Show A SIGNIFICANT QUESTO I Navy Department Inquiring Into the Condition of the Merchant Navy Wants to UW Speed mad Adaptability far M A I1ri 0 or I 181 cal of he St laulk I New York Oct GA dispatch from Washington nays The navy department I depart-ment has sent letters to 1 the leading temhlp abenl whoe vessels have American registry asking for InCorm tlon aa to th displacement speed and general adaptability of the vessels for war purposes 1 ships of great tonnage nOW built In I his country ae nw so can strutted that they would readily meet the Qulremnt oC the navy all I moll 11 lary crulr should their Per vice be euleeo Th ny at present tarries on Its list of cssels that anoccurcestcelda would be avalbl commeree d I hue In war time the name of fortjtwo ships thlrt > two of whIt tire nn the Atlantc Was I nallhe 1 On the Pacific and the rout on the great lake I lakeChief Constructor lllchborn under nh ° direction plans are blng drawn by tilth the St Louis tliiS of vessels could be converted Itu lurmldabln i Incident ulllary crubivis estimates that ho can end the St Louis to sea i In three weeks I fully equipped with an effective battery and with the vial well rtted by n system of coal bUnker lie estimates that the navy now has about it dozen Ships which could be quickly converted under the plans alrcoily I perfected and tit others at ould be made available In a litte more Um le I I an I lei Pat so that at lent five arm 1 bo required to draw plan far the full I I list of vessels carried in the list of merchant ships that could he used for war pui poses anil by Hut time rims will have been dell vered at the nay yard for very one of such ships Captain ONell the ordnnnce chief I will In hlo Repeal report nOW In Preparation urge that 1000 be tire Ytiledtill m hh to manufacture I guns loe reserve p If rposes Theo gu no he proposes 0oemlllng at New York Norfolk and League bland w till carriages and equipment om plete co that they can be mounted On shipboard lIt shelf notice I |