The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 16, 1898, Page 2

fHE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1898. ® WHERE SICARD’S WHITE SOUADRON AWAITS ACTION Graphic Pen Picture of the Ancient Fort at Tortugas and Battle- ships That Equal Any Vessels Afloat. Copyrighted, 1598, by James Gordon Bennett. KEY WEST, March 15—Upon the island of Tortugas rests the ma- Jestic ruin of that $14,000,000 fortress which was built during the days When Jefferson Davis was Secretary of War. Utter desolation is there now. Sea gulls screech drearily over the grass-grown parapets, and lizards bask on disused guns and their time-worn carriages. From the inner side of the fort a few cocoanut trees nod greeting with thelr dis- yeputable tags of leaves. Mounds of round shot as obselete as the fort itself show here and there about the parade ground, and long rows of these metal globules of the vanished age of warfare show where walks were once intended to exist. 1 have been told that there is a warmdis- cussion as to whether the place is worth fortifying or not, the army, PEEERPEOOEOEOOE navy and engineer corps all holding different opinions about the matter. The navy, with the fine blue water, deep sea and confidence in itself, thinks Tortugas a good place for a coaling station, but is not enthu- siastic about it in other respects. The army looks at the place askance for reasons best known to itself, the principal one of which, perhaps, is that several companies with their attendant officers and families might be exiled there were the place a command as a regular army post. Tortugas is well defended now, but it is not likely that fts de- fenders would remain long in that locality should hostilities break out. Anchored off the fortress and lying deep in the water like tigers crouching for a spring are the three battle-ships which America is willing to match against any other of their type afloat. There is the superb Indiana, with her splendid battery of four 13-inch and eight 8- inch rifles, and lying near her is her sister ship. the Massachusetts. Not far away is anchored the battle-ship Texas, Captain John W. Philip commanding. These vessels have warlike maneuvers and exer- cises every day, and if any enemy ever catches them napping, such enemy will be extraordin~rily lucky. Every day the crews are drilled at heavy guns, and gun crews are constantly being practiced at tar- gets. To keep the crews alert of nights a steam launch painted bottle green is sent out to make a sham torpedo attack on any or all of the ships. Her crew is urged to range within striking distance of their friends, the enemy, without being discovered by the flashing search- lights. First one is successful and then the other. The men in the improvised torpedo launch have high confidence in their method of warfare, and are taught to believe that a ship caught at anchor by a torpedo-boat Is destroyed. On the other hand, the gun [OI0JOIOJOYOTOXOJOIOYOXO) ) @@ [OIOJOIOIOXOXOICIOXOXOXOLOXOXOX OO OXOYOXOXOOROLOIOX OXOLOJOXOXOJOXOKOXCKO) PEEPNEPNPOPPOPOOOOE makine a dash at a battle-ship, whet boat destroyed. no recreation just now. N ) ® [oloIo10 ‘With them undoubtedly is. murmurs anywhere. e Tnfanta Maria Teresa, the Carlos V' | and Alfonso XIIL ‘ In case the torpedo flotilla shotld proceed to Porto Rico from the Carary Islands it will be necessary, to form the proposed flying squadron, to detach from Rear-Admiral Sicard’s command the cruisers Brooklyn and New York. This would leave him only the Iowa, Indiana and Massachusetts, the second | class battleship Texas and the monitor Puritan, which will in all probability be ordered to Key West from Hampton Roads. Spain would thus be the superior of the American squadron by one armored | cruiser and a protected cruiser of 5000 tons’ displacement, which is almost as | good as an armored cruiser, but could | be taken care of by the protected cruiser Newark, whose repairs are being has- tened at Norfolk Navy Yard. It is true that four battle-ships, re- enforced by the monitor, would be more than a match for the second class | battle-ship Pelayo and the armored | craisers of Spain, but the authorities de- sire to make the superiority so over- whelming there will be no chance for Spanish success, and therefore want the Oregon to proceed to Key West as| quickly as possibly. It was authorita- | tively announced a few days ago thati the Oregon would go to Callao, where | she would be in a central position for | work against the Philippines or in the | Guli. In view of the fact that Commo- | dore Dewey’s force in Asiatic waters is | ample for the capture of the Philippines, | according to the latest estimate of the | officials, it is proposed that the Oregon shall not stop at Callao, but shall.pro- | ceed as quickly as possible around the | Horn and up the Atlantic. coast of | South America to Key West. The Oregon has a 15,000 mile voyage ahead of her, and it is expected she will | not arrive at Key West before the mid- | dle of May. Should hostilities have commenced by that time she will undoubtedly be a| most desirable re-enforcement for thed North Atlantic squadron. So far as the Pacific Slope is concerned the officials | pooh-pooh the notion that there is dan- | ger. It is pointed out that the Spanish cruisers will be unable to secure coal except to take them to the nearest Spanish port, and even if one did apoear off San Francisco the Charleston, Phil- adelphia and Monterey would be able to take care of her. TO SUPPLEMENT THE COAST DEFENSES. Plans Submitted to the War Depart- ment for Equipping Launches ‘With Torpedoes. WASHINGTON, March 15.