Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-25
LET THE SHIPS STAY.
IS
Movement Of the Fleet From
Hampton Roads Stopped
COMMITTEES GO TO WASHINGTON.
They Will Insist that The Proposed
Rendezvous Shall Be Held.
40 COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
All the Steamship Companies Deny
Having Filed Protests Against the
Boats Being Assembled and Kept
I'm the Roads. -
I'm the Roads.

delegation OF influential Virginiaps
rsrrosoutiug the business organizations of
richmond. Norfolk, Portsmouth. and
Newport News will appear before the Off
,.als " the Navy Department in Washing
ton to-day. and urge that the great naval
rendezvous shall be held in Hampton
Roads. as originally proposed.
These gentlemen, who will first hold a
conference with the Virginia senators and
members OF Congress. viii not only pro-
test against the carrying out of the or
Cers said 20 have been issued or decided
ur4u looking TO the withdrawal Of the
ships now in the great Virginia harbor,
hl, win so further and insist that as
many vessels as practicable be sent there
81 as 10 make a great rendezvous.
The people are fully aroused IN this mat
ter and are determined that the interests
OF Virginia shall not suffer. If the Navy
Department. had any serious intention of
resembling its original order and sending
The vessels TO other points, as seems high
Iy probable was the cRse, influence that
can hardly be withsyood will be brought
20 bear 10 secure the annullins of the re-
sciuding order The kilograms from heads
OF steamship companies printed in yes
Jerdays Dispatch, showed that there was
no ground for the rumor that these lines
had made complaint about the assemblage
Of large fleet. The following from the
general manager Of the Washington and
Norfolk company Is in the same line;
Washington. d. c.. August "A, 1898.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Replying 10 your telegram of yesterday,
this company did not complain TO the
Navy Department, directly or indirectly.
regarding the feet ina Hampton Roads.
JOHN CALLAHAN.
RICHMOND REPRESENTED.
Following the line of the Dispatch's
suggestion that the Richmond Chamber
of Commerce should be represented on
the delegation thSt goes to Washington
Mr 7. T. Norris, acting president Of
that organzation, received yesterday the
following telegram:
Norfolk Va, August q. 1895
i T. Morris. Acting President, Chamber
OF Commerce, Richmond:
To change rendezvous from Hampton
Roads to northern ports would not only
De a serious and unjust reflection upon
this harbor and very damaging 10 the
welfare of this section Of the State. but
also detrimental TO the interests of
Richmond and all territory tributary TO
this harbor. Boards of trade of Norfolk,
Newport News, and Portsmouth send
delegations 10 Washington tonight 10
confer with our Senators and Representa-
tivos at Metropolitan Hotel az 10 O'Clock
tomorrow morning. and will meet The
Secretary of the Navy. As member of
the Richmond Chamber of Commerce
respectfully prge Importance of sending
committee of two or three 20 join delega-
ri0n above mentioned. Please wire me
your reply, care Atlantic Hotel here.
r. LANCASTER WILLIAMS.
Mr. Morris Immediately wired Mr.. Will
liams 10 20 with the Norfolk party. az the
representative OF the Richmond Chamber
and he did so.
Looked Like They Would Move.
A special received by the Dispatch last
night from Newport News says:
At o'clock this morning il looked as
II there would be a general movement o1
warships from Hampton Roads. All OF
the vessels requiring coal were having
their bunkers replenished from barges. AT
noon all work was stopped, by orders
from Washington. and the signal flags at
the masthead of the San Francisco gave
the intelligence that the fleet would re-
main in Hampton Roads until further or
ders
IL now looks as if the vessels will rem
dezvous here as at first contemplated.
The commercial bodies of Newport News
and Norfolk last night and to-day sent
protests 10 Acting Secretaries Allen and
Cr0wnnshield. asking that no orders oe
given until delegations could have an in
teryiew tomorrow Tonight a delegation
from each city, headed by Congressman
Young and eX-COngressman George T..
Bowden. went to Washington TO appear
before the department officials. They Will
be ioined In the morning by the Virginia
members Of Congress. now in Washington.
An OF the steamboat companies have de-
MED that they complained Of the presence
OF the warships as menace 10 shipping,
and have Joined in the protest against re-
moval. The delegations will also petition
the department 20 order naval review at
Hampton Roads.
ADOPT STRONG RESOLUTIONS.
The Newport News special continues;
Special committees from the Common
Council and the Business-Men's Associa-
tion met this afternoon and adopted the
following resolutions. resenting the clam
offered that the North Atlantic squadron
cannot be accommodated in Hampton
Roads without menace TO shipping, and
praying the department to retain the
warships where they are.
Whereas IL is reported i'm the daily |
newspapers thar the Navy Department |
has ordered 10 other points the fleet now |
assembling IN Hampton Roads; and,
Whereas the alleged reason for this |
action is that the various transportation |
companies doing business adjacent TO |
Hampton Roads have requested the Secre- |
tary OF the Navy not TO rendezvous the |
feet IN that harbor, because IL would In |
terfere with traffic and be detrimental |
10 their business: now, therefore be II
Resolved by the Business Mems Asso- |
citation and the Common Council Of the |
City OF Newport News, Va, That II is |
their opinion, based on a thorough know
ledge Of the facts. that the seventy-hve |
vessels said 10 have been originally IN
tended for rendezvous In Hampton |
Roads and that many times that num-
Der systematically anchored, would AZ
ford no obstruction, and that any change
Of The former determination OF the Navy