The evening times., 1900-01-18

Secretary Long is said TO be preparing
list of the ships now on the Asiatic sta
tion which VIII be returned TO this coun-
try and added 10 the North and South
Atlantic sQuadrons or sent TO Europe 10
re-establish the European squadron
which was discontinued at the outbreak
of the war with Spain OF the thirty-one
vessels now in Asiatic waters at least ten
of them. il is thought, will be ordered
home. Exactly which of the vessels will
be selected viii depend upon the report
from Rear Admiral Watson on the coHdi-
tions of the vessels and the ones which
can be best spared.
IL is thought that ali the larger vessels
except the Brooklyn, now used by Admiral
Watson for flagship. will be sent home.
Secretary Long it is said. was Influenced
in deciding to reduce the Asiatic squad
ron by the fact that here is no longer any
need for the large vessels in the Philip
pines. 1t has been some time since any
of the vessels have been engaged in active
operations against the insurgents and
those that have taken part have been
0HlpS Vi llSul uTdll WHICH can run III CLOSE
to shore and land their crews with ease.
General Otis only a few days ago ca
bled the War Department that what he
needed in opening the hemp ports was
vessels of light draft. Such vessels as
the Baltimore Concord, and Oregon are
too large to be of any use to General Otis,
and their stay at Manila is endangering
The health of the officers and crews. The
Celtic and Culgoa, supply ships: the Gla-
eier, refrigerator ship, and the Iris, dis
tilling ship will of necessity have TO re-
main in the Philippines TO furnish sup
plies TO the other vessels and also to as
sist in supplying the soldiers with pro-
visions. The vessels to be sent home will
be the battleships, protected cruisers, and
large gUnboats.
The latest reports from Manila show
that nearly all the vessels of the feet are
lying in the harbor at Manila, from which
point they are occasionally sent TO CO.
operate with The troops when the latter
are engaged in assaulting coast towns of
the islands or to head off the insurgents
from moving from one island TO another
In place OF the big vessels to be brought
home some of the torpedo boats now be-
ing completed may be sent TO take their
places ana 10 be used by General Otis in
opening the hemp ports. Some of the Yes-
sells which may be brought home are the
battleship Oregon, the protected cruisers
Baltimore. New Orleans. and Newark, the
gunboats Concord, Bennington, Wheeling.
and Castine. and the monitors Monadnock
and Monterey.
The vessels now on the Asiatic squad
ron and their commanders are as follows:
Brooklyn, flagship. Capt. 7. +. Jewell;
Baltimore. Capt. ]. NJ. Forsyth; Benning-
ton. Commander c. II. Arnold: Brutus;
Callao. Lieut. r. Tappan; Castine Com |
mander :. W. Very; Celtic, Lieutenant /
Commander y. J. X. Patch; Concord. /
Commander s. NJ. Ackley: Culgoa. Com /
mander ". II. Everett; Don Juan de Aus
tria. Commander I. c. Mclean: Glacier, 1
Lieutenant Commander ]. b. Briggs; He 4
lena. Commander f. X. Moore: Iris. Lieut. |
J. NJ. Orchard; Isla de Cuba. Commander !
f. p. Gilmore; lsla de Luzon. Commander
J. y. y. Bleecker; Manila, Lieutenant
Commander 4. p. Nazro; Marietta. Com
mander L. H. Gheen: Monadnock. Capt. J.
McGowan; Monocacy Commander G.. A.
Bicknell; Monterey. Capt. G. ". Pigman;
Nanshan; Nashville. Commander R. p
Rodgers; Newark, Capt. B. ii. McCalla;
New Orleans Capt. f. Longnecker; Ore
gcn, Capt G. +. +. Wilde; Petrol. Lieu
tenant Commander J. T. Smith: Prince
ton. Commander II. Knox; Wheeling.
Commander W. T. Burwell: Yorktown,
Commander c. s. SPerry; Yosemite, Capt.
C. +. lde. and Zafiro.