—Lieuten- ant Very, the representative of the Howell Torpedo Company, has submit- ted to the War Department a proposi- tion to supplement the defenses of the larger coast ports, such as New York and Boston. by equipping a number of light draught steam launches with tor- pedo outfits. He urges that by the full use of this means of defense the har- bors may be kept open for commerce up to the last moment, which would not be the case were reliance placed on the ordinary fixed mine and torpedo. These torpedoes have a range of about two miles, and start off at a speed of thirty knots. If the boats from which they are discharged are properly shel- tered, as proposed by Lieutenant Very, it is believed they would be valuable adjuncts to the steamers’ defense. The Government, however, has heretofore regarded ' automobile torpedoes as proper instruments for naval use, and is scarcely disposed to change policies at this date. —_————————— To Cure a Cold in Ong Day Take Laxative Bromo Quinine T | captains have been brought up to the conviction that any torpedo-boat And it is as it should be. war and prize money between times. From commander to tached to any ship of the fleet knows just what is expected of him, and this double drill to which every one is being subjected produces YorololololololololotcicelCoXoXoloX XA CIOIOX OIS OYOIOROJOROROJOIO) FIVE (OJoIC her at anchor or not, is a torpedo- The men of the fleet have it is drill every day, with talk of And prepared for war this fleet messenger boy, every one at- [ONCYOIOIOFOYOXOIC | | | | no ODERY DRIDCKS Their Construction Agreed Upon by the House Na- val Committee. To Be Located at Portsmouth, Boston, League Island, Al- giers and Mare Island. It Is Expected That an Increase Will Be Made in Warships and Na- val Personnel. Spectal Dispatch to The Call. Call Office, Riggs House, Washington, March 15. The construction of five modern dry- docks was agreed on to-day by the House Committee on Naval Affairs. They are to be located at Portsmouth, N. H., Boston, Mass., League Island, near Philadelphia, Algiers, La., and Mare Isiand, Cal. These docks are to be of wood, except those at Algiers and Portsmouth. The material for the construction of these will not be determined upon until to-morrow. The indications are that the dock at Portsmouth will be built of | stone from near-by quarries and that at Alglers of steel. The decision of the committee was the outcome of a pro- tracted and at times animated discus- sion. The final vote choosing the points named was seven to three. The oppo- nentsnents of the project first contend- ed against their construction on gene- ral principles, and then separately op- posed the sites that were selected. They argued that the docks should be located either where the approaches or depth of water were sufficient to ad- mit the ingress and egress of the larg- est battleships, or where steps have al- ready been made under Government di- rection to put the approaches in a state of preparation to receive the largest vessels of both depth and width of channnel, or that the work on the chan- nel should be undertaken contempora- neously with the drydocks. It was agreed, however, - that the docks erected should be made capable of accommodating the largest class of warships. The principal reason for the conclu- sion to build of wood was economy, but it was stated that docks so constructed might remain in good condition long enough for all practical purposes, and that by the time their usefulness ceased developments in the structural field or a change in the character of the present dock ideas might arise. A motion to vote on the docks separately was voted dQwn—6 to 5—and then they rve;e voted on'as a whole and author- zed. There is a strong disposition in the committee to increase the navy, in ad- dition to the three battle-ships recently authorized, by the construction of some smaller vessels of war. It was stated to-night that the com- mittee may authorize the building of ten torpedo boat destroyers, costing in the neighborhood of $1,5600,000 for all. A movement for this -increase will be made to-morrow and Representative Bull of Rhode Island will submit a mo- tion calling for the construction of a number of both of these ,classes of boats, probably six. Others of the com- mittee are favorable to the increase and some important action Is looked for. The increases in the personnel asked for by Secretary Long will be taken up to-morro Deserted From Warships. MADRID, March 15.