Evening star., 1898-03-05

that no one except members of Congress is
allowed to enter the Notifications, and they
only with consent of the Secretary of War,
apparently makes the works all the more
mysterious. Nor could 1 be at liberty to
tell of any steps that are being taken as
the result of the pending excitement, even
If knew of SUCH
Inspection of Merchant Marine.
A visit to the Navy Department, one of
those made at not infrequent intervals in
the course of duty, by Lieut.. j. d. ]. KEEL
ley, y. s. N, caused the immediate circu-
lation of a report that the government is
embarking on the large undertaking in the
inspection of all vessels of our merchant
marins That might be available for naval
service in case of need. For more than six
months Lieut.. Kelley has been charged
with the duty of inspecting vessels of the
merchant marine to ascertain If they com
pied with the terms of the so-called SUBJ
s1dy act and are thus fitted for naval SER
vice. The terms of the act which was
passed several years ago appear to be de-
signed to secure the creation of a class OF
vessels under the American flag, built in
American shipyards, that shall be, first,
suitable for tie rapid and safe carriage OF
the United States mails, and second, suit
able for transformation, in case of need,
into auxiliary cruisers for the navy.
Ever since the passage of that act the
Navy Department has had officers at work
preliminary stages OF construction or after
completion, when their owners sought to
take advantage Of the act and claim SUBJ
s.dies for their ships. Many vessels have
been so inspected and the naval officers
have reported to the Postmaster General
their fitness or unfitness for naval service.
As already stated, Lieut.. Kelley is now in
charge Of that particular Of the navy, and
has been prosecuting 1t with diligence.
Without doubt the public excitement of
the last few weeks induced a number of
vessel owners who have never before
sought to take advantage of the subsidy
act to submit their ships to the Navy De-
partment now for examination, and this
has resulted in unusual activity on the
part of the inspecting officers
Probably everybody who has q ship under
construction which could by any possibility
be Hletamorphcsed into war craft has writ
ship for sale to the government There is a
strong tincture of war prices in the fig
ures named by many of these patriotic citi-
zens as a selling price for that craft. Some
far as can be gathered all these are spon-
taneous and were not called for by invita-
ton by the Navy Department.
The BROOKLYN at La Guayra
The armored cruiser Brooklyn arrived at
La Guayra, Venezuela, yesterday and re-
ported last night by cable to the Navy De-
partment. 1t is the intention of the author
tiles to keep the ship at that port for a few
days, or at least until 1t is demonstrated
that the insignificant revolutionary move
ment in the eastern portion of the country
is shown not to endanger any American in
terests. Then the plan is for the Brooklyn
to proceed to Colon and await orders from
the department. The Newport, with the
Nicaragua canal commission aboard, ar
rived at Colon yesterday with the expecta-,
ton of remaining until the 10th instant.
The training ship Essex has sailed from
Fort Monroe for Tonpkinsville.
Mr. Eu Bose mt the State Department..
Mr.. Du Bosc, the Spanish charge, called
at the State Department this morning and
had short talk with Judge Day concern
ing recent llbu5tering movements The
department desired to get fuller informa-
tion than had thus far been furnished. 1t
IS understood that Spain's purchase of war
ships ard other subjects which have at
tracted much interest within the last few
days were in no way referred to, as Mr..
Du Bose has received no information on
these subjects, and they are not open to
diplomatic negotiation s.
Secretary Long at the White House.
Secretary Long visited the President to-
day in company with Representative Hill
born Of California. a member of the naval
affairs committee Of the House, and con-
sidered one of the best-poste ted men in the
country on naval matters Secretary Long
took with him a number of pap.s. His
conference with the President lasted some
time.
To Star reporter Secretary Long said
that there was absolutely no truth In the
story published today that this country is
considering the advisability of securing op-
tions on eight men-of-war which are prac-
tically completed in foreign shipyards
Nor is there any truth in the story that
Spain has purchased several war vessels
built in other countries" he said
The conference is believed to have been
important, and was In relation to navy
matters.
Milftia's Relation to the Government
The Secretary of War recently received a
letter from Adjutant General Sykes of the
National Guard of Kentucky, inquiring
what the relation would be between the
United States government and the National
Guard of the different states in the event
that war should be declared between this
country and any other power" In his let
ter Gen. Sykes says that mot day goes
over now that this office is not in receipt of
letters from Parties in different sections of
the state asking that they be allowed to
raise volunteer regiments in the event that
there should be any trouble between this
country and Spain. These requests have
caused some dissatisfaction with the Ma
tiopal Guard of this state, the organized
guard claiming that they should have The
preference"
Although the Secretary Of War has not
yet made an official response to this letter.
there is no doubt that he will inform the
writer that. though the department Is not
yet prepared to answer hypothetical ques-
tions of the character involved, there seems
to be no doubt that in the contingency men
tit ned the National Guard of the states
would have the same relation to the reg
ulsr army that the volunteer forces held
during the war of the rebellion
A COMING BUREAU CHANGE.