The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-01-13
DEWEY 1SEi FSR GUNB0ATS
Too Many Light Draught Vessels
Cannot Be Sent the Admiral.
THEY WILL BE SENT AT ONCE.
NTH Spanish Vessels Manned, the Fleet
WIN Cousiss Of Thirty Vessels. but Moro
%Ynl BE Bent-Soap and Plug Tobacco
Arc Needed

WASHINGTON Jan. 9.-The navy de-
p;-rtment received long cipher cable
dispatch from Admiral Dewey making
acquisition for ships and supplies
urgently needed on the Asiatic station.
TIE admiral reiterated his request,
made several times in the last few
weeks, that additional light draught
xunboats should be sent to him. This
notwithstanding the fact that Secre-
tary Long informed him yesterday
that the Castine was starting immedi-
Nely by way Of Suez and other vessels
would follow when they could be
spared. reply was sent to the ad-
miral to-day that the Bennington,
uow on her way from Honolulu to
make surveys at Guam, would be Or
1ered to Manila in the course of a few
months, and the Machias, now repair
Ing at Portsmouth, n. H.. would fol-
low the Castine through the Mediter-
"anean in few weeks On her way to
ioin his fleet.
Secretary Long added request to
Admiral Dewey to designate sp.cifcal-
y any other gu ulboats he desired, in
order that the department might graf
fly him if possible. The authorities
rcognize the advisability of sending
I'll the gunboats that can be spared to
The Asiatic station on account OF their
sdaptibility to service in the archipel-
lqo, but, in addition to the Concord
>nd Petrol, which are now at lloilo,
the Helena is at Port Said on her way
10 Manila. and Admiral Dewey now
has in commission the Callao, the Ma
uila, the Culgoa and the Barcelo, which
be captured from the Spaniards, and
IN few weeks the Isle dc Luzon
snd the Isle de Cuba, w,ic', ha raised
and sent to Hong '<o1y, will bs
manned by the crews sea-. 1t on the
Buffalo. He also has l.. Captured
Runboats Leyte and Mindanao await
Ing crews, and when the Machias, the
Castine and the Bennington join him
he will have thirty vessels under his
command, not counting the Oregon
aud the Iris, which will soon be at
Honolulu, awaiting order to go to his
support. Such large fest has never
Teen under the command of single
American officer.
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 ad-
p1iral cabled for 4u,OOO bars of soap,
finding he could buy none in Asiatic
waters This supply has either been
exhausted or the admiral is determined
to have fresh supply on hand before
It gives out, in order that there
shall be no uncleanliness in his fleet.
His demand for more plug to.
bacco is explained in letters which
have recently reached Washington
from officers of the fleet telling how
tired the men are OF Philippine cigars,
and how they miss their sweetened
navy plug and their cay pipes. Tc
carry these needed supplies the de.
partment decided to fit up the auxil
larry cruiser [~Ass or her sister ship
the PrairiA ~t >s,Sa them full of ne
-essities. seuaing them to Manila BY
way of the Suez canal These vessels
are now at League island, but one o.
them can be sent around to New Yorl
and made ready to start in the next
two weeks.