—A dispatch to the Imparcial from Lisbon says that a score of sailors deserted from the United States NAVAL COURT OUITS HAVANA Return- of Investigators to Key West on the Mangrove. It Would Seem That the Work of the Officers Is Nearly Completed. Sittings Will Probably Be Held on Eoara the Big Battle-Ship fowa. Spectal Dispatch to The Call. HAVANA, March 15.—The Mangrove, with the court of inquiry on board, sailed to-night for Key West. Captain Sampson, president of the board, as- sured correspondents that the decision to leave Havana was not reached until | this afternoon, after a consultation of the members. It was decided that, while further testimony might be ob-| | talned here, this was not sufficiently | likely to justify a longer stay. The | court can return if the divers or wreck- | ers make discoveries that add to the | knowledge now gathered. The plans of | the submerged wreck, in the prepara- | | tion of which Ensign Powelson has had | a large share, are very elaborate, and Captain Sampson says the testimony and records of the divers are very full. Captain Sampson hopes the court will | be allowed to resume its sittings on the | battle-ship Iowa, now near Key West | with the New York. All the officers of | the court except Judge-Advocate Ma- rix are stationed on the Iowa or the New York, and on the former the court | | could be absolutely free from interrup- | tion. The greater part of the investiga- | tion that remains will consist, unless | the court returns here, of a careful | study of the plans. It is not thought that it will be necessary again to sum- mon the survivors of the Maine, offl- cers or men, now at Key West, or scat- tered throughout the fleet. Captain | Sampson said, however, that any such | weuld be summoned if the revision of | the testimony showed missing links in | the chain that they could supply. The court has no prophecy to make | as to the further duration of its sit- | tings or as to when or where the find- | ings will be promulgated. Captain | Sigsbee will probably remain here with | Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright to | superintend the wrecking on behalf of the Government. Chaplain Chidwick s expected to re- main to care for any bodies that may be recovered. At least, no orders had been received to the contrary when this | dispatch was sent. The court called upon Consul-General Lee this afternoon to bid him farewell and subsequently Captain Sigsbee said adieu to the court. TALKING PEACE, YET PREPARING FOR COMING WAR Continued from First Page. without war. Are we not doing our full duty from the standpoint of hu- manity if we alleviate the suffering | of the women and children whose | condition, brought about by the| methods of Weyler, has attracted the attention of the entire civilized world? We can do that without in- terfering with Spain’s rights. We are doing it now and we can con- tinue to do it. Better spend a million dollars in relieving that suffering than bring on a war that would cost thousands of millions. “I do not believe public sentiment | of this country calls for war. The newspapers are largely responsible for the war excitement. The conser- vative men of the country West and South as well as East realize what war would mean to this country and hope to see it averted. They beligve, without regard to party, that the President can be trusted to solve the difficulties in a way that will not de- base the honor of the nation, smd1 that he will do it without recourse to war. Yes, the great majority of the people are against.war, no matter what may be the representations of the newspapers to the contrary.” Speaking of the Meine incidert, he said: “We have had no report on that yet; we do not know what that report will be when it comes. We may never know what was the direct cause of the disaster. If it is at all uncertain we should give the Spanish Government the benefit of the doubt. Our navy and our country can afford to do that. This nation 18 big enough and broad enough to take a big and broad view of that affair. I hope the officers of our navy will look at the matter in that light and I be- lieve they will. Nobody believes the Spanish Government authorized the destruction of the ship. If Spain is technically responsible because of its being the act of some of her people, she will doubtless make any repar- ation that is just. As sensible people we must not lose sight of the fact that Europe is armed to the teeth and that whatever we do in respect to Cuba should have the moral support of Europe. “As long as we keep strictly with- in the bounds of right and justice, we will have such support. We can relieve the suffering in Cuba and use our friendly offices toward bringing out peace and retain the support of the world; we should do nothing to forfeit that support. Not, however, through any fear of the conse- quences of war, but because a nation, as an individual, should strive to ever have right on its side.” National System of Quarantine. CAPTAIN CLARK ~ GETS ORDERY ‘Will Come to This City and Take Command of the Oregon. Lieutenant Fechteler Left Tem- porarily in Charge of the Monterey. Lieutenant-Commander Adams D clared to Have Been Olten Under “The Influence.” Special Dispatch to The Call. SAN DIEGO, March 15.