Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-11
MATTERS MARINE AND NAVAL.
Auxiliary Gunboat Siren HIRE. The Reina
~ Mercedes.


ierroon, when she sailed for Hampton
Roads.
The Siren it will be remembered is
the little converted yacht which, after
the war was over, was turned over to
the Virginia Naval Reserves to be used
as practice ship and since that date
she has been making weekly cruises
with the battalion, tie headquarters OF
which is located at Norfolk.
The first Sunday in July the little
warship took the volunteer sailors out
side the Capes for a short cruise and
yesterday the day was spent here. Late
IN the evening the boat was taken out
into the Roads and after a short cruise
IN chesapeake Bay. returned to Norfolk
1t is understood that only the divisions
from Norfolk We're on the trip.
1t is understood that the old A. T. Co.
barge Belle Of Oregon, which is ground
cd on the Chesapeake &; Ohio passenger
pier Will have to be removed in the i'm
mediate future. 1t is said that an at
tempt VIII pc made to raise her, but if
this cannot be done she will be blown
up.
The British steamship Agapanthus,
which has been in Hampton Roads for
several days waiting for orders came
up to the city yesterday to take on a
part cargo here and finish loading ar
Norfolk. She was given a birth at one
Of the piers yesterday.
The current issue of the Marine Re
view says:
archibald Denny, of Denny Bros.
well known shipbulders of Dumbarton.
Scotland, has reached the Atlantic coast
on his tour around the world He is in
spcctlnS shipyards and has, during the
past lew weeks. visited the yards at
New York, Philadelphia and Newport
News When Mr.. Denny began his tour
last November he went to Burmah, then
ne observed shipbuiding methods OBJ
the Rangoon, Irrawaddy and Bra1na-
putra rivers in India, at Melba and
sydney. Australia, and in Tasmania
and New Zealand
one Of the most interesting reports
mat has been received -by Governor
Tyler for the past quarter was that IF
DR.. Samuel w. Hobson, the State quar-
antinc officer ut this port
Inc report is interesting throughout,
the chief feature of it being the state
llent that no contagious diseases have
been brought into port on either foreign
or coastwisc vessels.
The famous Cruiser Reina Mercedes.
Formerly Of the Spanish Navy, is to be
used as an exhibition ship, so to speak
She Will probably be sent, as soon as
repairs can be made to her hull at the
Norfolk navy yard to Boston, New
York and other cities in order to afford
an opportunity to the patriotic citizens
Of those boroushs to view the most i'm
portant naval trophy of our war with
Spain.
The constructor at the Norfolk yard.
n NJ, iat
II: order to make repairs to the hull of
the former Snaniard. These repairs are
lmperativcly necessary if the ship is To
be ioatcd with any degree of safety up
and down the coast
1t is entirely possible that the Merce-
des may be used for receiving ship
at Portsmouth, n. H.. to succeed TIN,
historic Constitution. Chief Construc-
tor tlchborn is, in fact in favor of such
disposition of the ship.
IN this connection the following dis
patch from Washington will be Of inter
est: '1
Admiral H!chborn, chief naval CON
structor is of opinion that the cap
tured Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes
would not be of any service as a war
vessel We even were an appropriation made
70 repair her and fit her up. The Ad-
mlral. speaking of the ship, said this
evening that the cruiser could best be
used as receiving ship and he suggest
cd that she be sent to Portsmouth. y.
H., or some other naval station, for that
purpose. he Will recommend that she
be towed from Norfolk to New York
ana Boston, for exhibition purposes.
and then proceed to Portsmouth, n. H
a board Of survey raa, reported that the
mercedes can be calked and otherwise
put IN TT condition for taking to the
water again at cost of 81 600 Th..
vessel is still in the drydock at Norfolk.
n dispatch from Singapore announces
that the United States auxiliary cruiser
Yosemite. from Hampton Roads Nav
1oth, has arrived there on her long voy-
age to Guam, in the Ladrone Islands
1t will be remembered that the Yo-
semitic sailed for the far-off newly pos
sessed isle from Norfolk, with Captain
X. l.. Leary, U. S. N. on board. Can
tain Leary was selected as the Governor
OF the island and the auxiliary cruiser
was assigned to the duty Of conyeyin.
him to his new post of duty. He was
well known in this part of the world
and his safe arrival at Singapore will
be learned with interest by his friends
in this city.
IN this same connection it will be in
lsrcstlng to note that the Yosemite
which was built here for the Morgan
Line and sold to the government at the
outbreak Of the Spanish-American war.
maze the trip to Singapore in remarka-
Oily short time. She left Colombo, Cey-
io o' on july LIST for Singapore, reaching
there in just one week from the date of
her sailing.
How 1t Stands.
Manager Rex. of the Buckroe Casino
mas returned from Richmond and is
q in ,<,1, 49,