The record-union., 1898-03-10

/ Brazil has been active of late in building
up her navy. and there is doubt as to her
Willingness tc part With any OF the ships
now building for her. These include two
ironclads building at the Armstrong
yards, two ironclads at La Sienne,
France. and three torpedo beat catchers
at Stettin Germany. Cons derable pay
ments have been made on these and they
have become largely the property of
Brazil. 1t is claimed. however that the
report OF a treaty between Brazil and
Chile, which would prevent either from
selling a ship unless the other sold one
at the same time. is erroneous.
/ WASHINGTON, March 9.-There
We're fewer signs of excitement and
haste at the War and Navy Depart
ments to-day, and preparations beng
made toward putting the army and navy
i into efficient condition are now going on
with more method and less exhibition OF
the feverish spirit Of apprehension that
characterized the proceedings of the last
! few days. There is a general expression
of BELIEF that for the time at least there
! is no prospect of hostile collision and
that what seemed to be d crisis has safe
/ l. 3assed.
! Secretary Long paid several short Wis
! its to the White House during the day
| Secretary Day was among the callers
there and Secretary Alger went over
| from the War Department to see the
President all Of which led to the sur
mise that a special Cabinet meeting was
! likely to be held But it turned out that
these visits were not prearranged, and
were connected only with matters Of
/ business pending before the respective
departments represented by the Secre-
taries.
| In the Navy Department the officials
were deyoting their attention largely 10
the fitting out of the triple-screw cruis-
ers Minneapolis and Columbia. Thanks
/ to the ability with which the officers OF
I the Navigation Bureau have carried out
the plans formed by Secretary Long for
! the creation of a reserve list of naval
vessels. both of these fine ships are in
excellent condition and can so into ser
vice in an incredibly short time COM
pared with the period that would have
! been consumed had they been put out of
commission, as is the practice whenever
| it is found expedient to keep them in act
i've service. While lying in reserve at
League Island, they have been in fresh
water and so have not accumulated a
! crop of barnacies or retaTding marine
vegetation. AS to the destination of the
two flyers, it is said at the Navigation
Bureau this morning that that point
had not been settled. These ships were
designed especially as commerce de-
stroyers.
The first one launched. the Columbia,
was nicknamed The Pirate" long before
the Navy Department could formally at
tach a name to the ship. They are not
calculated to fight warships and owing
tc their light batteries would make
sorry showing against anything that
I carried guns heavier than six-inch cali
ber provided they were cornered and
prevented from flight, which would be
a strong point in such case. But for
running down fleet merchantmen and
probably for looking after such mer
chant vessels as might be pressed into
the navy from the auxiliary lists, they
would be of inestimable value. 1t is like
| ly that the two vessels will go to Hamp
] tor Roads as soon as they are fitted out
and manned. which is expected to Sc
about the 10Th inst. according to the
dates upon which the officers are ordered
/ to report. 1t is desirable to get them
down the Delaware safely without un
due haste and at Hampton Roads they
will be ready for quick work. There they
will meet the Brooklyn
The detail of officers to command the
cruisers were announced at the Navy
| Department. The detail for the Col
umbia is as follows:
| Captain j. II. Sands to command the
vessel with Lieutenant j. H. Moore,
/ detached from the navy yard at Wash
! ington. as executive officer; lieutenant
j. F. Parker. detached as Supervisor
New York Harbor; Lieutenant II. c..
! Stafford, Lieutenant W. J. Maxwell;
! Ensign c. W. Williams, Ensign j. H.
Pringle. Paymaster l.. @. Bogg, Passed
Assistant Engineers w. n. Smith and
| W. II. McGramm, Acting Boatswain
! A Omasen and Surgeon c. G. Herndon
| For the Minneapolis the detail is as
| follows:
Captain T. f. Jewell. detached as
| Inspector in charge of the Tenth
Lighthouse District; Lieutenant c. 7.
| f,mmons, Lieutenant E. f. Wright,
Lieutenant w. p. White, Ensign c. u.
| Stearms, Ensign j. L. Sticht, Pay
master L. c. Kerr, Passed Assistant
Engineers A. Maritz and l.. Nj. Nul-
ton, Acting Boatswain w Brooks, Sur
geon n II. Drake.
| Work in blocking out the two new
regiments of artillery authorized by
| Congress is now under way IN the
War Department Necessarily there
win be some men now enlisted in the
artillery arm Of the service assigned
to the new regiments in order to in
struct and acquaint the recruits with
| the nature of their duties. While in
turn some of the latter Will go to the
regiments now formed The officials
of the department believe there will
be no difficulty in obtaining all the men
needed
Lieutenant -Coloneis Edward b. Will
iston and William Sinclair, who Will be
advanced to the grade of Colonels. viii
| have command of the Sixth and Sev-,
| enth Regiments, respectively, while
Majors Wallace of the Randolph and
Tully McCrea, who will be advanced
to the rank of Lieutenant Colonels.
will take the places held by Wiiiston
and Sinclair in the Third and Fifth
Artillery. respectively.
General Miles has about decide.
finally to locate the headquarters Of
the two regiments at Forts Slocum
and Wadsworth, n. Y. although the
determination regarding the latter
place is open to change.
At the Spanish Legation the view
prevailed that the situation was nucn
cainler than it had been at any time
since the critical juncture began. Senior
Dubosc is preparing for the arrival OF
the new Minister, Senior Polo y Barn.
! a fAp W hn =