—Captain Charles E. Clark, commanding the United States coast defender Monte- rey, this morning received orders to proceed at once to San Francisco to assume command of the battleship | Oregon, which is under orders to cruise | to Central and South America. Cap-| tain Clark, it was said by his officers, | was greatly surprised at the receipt of | his orders, but was of course gratified with the mark of confidence show: He will leavecto-morrow for San Fran- | cisco to take command of the great ship, leaving Lieutenant Commander A. F. Fechteler in command of the Monterey until a new commander is assigned to her. Captain McCormick of the Oregon is to be ordered Hast on ordnance duty. Captain Clark was the senfor captain | in this harbor and that honor Will now | fall upon Captain Whiting of the Mon- adnock. Naval officers had much to gossip about to-day. The first was the order detaching Captain Clark from the Monterey, and the second item of news was the reprimand received from the | Secretary of the N.vy hauling the Adams court'martial over the coals for its verdict. Lieutenant-Commander Adams of the Monterey was charged with intoxica- tion and conduct unbecoming an officer, | and'a court martial lasting two weeks | was held on the Monadnock in this ort. The utmost secrecy was observed | and the verdict sent to Washington. It | | now appears that the fellow officers of | Adams were entirelv too lenient with him, according to the Secretary’s ideas, | and he says so. “Don’s quote me, said an officer of‘ the Monadnock to-day, ‘‘but you can | just say that Secretary Long is right. | This is not the first or the second of- | fense of Lieutenant - Commander Adams. He was drunk at San Fran-| cisco, and has been drunk here. On one occasion he was in command of the Monterey when he was drunk, and | greeted Captain Clark on the latter’s return to the ship in such a condition | that Captain Clark was very properly chagrined. In times like these we be- | lieve it is right that the Secretary | should make every man toe the mark | who has in his hands the lives of others and the honor of the nation.” Similar comment was made by one or two other officers, while others pooh- pooed ‘the idea that Lieutenant-Com- mander Adams was anything more than pleasantly erhilarated on the oc- casion mentioned. Several of the crew who are known to be relable and sober | men declare that they have seen Lieu- tenant-Commander Adams under the influence of liquor when in full and | absolute command of the Monterey. 5 o o Oregon Ordered to Key West. WASHINGTON, March 15.—The re- | port was circulated to-night that the United States had finally concluded its | negotiations for the purchase from | Chile of the O'Higgins. The report | could not be confirmed, but there is good reason to believe that while the purchase has not been actually made, the negotiations are in a fair way to be concluded by the payment of a sum considerable in excess of former calcu- lations. DOES NOT CAUSE l MUCH CONCERN. | Reported Intention of European Gov- ernments to Intervene Not Given Any Credence. WASHINGTON, March 15. — Not much concern is expressed by officers of the administration over the reported intention of European Governments at the instigation of Austria, to intervene between the United States and Spain in the settlement of the questions now pending between them. So far it has been stated that this has taken no of- ficial shape, or at least no indication of such design has reached the State Department. What the attitude of our Government would he if representa- tions in that line were addressed to it | by European powers was aquestion that | the officials actually do not care to | answer in anticipation. The sugges- | tion that the Spanish Government has protested against the sale by Brazil of the two cruisers to the United States likewise fails to cause any feeling of concern, the naval officers holding that | there can be no question of the right of | the United States to increase its navy. Senator Proctor called at the State Department about noon to-day and spent some time in conference With As- sistant Secretary Day. He appeared to be deeply concerned over the sad death of Mrs. Thurston. The President and the Secretary of State have united in sending to Senator Thurston, through United States Consul General Lee, condolence on the sad event. CABINET MEN IN A WAITING MOOD. ‘While the Report of the Court of In- quiry Is Forthcoming National Defense Is Considered. WASHINGTON, March 15.