The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-02
WARSHIPS GATHERING.
SIOARD's FLEET THE STRONGEST
WE HAZE EYER HAD.

Three Eirst-Cinss and Ono second-Ciass Rsttis-
ahips and Eour Monitsrs Practically ne
Good NJ nattcships In It Drawtnr on
other Stations to Aad TO the Atlantic fleet.
WASHINGTON, March 1.--Consideration has
been given 10 the q visability Of attaching the
monitor Amphitrite to Admiral Sicard's COM
mnnd. that sho may TAX part In any
coming drills that may be ordered. and
at the same time be subject to the
direct orders Of tho commander. She 10 now
unattached TO the feet and has not been
with 1t during the practice work around the
Dry TortuGas. With tho Terror. Amphitrite,
Miantonomoh. and the Puritan In commission,
the navy will have the most formidable number
OF fighters on the station yet assembled. At no
| time heretofore have there been moro than two
monitors with the squadron. With the
Monterey and Monainock on the Pacific
at eea the service for tho first time
will have actively ut work every one
Of Its new defence type Of ships. These call for
smaller crows than most Of the 2,000ton cruis.
ers. but In fighting power arc exceeded only by
the hrst-clnss battleships. Such officers as
Admiral Jouott and q number Of others promi-
nent in the last war still adhere strongly to the
opinion that the monitor type will prove more
effective In battle than high freeboard ships
offering greater targets, like the Iowa and
Indiana.
Whether these views arc sound or not the
fact remains that with these ships under Adj
miral Sicard the North Atlantic squadron be-
comes more powerful than ct any time in the
devolopment Of the new navy. Consist
ing a. IL will then of three frst-clasz
and one second-class battleships, four
monitors and O ram, aside from the two armored
cruisers New York and Brooklyn, several cruis.
ers and half . dozen torpedo boats, in two weeks
It will present tho strongest aggregation Of
fighters an American Admiral has ever com
manded.
Commander Hawley, the enlistment officer Of
the Navy Department. says that he has the
necessary men now for tho Miantonomoh and
the Katahdin and that he 10 instructed to for
ward them from the various recruiting
| stations without delay. There Is nothing
to prevent the Minneapolis and Colum.
bia from following them In service but
lack of men. and as each Of these
ships requires between 100 and 500 It will not
be practicable to send either to sea until Con-
gress authorizes an increase In the quota now
allowed by law. The officers. from commanders
down to the lowest Junior men. have all been
selected. Tho captains have been directed to
hold themselves in readiness for sea service and
to be prepared to report on shorter notice than
10 usually allowed officers sent to ships.
In accordance with Its policy Of strengthening
the home fleet and drawing, II necessary, ON sta
lions abroad, the department Is considering q
plan to retire some of the smaller chips In
commission in order that their crews may DO
secured to put in commission larger and moro
effective vessels. A number Of ships have been
in commission longer than the period usually
allowed, and although In good condition and
requiring little attention ct dry docks or navy
yards. IL has been suggestsd that they be placed
In reserve temporarily ut least and other ships
take their places ct sea. The flagship Olympia
Of the Asiatic squadron 10 one of those
which may be ordered home 30 that the fleet
may have the addition Of this powerful vessel.
She has been two years with the China squad
ron and 10 now due to return to home waters.
The authorities probably will direct that
sho proceed to the United States through
the Suez Canal. and send out tho Charleston
as relief. Tho necessity of q strong squadron In
Chinese waters Is not regarded SO essential as
several months ago. when affairs there were
rather disquieting, and It is argued that the
Olympia could be withdrawn and brought to
this coast without the station being reduced too
low in strength.
Within q few months three ships at Marc
Island will be in readiness for service. Of which
tho Philadelphia and Charleston are both avail
able for flagships. The Pacific station 10
already as strong as the occasion de-
mands, and realizing that II there is to be
action for the navy, 1t will occur on the Atlantic
seaboard. the authorities have deemed 1t advis-
able to proceed to the extent Of reducing the
strength of other stations in order to bring to-
gether at homo its most effective fighting ships.
Within two months several ships of the feet
will require the services Of q dry dock. Tho
New York. Massachusetts,, and Iowa have been
in tho water many months. and their bottoms
must DO painted soon. Constructor Hichborn
does not regard 1t as imperative that any
one of them should be brought north now. but
says that the early spring should not 60 by
without all these ships being docked. By the
time the fleet comes to Hampton Roads again
the authorities arc hopeful that dock No. 8 at
brooklyn will DO in readiness and no necessity
will exist of sending the ships to Halifax. as in
tho case Of the Indiana, locked there last