The Portland daily press., 1898-03-26
NAVAL ORDERS IN DETAIL.

NAVAL ORDERS IN DETAIL.
Washington, March a5.-Todays naval
orders in detail are as follows:
Rear Admiral Montgomery Sicard, de-
tached as commander in chief of the
North Atlantic station and granted sick
leave for six months.
Capt. c. NJ Chester. detached from the
command of the South Atlantic station
and to continue in command of the Gin
cinnati. a
Capt. W. L. Sampson, detached from
the command of the Iowa. and at once
to be commander in chief of the North
Atlantic station with the New York as
his flagship; Ensign J. Q. Carter, de-
tached from the Vicksburg and ordered
to the Mayfower, March 81. as watch
and division officer; Ensign W. V. Pratt,
detached from the Annapolis and ordered
to the Mayfower, March 81; Lieut. q.
S. Ripley, before the medical examin-
ing board March 81 Ensign W. 5. Cros-
BY detached from the naval academy and
ordered to the Mayfower, March 81; Fay
master r. B. Harris, to take up the &C
L. Strong to League Island with the
Nahant; Lieut.. W. E. Shoemaker, de-
taohed from the naval academy and or
dered to Newport with the torpedo boa {
Talbot Lieut.. G. S. Williams, detached
from the naval academy and ordered to
Newport with torpedo boat Gwyn;
Commander W. s. Schley, detached
command the flying squadron with the
Brooklyn as his flagship; Capt. r. ID.
Evans, detached from the lighthouse
board and ordered to command the Iowa;
Lieut.. g. P. Blow. to the Mayhower,
March 81; Lieut.. A. E. Culver, detached
<c%;o and
ordered to the Mayflower; surgeons S.
e.. Griffith, detached from the museum
OF hygiena, Washington, and ordered to
the MayfowNr; Commander G. FL. West
and Lieut.. Q. III. Harlow, detached from
the New York, ordered home to await
orders.
BUYING YACHTS BY WHOLESALE.
New York, March 25.-The purchase
by the United States government Of M.
@. D. Borden's yacht Sovereign, has been
recommended by the naval auxllisry
board. The Sovereign was inspected
yesterday. The board, it was said. has
also recommended the purchase of the
tugs Ell Toro, of the Southern Pacific
renee, owned by Albert Dutch, of this
city. Negotiations are being made for
the purchase of the steel tugs Edward
Luckenbach and Ocean King. just as
soon as the sales are completed all the
| tugs will be delivered at the navy yard
here and promptly equipped for service.
Another examination of John Jacob
Astor's yacht Nourmahal will be made.
| Lieut.. Sergeant, secretary OF the board,
| it is reported, has gone to Boston to ex-
anime vessels in the harbor. The steel
| tug p. II. Wise, owned by the Moran
| Towing comeany, was purchased by the
government today at price said to be
under $4,000. She is SO feet long, 81
feet beam, Is feet draught and runs IA
knots an hour. She was taken to the
navy yard where she will be fitted out.
Michael Maran, said that he was Dego-
| tiating with the board for the sale of
three other tugs.
Fred Il. Dalzeli of the Boston Towboat
company, is negotiating for the sale to
| the government of the tugs Taurus and
Kate Jones. He said that the sale of the
| tug Kate Jones would have been conclud-
ed today, but for slight hitch which he
| thought would be Strengthened out before
| tomorrow. 1t is said that despatch was
received from Washington this afternoon
orderingthe board to purchase all suitable
| vessels available for use in the navy. This
rumor could not be confirmed as the
members of the board would not discuss
| it.
FLOTILLA EXCITES DEEP CON-
CEhN.
| Washington, March 25. Deep interest is
manifested among the officials of the
navy department over the movement of
the Spanish torpedo fleet. The fiotilla Is
one Of the most formidable of its kind
adoat, and the sending of it to the West
Indies at this time, is regarded as an in
dioation of Spain's intention to be pre-
pared for any emergency that may arise
| in or near Gu ban waters.
| Naval experts are of the opinion that
under ordinary circumstances 1t will take
the fotilla about ten days to make the
| journey from the Canaries to Porto Rico.
but it may require several days longer.
If they are accom- panied by collier, the
speed of the feet will be reduced to that
of tbs coal boats. Some correspondence
with Spain through Minister Polo con-
corning the flotilla is not unlikely.
The statements mado yesterday that
this government mi@ht regard the send.
ing of the hotilla t, .est Indies as an act
unfrinedly to the United States, mas
much as it was evident that the Goats
were not intended for use against the
Cuban Insurgents and as matter of fact
could be employed only against a hostile
feet of warships, were accumulated today.
but what representations, if any, will be
made to Spain cannot be ascertained, re-
serve being maintained on this point.
The announcement that the navy de-
partment had practically concluded the
purchase of several fast yachts, which it
is proposed to transform into torpedo
boats, is not viewed with entire favor by
naval men.
The vessels the department has in view
have speed rate ranging from i6 to 20
knots, while specially designed torpedo
boats have speed of from "a to 80 knots.
AS against regular torpedo boats the fleet
of ''makeshifts'' would cut small figure.
COMMODORE SCHLEY ORDERED
IN COMMAND.
Washington, March 25.-Commodore
Winfield Scott Schley, at present con-
nected with the lighthouse board has been
ordered to command the flying squadron
at Hampton Roads, with the Brooklyn
at his flag ship.
Commodore Schley expects it will be a
day or so before he finishes his work here
and takes command of the squadron.
His command at present comprises three
vessels, the brooklyn, Columbia and Min
neapolins, all ocean greyhounds, but in
short time his squadron probably will
be swelled to about dozen ships.
Commodore Schley refused to talk at
all concerning rumors that the flying
squadron might be sent out to intercept
the Spanish torpedo boat flotiIla. Com