—"“The general expectation of the members of the Cabinet,” said one of them after the meeting to-day, “is that some report will be received during the present week from the Court of Inquiry exam- ining into the cause of the Maine ex- plosion, yet,” he added, “it would not be surprising to us if the report should be delayed for a longer time. We have nothing on which to base this hope that I know of, only the feeling seems gen- eral that what I have said will be the case. There is nothing at hand as yet to indicate what will be the nature of the findings of the court. “To-day our time was occupled in a discussion of the measures under way for the national defense and the acqui- sition of new war vessels. We are keep- ing an eye on the two ships under con- struction for Chile and Argentina, but it 1s not probable we can get them. WASHINGTON, March 15,—After the the general calendar the Senate began the consideration of a measure providing warships while they were there. The dis- druggists refund the money if it e, The genuinn bas L. B. Q- on all pntcshp aa:ds that the deserters are nearly 1 for a national system of juarantine. Li* tle beyond the reading of va complished. . Bt passage to-day of numerous bills from ‘we cannot obtain the ships, it is a source of satisfaction to know that S&!n will not be able to purchase them either.” | however, the ruin caused was of a mas- | mathematical problems can be worked it AN OUTSIDE EXPLOSION Opinion of a Torpedo Ex- pert on the Maine Disaster. Lieutenant Wilcox Says Spain Has Tried to Secure Uncle Sam’s Secrets. Declares the Government Has Known From the Start That a Mine Destroyed the Ship. Speclal Dispatch to The Call. BERKELEY, March 15.—“The battle- ship Maine was undoubtedly blown up by external forces, and the Government must be aware that such is the case, or they would not have made such preparations for war as they have made,” declared Lieutenant F. A. Wil- cox, U. S. A, honor graduate of the United States Torpedo School, in a lec- ture to the senior students at the uni- versity this afternoon on ‘“Late De- velopments in Torpedo Warfare.” Lieutenant Wilcox devoted especial attention to the subject of submarine mines, and referred at length to the destruction of the Maine. s “It is quite possible,” he said, “that the Maine was blown up by a buoyant mine towed secretly near the warship by a small boat. Such a mine could have easiy been towed out and an- chored about a hundred feet in front of the vessel. Then when she swung round with the tide the mine would be automatically exploded. “An interior explosion would have produced a tearing, shattering and pul- verizing effect. As a matter of fact, sive nature, just such as would have been caused by an external submarine explosion, where the great damage is caused not so much by the direct effect of the explosive as by the terrific hy- draulic effect which a submarine ex- plosion causes. The water being abso- lutely tncompressible the explosion gen- erates an immense quantity of gas, and this is what causes the massive de- struction such as was wrought in the Maine.” Lieutenant Wilcox related an inci- dent which occurred recently at the torpedo school, which indicates that for some time past Spain has been inter- ested in the study of torpedoes. “Last fall,” he said, “‘a couple of Spanish offi- cers visited the torpedo school and en- deavored*to obtain certain information in regard to the secret processes em- ployed by the Government. “The modern system that we have adopted in this country is far ahead of that employed by any Buropean na- tion, and it is known that Spain has re- cently been trying very hard to find out something about it. In view of recent occurrences it is an interesting con- jecture whether the Spanish officers did Tot have some reason in visiting the torpedo school.” Lieutenant Wilcox gave a historical account of the use of submarine mines in warfare, tracing their evolution from the “fire ship” of antiquity and re- counting the destruction that they ef- fected during the civil war, especially upon the Union vessels, as the Confed- erates pald particular attention to this branch of warfare on account of their naval weakness. He declared that the system that has been adopted by the United States is perfected tc a wonder- ful degree, and that it furnishes an ex- ample of the nice accuracy with which out. “The problem of an ideal buoyant mine is to get something that shall be absolutely safe to our own vessels and absolutely destructive to the vessels of an enemy. In our system this problem has been solved. Usually about twen- ty-one tarpedces are placed in a group and an electric circuit of high resist- ance connects them with a station on the shore. This furnishes a complete indication of the condition of each mine. This current can be so con- trolled that when the torpedo is struck by a ship, the high resistance is cut out and the firing battery is discharged. If friendly ships are in the neighborhood, however, the firing current can be thrown off by the operator so that there is absolutely no danger.” JINGO STATESMEN ANXIOUS TO TALK. $ 5 Chandler and Tillman Try to Rush Through a Demand for Information. WASHINGTON, March15.