The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-11
Long Will Buy Only Good Yes
sells at Reasonable Prices.
CONDITION OF THE SHIPS
Plans for Arming Merchant Vessels as
Auxiliary Cruisers Crews
Would Be Retained-Sympathy
of England Enlisted.

simply for the reason that the navy
department is proceeding with all the
clrcumspection consistent with the
needs OF the case on looking after the
| qualities and prices of the craft. There
is strong disposition to refrain from
being drawn into bad bargains and to
insist upon getting good vessels at
reasonable prices. Secretary Long was
In receipt of large number of cable
grams to-day, almost all relating to
/ offers of ships. Lieutenant Niblack.
| the United States naval attache at
| Berlin, st. Petersburg and Vienna, is
| particularly active in the quest of yes
sells.
There was a good deal of talk during
| the Day about assignment of officers to
! the command of the auxiliary cruisers
! the st. Paul and st. Louis being espe-
| clally mentioned, but Secretary Long
| set these stories at rest by the state
ment that he had not made any such
assignments and had only progressed
70 the point of informing himself of
the possibility of getting the ships Off
cered and manned quickly.
Wnlle looking after new ships, the
oIlclals or the navy department are not
neglecting the old vessels, and arrange
ments nave been made to make short
repairs on several ships that In ordi-
nary course would not be treated in
that fashion, but would require an en-
tire oVerhauling. Thus in the case of
the Philadelphia, which has had five
years hard work and has never yet been
gone over, as is the custom, orders have
gone TO Mare Island TO put her in such
shape for sea within 30 days The
yorktown. at the same yards is not to
be touched at present, not only because
she Is in fair condition, but also be-
cause she is not so formidable craft
as to make it desirable to divert to her
TeD4If attention tiy.aI alca
Norfolk, the Newark is set down for 30
days repairs. and, as a good deal of
work has already been done on her. she
VIII be almost a new ship when she
comes out of the yards The big moni-
tor Puritan has practically completed
her repairs.
The monitor Comanche at Mare Island
mas been examined and found in toler-
able condition. AT League Island the
monitor Miantonomoh and the ram
katahdin went into commission to-day,
although they have not yet had their
orders. They probably will remain in
the Delaware river or drop down into
the bay.
The torpedo boat Dupont sailed to-
DAY from Mobile to attach herself again
10 the notilla at Key West. Again it
was said at the navy department that
nothing had been heard from the court
ef inquiry at Havana nor from Admiral
Sicard al Key West
The presence in the city of persons
connected with steamship lines and
steel works led to the circulation of a
number OF sensational stories during
the day, but perhaps none of these had
the pefsistency of one that found cur
rency at the capitol where 1t met with
summary denial at the hands of
= sslstant Secretary Day to the effect
that Minister Woodford had notified the
Spanish government that the president
intended to send message announcing
ms recognition of Cuban independence.
Commander Hawley left Washington
ms Afternoon for the South with Chief
Engineer Webster and Surgeon par
sons to enlist machinists for the navy.
turing the day the board changed it's
pans and finally started directly for
new orleans. 1t had been informed
1hat there are a number of good men |
TO be had on the Gulf coast and Com |
mander HaWley will open temnorarv
recruiting offices in the Gulf cities as
ne goes along. just as was done by him |
III the West last summer
A conference was held at o'clock in |
the office of Assistant Secretary Roose- /
Nelt to map out plans for arming and |
merchant vessels as auxiliary /
cruisers. MIR. Roosevelt presided and /
others present We're Captain Crownin
shleld OF the bureau of navigation, Cap-
tain ONetll of the bureau of ordnance
Chlef Hichborn of the bureau of con-
struction and Commander Bradford of
the bureau Of yards and docks This
meeting had been preceded by a call
from President Griseom of the Interna-
tional Navigation company, who owns
tour ships, st. Paul. st. Louis, Paris and
New York. The board meeting brought
out a general discussion of the work the
various bureaus would be called upon
10 perform in making these and other
vessels ready as auxiliary cruisers.
Aaf af i. |
fall to the lot of the bureau of construc
ton. which would have charge of in
stailng magazines, gun mounts. light
protective armor for the guns and mag
izines and the carriages on which the
guns swing. This work. IL is said, could
pc accomplished easily within two
weeks time, as all materials except the
guns, are in hand. The bureau of ord
rance could not supply all the guns re-
iulfed within that short time. although
'ome 20 or more are now available The
supply would be adequate. however, for
ne most effective auxiliary cruisers
IND the complete armament of the mer-
'hant ships could proceed as rapidly as
possible. As to the question of arming
ne auxiliary fleet, the navy DEPART
nent feeis that the most effective step
You'd be TO enlist into the United
states naval service the present n1er-
hahl crews of the several ships. These
4'*1L-Als Ad3iIl11dI Win tne
'esseis and could handle them with far
.feater effect than green crews Of blue
ackets. The ships would be officered
rom the line of the regular navy. In
he case of enlisting a merchant GREY.
he pay and allowances would be about
quiYalent tn the rates paid ordinary ,
a-icrs and the time of enlistment
tould doubtless be limited to short pc ,
iods.
The proposed batteries for the aux
tary cruisers consisted i'm the case Of I
he steamships st. Louis and St Paul
I eight six-.nch guns, four x-pound-
Is and four machine guns the Paris
nd New York. II s.x-iach six six .
ounders and six machine guns. III is