Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-14
DISCUSSING THE CASE
Conferences of Officials Re-
garding the Lena.
NO ACTION YET TAKEN
AWAITING DETAILED REPORT
FROM ADMIRAL GOODRICH
Tho President Directs the State and
Navy Departments to Dispose
Of the Matter.

Active exchanges were in progress today,
beginning early in the day, between the
officials of the State and Navy Departments
respecting the case Of the Russian trans
port Lena at San Francisco. Mr. Adee the
acting secretary of state, was closeted LOT
some time with Solicitor Penfield and
Captain Pillsbury. the representative
of the navigation bureau. ana sew
eral messages were drafted as result
which were forwarded to Oyster Bay ana
to San Francisco for the guidance of the
officials at the latter point. Acting sec
rotary Adee keeps Secretary Morton fully
informed of what he is doing, but ne
deems 1t inexpedient to make public state
ment touching this matter until a final de-
cision has been reached as to the course to
be pursued in the case of the Lena.
1t appears that what remains to be de-
termined now is only a question or fact
which the inspector of boilers and hulls at
San Francisco, the chief engineer or the
Pacific squadron and some expert ma
chinists from the Union Iron Works have
reported. and that Is the exact extent OF
the repairs required by the Lena to make
her seaworthy.
the State Department over night by either
the Russian Or Japanese governments
touching the case.
The Boiler inspectors Report. +
The report of the inspector Of boilers and
hulls which was referred by the Depart
| ment of Commerce and Labor to the State
and Navy Departments, was considered by
Captain Pillsbury, acting chief of the bu-
reau Of navigation. and Mr.. Adee, acting
secretary of state. While Mr.. Adee did not
| feel at liberty to make the text Of the re-
| ,He,S, Of hn
| as follows: The boilers and engines are
| both badly in need Of repairs. and to put
| in new boilers and repair such as can be
| repaired thoroughly will require from four
| to six months. The tubes Of the boilers
are badly pitted, but the Lena has on board
| 200 additional tubes. which could be put in
| in short time and the inspector says that
! the vessel can be put in a seaworthy condt-
| ton in from twenty to thirty days and re-
| paired that she would be able to make
| about eight knots. This is regarded by
| officials of the Navy Department as entirely
within the term reasonable time" used in
| the Presidents proclamation. The State
| Department Is now awaiting the detailed re-
| port Of Admiral Goodrich before taking
| further action.
The Presidents Action.
| By direction of the President the Navy
| and State Departments are to handle and
| dispose of the entire situation arising out
| of the arrival at San Francisco of the
| Lena. The course of Secretary Morton in
| directing Rear Admiral Goodrich to inspect
| and report to the Navy Department upon
| the condition of the Lena was today ap-
| proved by the President, and Admiral Good
| rich, 1t is stated, has full authority to act.
| He has been instructed by Secretary Nor
| ton to ascertain whether 1t will be possible
| for the Lena to complete repairs necessary
| to make her seaworthy within reasonable
| time. If she can do so she will be allowed
| to remain at San Francisco and complete
these repairs. II not the Lena, In the opin-
| ion of the officials here. will dismantle in
San Francisco rather than accept the other
alternative of putting to sea in an unsea-
| worthy condition.
Will Be Inspected Again.
! SAN FRANCISCO, September 14.-An-
| other and more thorough inspection of the
| Russian transport Lena will be made today
| by naval engineers in order to furnish the
| State and Navy Departments with more
| complete data concerning her boilers and
! seaworthiness. In the event that the Lena
is dismantled she probably will be laid up
| at the Mare Island navy yard. Rear Adj
| miral Goodrich has been directed by the
| Navy Department to offer the navy yard
| to Captain Berlinsky for that purpose. The
| watch kept on the Lena Is even more rigid
| than at first. The gunboat Bennington
| has moved nearer to her and the patroling
| launches are relieved every day.
| 1t Is reported that Japanese Minister Ia
sui. NJ. Uyeno, for demanding that Japa-
nese inspectors be permitted to inspect the
| Lena and pass on her need of repairs.
Russian Admiralty Not Advised.
| ST. PETERSBURG, September 1.-THE
| admiralty still declares 1t is without official
| advices relative to the presence OF the
| Russian transport Lena at San Francisco.
| The possibility of her disarmament and
| other kindred questions will not be discuss
| ed and decided until the admiralty Is in
| possession of full facts regarding the situa-
| ton. Telegraphic Inquiries, however. have
| ELECTED the information from VladivostOk
| that the Lena was sent to the Pacific with
| the view of stopping the shipment Of con-
| traband of war. There is an intimation,
| also, but this is not official, that several
| other vessels. probably merchantmen pur-
chased In Germany and converted into arm
| ed cruisers, are In the Pacific on similar
| mission.
If the United States declines to permit
| the Lena to have ample time in which to
| make complete repairs, without which she
| could not venture to undertake a long voy-
age either back to Vladvostok home by
| way of Cape Horn, 1t seems probable that
| Russia will acquiesce to the decision to
disarm her. There is no disposition here
! to criticise the course of the United States
SO far 1t is revealed in the press dis
patches.
Another Vessel Due.
The correspondent of the Echo de Paris
at St. Petersburg has teegraphed to his
! paper as follows:
| The ministry Of marine tells me- regard
| ing the arrival of the Russian transport
| Lena at San Francisco, that another YES
sell. the Korea, is also due at an American
| port the Pacific. Orders have been sent
to the Russian ships to scrupulously con-
| form with the American neutrality rules
| which are expected to permit them taking
| enough coal to reach NladfVOStOk XII
consider the situation very delicate, as
there Is evidence that the ships were des-
| tined to prevent the transport Of contra
band goods from the United States to
Japan. and perhaps capture vessels carry
ing contraband.
AN admiral on the staff OF the emperor.
and closely related to Viceroy Alexien tells
me that Alexieff eventually will succeed
Foreign Minister Lamsdorh. and that he