—There was a veritable monkey and parrot time in the Senate Committee on Naval Af- fairs to-day when Senators Chandler and Tillman tried to force through a resolution of inquiry into the Maine disaster. These two Senators made hot speeches, alleging that there seemed to be no necessity for any further de- delay, and that the President should transmit to Congress the information generally believed to have been sent SEEK EARLY' ADJOURNMENT OF CONGRESS Statesmen Plan to Postpone Ha- 0000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000 waiian Annexation and Leave the Cuban Question in the President’s Hands. BOSTON, March 15.—A Washington special says that the early ad- journment scheme, which it is admitted is a plan of the powers that be and which will in all probability be consummated, will mean the sure death of Hawailan annexation. The Speaker of the House and the McKinley administration are the two forces working earnestly to se- cure an early adjournment of Congress. The programme of the Re- publican leaders is to get Congress out of the way and to leave the vexed Cuban question wholly in the hands of the President. A few Senators resent this attempt as arbitrary interference with their prerogatives, and hold that Congress has some rights which must be respected, but most Senators think an adjournment under all circumstances the correct thing. As a rule the Democrats are inclined to favor an early adjournment. They realize that the Cuban issue be- longs to the Republican administration and whatever popular approval is to come from it next year will accrue to the Republicans, whether Congress Is in session or not. The administration now has $50,000,000 at its disposal, and the Presl- dent is endowed by constitutional authority with all the power neces- sary to conduct diplomatic negotiations or to assume a belligerent at- titude. Moreover, it would be a very simple matter to call Congress in session If necessary, and it is the consensus of conservative opinion that it would be just as well for the administration to handle the great problem undisturbed. So far as legislative business is concerned things Were never in better shape for an early adjournment. The House is al- most through, and while the work of the Senate is not quite so far ad- wvanced, it, too, could doubtless get ready. in a short time. Outside of the appropriation bills it is not thought best to attempt much legisla- tion, and many party leaders would be glad of an excuse for doing nothing. The greatest hitch in the early adjournment programme comes over the annexation question. Even the President must realize that a joint resolution of annexation will take time in the Senate, and that a too active movement for an early adjournment is equivalent to a death warrant for that project. Of course it would be expl®ined that the questiori was only postponed till next session, but this is obviously one of the projects for which delays are very dangerous. In more ways than one Cuba is heading off Hawaii, and it may become a question a little later whether the administration will prefer to have Congress re- main here for the purpose of considering Hawaii or be left free to proceed with its own management of the Cuban situation and let Ha- walii go over. o COC0000000Q00000000000000000000000C00000 o him by memuers of the naval court. The committee did not adopt the sug- gestlons of this pair of jingo states- men. They are resolved, however, to air their views on the Senate floor, and it is known that Senator Lodge of Massachusetts has announced his in- tention of introducing a resolution to- morrow or Thursday calling upon the President to transmit for the informa- tion of the Senate such facts as he may have in his possession. This reso- lution, while offering an opportunity for Senators Lodge, Chandler and Till- man to make jingo speeches, will be referred to the Naval Affairs Commit- tee, where it will be promptly pigeon- holed, because a majority of the com- mittee are of the opinion that the pre- mature publication of such informa- tion as the President may have would be “incompatible with the public serv- ice.” ONE THOUSAND VESSELS ARE NOW AVAILABLE So the Special Board Finds Plenty of Material for an Auxiliary Navy. NEW YORK, March 15.—The special board on auxiliary cruisers continued to-day the work of ascertaining the facts in regard to vessels which may be available for use by the Navy De- partment. To-morrow the work of in- spection will be subdivided, one mem- ber going to Boston and another to Phijladelphia and Baltimore. The list of vessels available, includ- | ing steamships, yachts, tugs and other craft, includes nearly 1000. The great majority of the vessels are at New Zn?;rk' B«l)lelon, tl;hflu:i'filpm:a and Balti- re, where ey ins and the lists sifted down -topetlwseflMl —_——————e QUEEN: B = e STOWN — Arrived Tmfnm New ! worth considering. bfifififilfiififi_fififififififlfififififififififlfififififififififi()fififi BUSY TIME AT BUREAUS Great Activity Continues in the War and Navy Departments. Owing to the Big Appropriation