no desire to take up important legisla-
zion. The outlook as to Cuba was dis
cussed among senators almost to the ex-
clusion of other topics and the belief was
quite decided that the administration Is
nreparing to take positive position with
IN The next week. Several senators made
the prediction that the United States
.,ouid intervene. Being pressed for a rea-
son they stated that they had reached
his conclusion after more or less confer
ence with executive officers, but at the
same time saying quite emphatically' tha'
thew had no positive information on this
noint Other senator's thought the recog-
pillon of Cuban Independence more prob
oble than Intervention.
Almost all expressed the view that some
action surely will follow the report Of the
Maine court of inquiry regardless OF It's
purport.