The Washington times., 1902-05-11
CINCINN Att Is ORDERED
TO GO TO MARTINIQUE
Cruiser Sent to Render What
ever Aid She Can.
Instructions Sent to Hold Dixie in Read
mess to Take Formers Place
at San Domingo.

Without waiting for any appeal or sug-
gestion from the French government OIL
other source, the State Department ant
the Navy Department took action toward
affording relief and assistance to the sur
vivors Of the Martinique disaster, IL there
be any such. A telegram was sent by the
State Department to Louis p. Ayme. the
United States consul at Guadeloupe, to
proceed without delay to Martinique and
do what he could in the way Of affording
assistance to the stricken people.
The Navy Department. which had waited
all day to learn from San Juan, Porto
Rico, whether a report was true that the
big sea-going naval tug Potomac had
been sent from there to Martinique,
issued orders last evening to Commander
T. C. Mclean. at San Domingo City. to
proceed to the scene OF the great disas-
ter.
Instructions were sent also to the
Brooklyn navy yard to have the training
ship Dixie. formerly an ocean-g going pas
senger and freight steamer. prepared
for sea Immediately in order that
she might be ready at a moments notice
to go to San Domingo to take the place
of the Cincinnati, or to Martinique with
supplies! >'r
Result of Message.
The decision to send the Cincinnati. and
to hold the Dixie in readiness for service,
was the result primarily of information
received, at the State Department late
yesterday afternoon from the United
States consul at San Domingo that the
usurpfng' vice president, yasquez, had
established provisional government and
that the political situation in the island
was improving.
The consul's dispatch was taken imme-
diately to Secretary Moody by Assistant
Secretary Hill. who was in charge of the
State Department in the temporary alb
sence of Secretary Hay. and after an ex-
change OF views between these two Off
cials the following was sent to Command
er Mclean of the Cincinnati:
Dixie Ordered Ready.
Proceed Martinique. Render such as
sistance as possible. Report by cable
when practicable. Correspondents Ameri-
can newspapers can go If you are willing.
MOODY"
This dispatch was sent to Rear Admiral
Barker. commandant of the Brooklyn navy
yard:
Order Dixie to prepare for sea as soon
as practicable. Report when she can be
ready. MOODY"
The Cincinnati reached San Domingo
City only yesterday morning, after a long
run. without stop. from Hampton Roads,
II will not only be necessary for her to
take coal at San Domingo, but in view OF
the fact that 1t will be impossible to Sc
cure any fuel in Martinique. she will be
Obliged to take on board at San Domingo
an extra supply in order to have enough
to enable her to return to the point of de-
parture or any other place to which she
may be ordered after her mission TO Mar
Unique has been carried out.
The Dixie has also just arrived at the
Brooklyn navy yard from long cruise.
and it is supposed that a day or two at
least must pass before she can be in con-
dition for another sea voyage
Waiting for News.
The State Department had been expect
ing all day TO get news from Consul Ayme,
at Guadeloupe. OF the situation in Marti-
nique. but all the information that came
from him was that vessel had gone to
that place. 1t is supposed that this ves-
sci is the French cruiser Suchet, which
had visited the vicinity of St Pierre since
the catastrophe and taken away the few
survivors who could be found
When the Navy Department heard yes
terday from newspaper sources that the