The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-05-01
VAR PREPARATIONS HAVE btdUh
Ships Composing the Fleet TO be
sent to Turkey Have Been Sc
Iected-European Threat.

WdSulH2 IOu, ApIli oO.-l HeSe
battleships and cruisers will
form the fleet to compel Turkey
to pay the missionaries claim OF
800, 900 if the sultan refuses to
comply with the terms of the
ultimatum from the United
States:
The Kearsage, the finest bat
tleship IN the world. and her
sister ship the Kentucky; the
Massachusetts,, the Indiana. the
New York, the Texas, the De.
troit, the Machias, the Albany,
the Chicago, the Montgomery
and the Wilmington.
According to the opinion of the
navigation board officials, this
fleet, whether commanded by
Schley, Sampson or Farquhar,
would be modified for the Med
iterranean and would destroy or
capture the Turkish feet in the
first engagement
Turkeys available fleet is nine
battleships, only one of which is
first-class, and inferior to the
Indiana, one second-class, out
classed by the Texas, and seven
thirdclass battleships, all of
which could be handled by the
Kearsage, the Kentucky and the
New York.
State department officials and
the Turkish minister, Ali Fer
rouh Bey, stated tonight that
there was no change in the Tur-
l1ish situation, which last night
was regarded as critical, mas
much as this government has re-
jected two dilatory propositions
one to have a cruiser built in
this country, the payment there
for to include the indemnity, aud
the other that America should
allow her claim to be put on an
equal with the claims of other
countries.
The delay of a day in receiving
any assurance from the sultan is
regarded here as making the sit.
uation more tense and as indicat
ing that an ultimatum to the
sultan would be necessary. The
opinion is gaining ground, also
that the long delay of the sultan
knowing as he does the intention
of this government to use coer
GIVE measures, means that if al
ultimatum be sent, the sultal
will treat it with the same dis
courtesy he has displayed 10
ward the semi-ultimate demand:
already made.
1t was this prospective neces
sity of sending a fleet to tn,
Mediterranean which caused the
president yesterday to have con
sultations with Secretary o
State Hay and Secretary of Wa
Root.
The administration has beel
duly considering the information
al effect Of the dispatch of a flee
20 the Mediterranean. The on,
power which has so far been in
timated as Turkeys armed all,
| is Russia. 1t is certain that th
| Russian ambassador discusse
the phase of the Turkish ques
ton which involved the sendiu:
of a fleet to Smyrna last week a
the state department.
The private opinions of the Of
6cials at the state department j
that Turkeys ally, morally if nc
: otherwise, will be Russia.
Diplomats here see a yer,
grave outcome of the coercion c
Turkey by the United States
Russia should take the step {
physically aiding the sultan. /
that event Great Britain woul
undoubtedly become involved
for reason that, no matter whs
the outcome would be, Russi
J would be certain to demand ful
/ ther concessions from Turkey
, and the one concession to be fea,
ed by Great Britain would t
that involving the extension I
4 Russia s rights through the Da
Q danelles into the Mediterraneal