The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-01-12
DEWEY'S WANTS.
He Makes Request For More War
Ships and Supplies.
with EIis Present Vessels, the Captured
Spanish Ships and Those Under Way.
Dewey Will Have the Largest
Fleet In Time Of Peace.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 0.--The navy de-
partment received lorg cipher cable
dispatch from Adm. Dewey making
acquisitions for ships and supplies
urgently needed on the Asiatic sta
tion. The admiral reiterated the re-
quest he has made several times in
the last few weeks, that additional
light draught gunboats should be
sent to him, Notwithstanding the
fact that Secretary Long inform
ed him Friday that the Castine
was starting immediately by way of
Suez, and other vessels would follow
when they could be spared. A reply
was sent to the admiral Saturday that
the Bennington, now on her way from
Honolulu to make surveys at Guam,
would be- ordered to Manila in the
course of few months, and the
Machias, now repairing at Portsmouth,
N. H., would follow the Castiue
through the Mediterranean in few
weeks to join his feet.
Secretary Long added request to
Adm. Dewey to designate specifically
any other gunboats he desired, in or
| der that the department might crafty
him, if possible. The authorities rec
ognize the advisability of sending all
the gunboats that can be spared to
the Asiatic station, on account of their
adaptability to service in the archipel-
ago, but in addition to the Concord and
| Petrol, which are now at Iloilo, the
Helena is at Port Said on her way to
Manila, and Adm. Dewey now has in
commission the Callao, the Manila, the
Culgoa and the Bar cello, which he cap
tured from the Spaniards, and in a
few weeks the Isla de Luzon and the
Isla de Cuba, which he raised and sent
to Hong Kong, will be manned by the
crews sent out on the Buffalo.
He also has the captured gunboats
Leyte and Mindanao awaiting crews,
and when the Machias, Castine and
Bennington join him he will have 80
vessels under his command, not count
ing the Oregon and the Iris, which
will soon be at Honolulu, awaiting
orders to 60 to his support. Such q
large feet has never in times of peace
been under the command of a single
American officer, but the department
has such confidence in the admiral's
Judgment that it will not hesitate to
send him any further reinforcements
that he demands.
In his dispatch Adm. Dewey calls
for large quantities Of plug tobacco,
soap and American food. It will be
remembered that soon after the de.
struction of Montojo's feet the ad.
miral cabled for 40, 900 bars of soap,
finding he could buy none in
Asiatic waters. This supply hat
either been exhausted or the
admiral is determined to have
fresh supply on hand before II
gives out in order that there shall bt
no uncleanliness in his feet. His de
mand for more plug tobacco is ex
planned in letters which have recently
reached Washington from officers o.
the feet, telling how tired the men are
of Philippine cigars, and how they mis-
their sweetened navy plug and clay
pipes.
To carry these needed supplies tn,
depart ment decided Saturday to fit W
the auxiliary cruiser Yankee or hel
sister ship, the Prairie, and load then
full of necessities, sending them t.
Manila by way Of the Suez canal
These vessels are now at League
island, but one of them can be sent
around to New York and made ready
to start in the next two weeks.
MTSHAPS AMI ADVENTURES