The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-08
Admiral Will Soon Have Thirty
Warships Under His Command.
WANTS MORE GUNBOATS
DEPARTMENT WILLING TO GIVE
HIM ANYTHING.
Has Only to Indicate What Vessels
Ee Wants and They Will Be Sent
Admiral Calls For Large Guam
titles of Plug Tobacco and Some
Soap.

New York, Jan. IA special to the
Tribune from Washington says: The
navy department received long cipher
cable dispatch from Admiral Dewey.
making acquisitions for ships and sup
plies urgently needed on the Asiatic
station. The admiral reiterated the
request he has made several times in
the past few weeks. that additional
light-draught gunboats should be sent
TO him, Notwithstanding the fact that
Secretary Long informed him yester-
day that the Castine was starting i'm
mediately by way of Suez, and other
vessels would follow when they could
be spared. A reply was sent to the ad-
miral today that the Bennington. now
on her way from Honolulu to make
surveys at Guam. would be ordered to
Manila in the course of a few months.
and the Machias, now repairing at
Portsmouth, n. H, would follow the
Castine through the Mediterranean in
a few weeks on her way to join his
fleet.
Secretary Long added a request to
Admiral Dewey to designate specifi-
cally any other gunboats he desired in
order that the department might graf
ify him, if possible. The authorities
recognize the ACCESSIBILITY of sending
all the gunboats that can be spared to
the Asiatic station. on account of their
adaDtability TO service in the archiDei-
ago. but, in addition to the Concord
and Petrol, which are now at 1loilo.
the Helena is at Port Said on her way
to Manila. and Admiral Dewey now has
in commission the Callao. the Manila.
the Culgoa and the Barcelo which he
captured from the Spaniards. and in a
few weeks the Isla de Luzon and the
T-F., VIII .S..I,l 7
TO HOngkong. 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, the Castine and the Ben
nington join him, he viii have thirty
vessels under his command, not count
ing the Oregon and the Iris. which will
soon be at Honolulu, awaiting orders to
so to his support. Such a large fleet
has never in times of peace been under
the command Of a single American of
dceT, but the department has such con-
fdence in the admiraIS judgment that
it VIII not hesitate to send him any
further reinforcements that he de-
mands.
In his dispatch Admiral Dewey calls
for large quantities of plug tobacco.
soap and American food. It will be
remembered that soon after the de-
struction of Montejo's fleet the admiral
cabled for 10000 bars of SOAP, finding
he could buy none in Asiatic waters.
This supply has either been exhausted,
or the admiral is determined to have
a fresh supply on hand before it gives
out. in order that there shall be no
uncleanliness in his fleet. His demand
for more Dlub tobacco is explained in
letters which have recently reached
Washington from officers of the fleet.
telling how tired the men are of Phil
iDDine cigars, and how they miss their
sweetened navy plug and their CLAW
pipes. To carry these needed supplies
the department decided today to fit Up
the auxiliary cruiser Yankee. or her
sister ship. the Prairie. and load them
fun Of necessities, sending them to Ma
Mia 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.