Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-25
All Dewey'S Vessels Must
Be OVerhauled.
IT WILL COST MILLIONS
To Place Them in First Class Condition
board of Survey Has Been Busy
For Some Time in Making the
Estimates.

New York, Sept. 25.-A special to the
Herald from Washington a II is
already apparent to naval experts that
the government Will have TO spend sew
eral million dollars in renting for ac-
tive service the vessels which COM
prised Admiral Dewey's llea. wnen it
destroyed Spain's ava power in the
far east. Secretary Long has approved
the making of repairs to he cruiser
Raleigh, which will cost $500, 900. The
report Of the board of survey which in
spected the cruiser Boston lately re-
turned to the United States, and now
out OF commission at Mare island
shows that another $500, 900 will have to
be spent upon that vessel in order to
put her in condition for recommission.
Reports received at the department re-
garding the condition Of the cruiser
Olympia show that she will nave to be
laid up for some time, and naval ex-
perts estimate that before she is again
in the service she will AVE cost the gov
eminent not less than 100000 to re-
pair.
There are three vessels still on the
Asiatic station which were under Ad-
Initial DSNGy > COIllIlldIu WHcu lie
fought the battle of Manila bay-the
Baltimore and the %gunboats Concord
and Petrol. The Baltimore was only
placed in commission during the winter
Of 1898 and will probably not con
home until 1901. The Concord and the
Petrol are needed for service in block
aiding the island of Luzon. They We're
both thoroughly o%verhauled in 1896 and
upon completion We're sent to the
A Ciatin Statinr IThoir or,yico in Tho for
east will cease next year, provided the
situation in the Philippines is such as
to permit their return home, though by
that time it may be decided to refit
them in the east and keep them per
manently on the Asiatic station. The
repairs to the Boston will be thorough
and when completed she will b. a mod
ern ship. The repairs contemplated
will cause her reconstruction, as in the
case Of her sister ship, the Atlanta. She
will be equipped with a new battery
of the latest eight-inch and six-inck
guns. It is understood that before fina
action is taken in the matter of the
Boston's repairs Rear Admiral HIGH
born will bring the report of the board
of survey to the attention of the board
of construction
The board of survey estimates that
years time will be necessary to recon
struct the Boston, but it is the belief o
department officials that two years will
have passed before she is again read.
for service. When the Olympia arrives
. in port a board Of survey will be APP
pointed and it's report considered b,
the department. Brig. Gen. Charlie
! Haywood, commandant of the marin
corps, is in favor of strengthening tn
marine force at Cavite by another bat
TALON of his corps. The matter has no
yet been officially approved by the de
partment. but it is possible that tn
; marines will be ordered, especially i
) view of the intention of Gen. Otis t
let the navy have full swing in tn
province Of Cavite. Great deeds are ex
pected of the marines. Gen. Heywoo
has carefully selected the men sent. Q
! the two battalions at Cavite or on tn
way nearly $50 men are sharpshooter
: Of the first class, and it is expecte
; that they will do effective work whe
they begin operations in the fall. Meas
ures ave been initiated by Rear Ad
miral Bradford, chief of the bureau c
equipment, to establish a strong navs
. station at Pearl harbor, Hawaii.