Provisional Contracts Can Now Be Rushed. Cruiser San Francisco Will Convoy the Amazonas Over From the Tyne. Specfal Dispatch to The Call. Call Office, Riggs House, Washington, March 15. This was another busy day in the War and Navy Departments. Secre- tary Alger was enabled to make an al- lotment of funds from the appropria- tion of the §$50,000,000, which will great- ly facilitate the work of the bureaus. These bureaus had not been able to conclude any contracts for the procure- ment of warship supplies, because no allotment had been made, but this af- ternoon the ordnance bureau was given two and a half million dollars, and business went forward with a rush. It is true that this sum is already mort- gaged under provisional arrangements made during the past week, but with the assurance of more funds to come, the work of the bureau is now moving rapidly. Secretary Long was exceedingly busy to-day, having not only to give a good deal of time to the Cabinet, to which he was obliged to return twice, but also being obliged to see a great many persons with whom the department has, or expects to have contract rela- tions. Among the latter was Mr. Her- reshoff, the torpedo boat builder from Bristol, R. I. He turned two of these boats over to the department a few days ago and the Secretary’s purpose in consulting him was to learn how much he could hasten the work on one of the boats remaining in his hands, which, in or- dinary times, would require about two months to complete. The Secretary also spent a good deal of time at intervals during the day in consulting over the long-distance tele- phone with naval officers in New York, and it is believed much of this con-. sultation concerned the procurement of suitable vessels from among the aux- {liary navy for war purposes. Mr. Malster of the Columbian Iron Works at Baltimore has notified the department that he will be able to turn over the torpedo-boat Rodgers next Saturday. The Rodgers is a boat which smashed her engines in the midst of a trial trip about six months ago. It was necessary to replace the engines, but under the hurry orders from the Navy Department this has been done in good time. It is expected that the boat will be taken at once from Baltimore to Norfolk. The department has no disposition to waste time at this juncture in making trial trips, but knowing the boat to be of satisfactory type, like her sister boat, the Winslow, and of good work- manship, according to the naval in- spectors’ reports, she will accepted out of hand, as were the Gwyn and Talbot last week. The new cruiser Amazonas, according entirely from the San Francisco. That vessel sailed at 6 o'clock this morning from Lisbon and will arrive at the Tyne about Friday. It is expected that she will divide her officers and crew with the Amazonas, placing Lieuten- ant Commander Arthur P. Nazro, exec- utive officer of the San Francisco, in charge of the latter vessel. Without doubt the Amazonas will be got across the ocean as soon as possible, and it is expected that the San Francisco will convoy her. SIX NEW BATTLESHIPS TO BE PROVIDED. An Encouraging Report From the Naval Affairs Committee Is Reported. WASHINGTON, March 15.—A good dedl of excitement was created at the Navy Department to-day by a report from the capitol that a majority of the Naval Affairs Committee is disposed to substitute six battle-ships for the three provided for in the pendine naval appropriation bill. This number is supposed to represent about the normal working capacity of the three ship- building concerns in this country that are able at present to undertake the construction of battle-ships. HUDYAN That is what cures you. If you are in doubt about it inquire. If it will not stop losses in a week it is because you have neglected yourself. ' Weak knees are madestrong by HUDYAN. Weak backs are made strong by HUD- YAN, If you use HUDYAN you do not have spots be- fore your eyes. If you use HUDYAN you do not shake and tremble. If you get the great HUDYAN remedio- treatment you no longer are a weakling. Be sensible! Is there any reason intheworld why others should enjoy full pleasure and you feel like a boy instead of being a man? But you have got to make an effort. You must do something. Write to the doctors of that grand institute—from which alone you can get HUDYAN—and ask them to help you. They will do it. They will make a man ofy you—no matter how bad you have been. You may have lost almost all of your manhood, and so don’t feel like seeing any one or asking for advice. Use your weak will power that is left, Get a postage stamp—even if you have to borrow it— and write for free and sat- isfactory testimonials and circulars telling you all about what HUDYAN has done for thousands of others on this big Slope. It has cured them all. And why will you not let it cure you? ‘Wrecks of the worst kind— yes, of the very worst kind— gave been saved in a week 24 HUDYAN to the present plans, will be manned - e ADVERTISEMENTS. 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