The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-03-05
Emergency Preparations.

New York, Feb. 2s.-A Herald's
Washington special says: Emergency
preparations of the most important
character yet attempted by the navy
department has formally been decid-
ed upon. and the necessary orders for
carrying them out have been issued
by Assistant Secretary Roosevelt.
These preparations include: Orders
to vessels in different parts of the
world looking to their better strategic
disposition; shipment of guns and
mounts for the auxiliary cruisers from
the Washington foundry to the New
York navy yard, where in Il few hours
they can be placed OH board the vessels
of the various steamship lines; the
collection of stores and the completion
of repairs to the cruisers Minneapolis
and Columbia, the monitor Miantono-
nah and the ram Katahdin; shipment
to the works of the Herreshoffs tor
pedo tubes and appliances and tope-
does for the torpedo boats Talbot and
Gwinn, which will shortly undergo
steam trials.
The authorities have ~relinqnished all
idea of keeping secret the prepare
tons which are being made, and, while
declining to go into the details of the
orders which are being. given, it is gem
orally known what steps are being
taken to put the country in a condi-
ton to meet any emergency that may
arise. 1t was not denied that orders
have been issued to vessels which will
entail their movement at different
points, but what vessels are affected
and where they will go are questions
which the department officials decline
to answer. The Asiatic squadron is as
sembling at Hong Kong, 600 miles
away from the PHILIPPINES.
Where the Statement Came From
Washington, Feb. 26.-A statement
by the Spanish Charge Dubois was
sent out by the Associated Press last
night to the effect hat there were no
mines, torpedoes or submarine de-
lenses of any kind inside or outside of
Havana harbor was laid before our
government today by Dubois. 1t may
be said in this connection that this in
formation was the result of II sugges
ton by the Associated Press to Du-
bois that in view of the positive state
ments about such submarine defenses
the facts ought to be known. Accept
ing this view, Dubois made inquiries
by cable from sources capable of Civ
ing the exact facts and the statement
as above was reviewed by him last
night and he communicated to the As
ISOLATED Press the result. Dubois
wanted it understood as a bare state
ment of fact and not u government ut
terance, as the latter would consider
such suspicious a reflections on its
honor.
Eafsrafat.v I,n,.0 or Ill., lINot
Washington, Feb. 26.-Secretary
Long enjoyed a sleep last night, the
first he has had for some time, and as
n consequence he felt so much re-
freshed this morning that he decided
to abandon the proposed absence from
the navy department and continue his
duties.
He said he thought things were look
ing much better. The public ought not
to be under any misrepresentation in
regard to the naval movements; so far
they have mostly been but ordinary
dispositions. The movements of some
war ships such as the Detroit and Mar
Bile head towards Key West has alrea-
dy been shown to have been in accord
ance with orders not only made but
published in the newspapers before
the Maine disaster.
The attention of naval officers has
been strongly attracted to the state
ment made by a representative of the
Spanish government to the effect that
there We're no mines or torpedocs of
any kind in Havana harbor. It can be
said hat this statement exactly agrees
with inquiries that have been under
way for many months by agents of our
government, for so far, it is said, they
have been unable to find the slightest
evidence of the existence of any plan
of defense in the harbor by means of
mines or torpedoes. Of course the eff
feet Of this statement if it is to be
accepted is to negative the supposition
that the disaster resulted from other
than accidental causes, as the almost
unanimous testimony of experts is to
the effect that no single torpedo of any
known type could have caused the ter
rife wreck of the Maine.
What Roosevelt Says.
New York, Feb.2s.-A Worlds Wash
ington special says: Acting Secretary
of the Navy Roosevelt, when asked
concerning the probability of war and
the condition of the navy in ease of
emergency, replied: II wish you
would say that while we do not expect
war, the navy department is simply
making every preparation for it. The
work of the navy is going on as rapid
~ as we could wish. To get into an