The sun., 1898-03-10
RENEWED NAVALACTIVITY
ISrPoRTANTo FOR THE MOVE
MENTS OF WARsHIPS.

Admiral Sicnrd's FIeet--Omccrs Selected for
tho Cruisers Columbia aud Minneapolis.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-The steady, deter.
mined activity OF the naval administration was
continued at the Navy Department to-day. 1t
was most evident in the plans formulated and
orders given for the movement Of war vessels
in various parts Of the world and for their
equipment with men and munitions Of war.
The most important decision was to withdraw
the battleship Oregon from the Pacific station,
with the view OF sending her either to Join tho
formidable squadron at Hong Kong or to the
eastern coast of the United States. to become
q part OF the North Atlantic squadron under
Admiral Sicard. Secretary Long is undecided
to which station is likely to stand in
most need of the batteship. Tho Oregon is one
Of the four 6rst-class battleships in the navy.
being sister ship of the Indiana and the Mas
sachusotts, and only a little smaller than the
Iowa. The navy authorities regard her as too
valuable ship to be retained on tho Pacific
station at a time when every ounce of naval
fighting strength which the country possesses is
likely to be called into requisition in southeast
ern waters and in the vicinity OF tho Philip
pine Islands.
The Oregon was built by the Union Iron Works
in 1898. and has never left the Pacific station
for long cruise. She has a displacement Of
10.2ss tons. length of 34s feet, breadth 69.3
feet. and mean draught of "a feet. Her indicated
horse power 10 11,111. She is propelled by twin
screws and has speed Of 1879 knots an hour
the fastest of any Of our battleships, except tho
Iowa. Her armament cons SITS of q main bat
terry of sixteen guns and full equipment Of
rapid.fre guns. composing a secondary battery
of formidable strength. Tho Oregon has just
been docked at the Puget Sound naval station,
-
fitted with fin keels for ocean cruising. She is
in command of Capt. A. II. Mccormick.
The protected cruiser Philadelphia now laid
up in dock at Mare Island. will replace the
Oregon on her station at San Francisco. Orders
have been issued to complete the repairs on tho
Philadelphia within forty days. 1t was decided
to-day to replace her slow-fire battery by trans
fsrring to her tho modern rapid-fre armament
prepared for the Yorktown. This will make the
Philadelphia a ship Of considerable strength,
and it Ia believed that no moro formidable
vessel is needed on the Pacific station under tho
present conditions of quietude in that quarter.
The decision Of the Administration to allow the
Hawaiian annexation question to rest until tho
Spanish crisis has passed removes the necessity
Of any unusual naval strength in the eastern
Pacific
Whether the Oregon shall be ordered to Hong
ment will be a significant one. The present in
clination is to send the battleship to the Asatic
quarter. The Administration more strongly
than ever believes that in case of war with
Spain the United States should be prepared to
strike telling blow to Spanish sovereignty in
the Philippines and to dispose of whatever yes.
sells Of war Spain may keep in that quarter. This
policy is emphasized by the plans formed for
sending tho cruiser Baltimore to Hong Kong.
The training ship Mohican 10 now under orders
to carry a cargo Of powder to the Baltimore,
which is now stationed at Honolulu. She
will sail from San Francisco for Hon
olulu tomorrow. As soon as this cargo
is delivered the Baltimore will sail to re-
inforce the already strong SQUADRON in Chi.
nese waters. Almost every vessel on tho Asiatic
station has been mobilized at Hong Kong.
and the Navy Department is prepared to de-
spatch these vessels to tho Philippines at the
first outbreak of hostilities between this
country and Spain. The fastest of them could
reach the islands from Hong Kong In about q
day and the others would be only few hours
behind. The vessels now at Hong Kong ready
to be utilized for this purpose are the fine pro-
tected cruiser Olympia, the flagship OF the
squadron and the headquarters of Rear Admiral
George Dewey, Commanderin-Chief; the pro-
tected cruiser Boston. Capt. Frank Wildes; the
protected cruiser Raleigh. Capt. ]. B. CoRhlan.
and the gunboats Concord. Commander Asa
Walker. and the Petrol. Commander E. P. Wood.
The gunboat Machias arrived Mt Norfolk to-
day, having returned from the Asiatic station.
1t was intended to replace her with the now
Gunboat Helena, but the latter vessel stopped at
Lisbon, where she will remain indefinitely with
the cruisers San Francisco and Bancroft. 1t has
been decided to send the Machias. which was
ordered to Norfolk for repairs. to Key West to
Join the squadron of Admiral Sicard and her
overhauling. which Is not imporatively needed,
will be postponed under the circumstances.
Orders were issued to-day for equipping. with
their full quota of officers. the swift cruisers
Columbia and Minneapolis, which were ordered
into commission from League Island last Sun
day. This assignment of officers for tho vessels
was made:
Columbia-Capt, J. II. Sands to command the
vessel. with Lieut.. J. II. Moore detached from
the navy yard at Washington, as executive
officer Lieut.. J. F. Parker. detached as super
visor New York harbor; Lieut.. G. II. Stafford,
Lieut.. w. J. Maxwell. Ensign g. w. Williams,
Ensign J. r. p. Pringle. Paymaster L. G. Boggs.
Passed Assistant Engineers w. y. Smith and w.
II. McGramm. Acting Boatswain A. o. Hemsen,
and Surgeon c. G. Herndon.
Minneupols-Capt. T. 4. Jewell. detached AZ
inspector in charge Of the Tenth Lighthouse dis
trict and ordered to command tho vessel March
10; Lieut.. G. T. Emmons. Lieut. E. L. Wright,
Lieut.. w. p. White. Ensign G. d. Stearns. En-.
sign j. l.. Sticht, Paymaster l. c. Kerr Passed
Assistant Engineers A. MaritE and L. NJ. Mutton.
Acting Boatswain W. Brooks. Surgeon N. H.
Drake.
The strong probability is that the Columbia
and the Minneapolis will be ordered to Hampton
Roads to join the armored cruiser Brooklyn on
her arrival there from La Guayra. whence she
sailed on Monday. II this plan is carried out
the vessels would be held In waiting there.
ready to Join the steamships st. Louis and ST.
Paul OF the American line, in case war should
break out and the latter ships should be needed
to form flying squadron Of commerce destroy
ers. Under the lead of the Brooklyn as flag.
shin. these vessels would form q squadron Of
great heetness and would answer all the pur.
poses OF the navy for that class Of ships.
The torpedo boat Porter arrived at Key West
to-day from Mobile. joining the Ericsson and
the Gushing of the torpedo boat fiotilla. Tho
Foote and the Wlnslow are at Norfolk and the
Dupont at Mobile. whence they can be sent to