The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-29
Efforts Of Washington officials Now
Directed TO Arming and Equip
ping the New Recruits.
APPOINTMENTS DUE TO-DAY
MAJOR AND BRIGADIER GENERALS
MAY BE NAMED BY PRESIDENT.
Provision to BE Made for EnIisting
10000 YelIOw-Fever Immunes-Many
Troops En- Route to Tampa.

I WASHINGTON, April 2S.--A rather strilS-
ing sign of the imminence of the invasion
of Cuba was contained in the chartering to-
day by the War Department of eight large
steamers Of an average capacity of about
2,0O9 tons. and able to carry from 500 to L. 200
passengers each. These are to be used as
transports for the conveyance of the first
military expedition to Cuba. The names
of the boats are the Olivette and the Flor
ida, of the Plant line. now in the gulf; the
Southern Pacific Company's steamer Aran-
gas, the New York and Texas Company's
Malamo, now en- route to the gulf, and
three fine ships of the Boston Merchant and
Miners line, now in Baltimore, the Ale
gheny, the Berkshire and the Decatur Mil
Ter. The price paid for these vessels is
from $4,000 to $4,000 for the thirty days for
which they are engaged. They will be
taken charge of by the quartermaster' de-
partment at the earliest possible moment
General Shafter, in command of the
United States troops now concentrated at
New Orleans, has been in consultation with
The officials to-day as to the execution of
plans of the campaign, but the orders given
TO him cannot be made public.
The President and Cabinet will consider
tomorrow the large number of applications
that have been made for appointment to
the posts of major general and brigadier
general, and there is some expectation that
Mr. Mckinley will be able to nominate a
few of these officers tomorrow.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee arrived late to-day
after a ten days visit to his family in Vir-
Ginia. With him came Miss Cisneros, the
Cuban girl rescued from Cabanas, who has
been the guest Of Miss Lee. The general
shared the keen public interest in the report
of the shelling of Matanzas He had visited
this city frequently, and was familiar with
the lay of the land and the defenses. He
said the batteries were antIquated, and were
not likely to offer any formidable resistance
General Lee will call at the State Depart
ment Tomorrow morning. Being still an
official, he asked to be excused from dis
cussing the war situation, and was very
reticent. concerning his prospective appoint
ment as major general General Lee says
lie has not yet received a challenge to fight
duel sent by Lieutenant De Carranza
late naval attache at Washington. 1t is
understood that three or four people have
offered to accommodate Lieutenant Car
rama If he desires meeting
Gen. H. V. Boynton has just arrived here
from Chickamauga, and had a number of
informal conferences to-day with the Off
cials of the War Department for the pur-
pose Of making things more comfortable
for the soldier boys in camp on that great
haffIofaI6 IL, ~.
GERS on duty in the park are doing all that
men can do to take care of the army thrown
suddenly on their hands, they are obstruct-
cd by certain existing laws and the regu-
iauons and one of General Boynton's OBJ
jects is to smooth these out Secretary AL
ger came instantly to the relief of the SOL
diers several days ago, when it was made
apparent that some emergency measures
would have to be adopted, and he author
lied the park commission to proceed with
out delay to secure such supplies as wood
buckets etc., as the quartermaster's were
not able to procure at short notice Genera,
Boynton says that there were yesterday 10
600 troops in the park, and that it was the
finest body of soldiers he had ever seen to-
gether. There Were six cavalry regiments
there, stretching along four miles of the
road, besides ten batteries and two.
- -S7N+NN+'. AtaN NASA SAAC hOW very comforts
able in the camps.
Secretary Alger and Senator Davis. chair-
man of the foreign relations committee. had
long interviews with the President to-day
the formers relating to the movement of
troops IN the South and the matter of en-
lstments. The President said he had re-
ceived no official adyices, of the firing at
Matanzas, nor any news regarding it, other
than that sent him by the newspapers. Sem
ator Mason. of Illinois, called In the inter-
est of 4 candidate for a generalship Rem
resentatives Lamb and Rixey. of Virginia
presented the names of William Nale. adj
jutant general OF Virginia. for brigadier
general, who Is indorsed by Governor Ty
Ter. During the interview the President in
timated that he had practically decided on
the appointment of Gen Fitzhugh Lee and
General Wheeler, of Alabama. as major
generals. TO some of his congressional
callers to-day the President suggested that
tine brigadcs should be made up OF regi-
ments from different States. a variety of
States 10 be represented in each brigade in
order to Indicate a close unity and harmony
OF the people.
Senator Platt saw tho President to-day in
behalf OF Gen. Stewart j.. Woodford and
Col. Fred d. Grant, both OF whom desire
commissions In the volunteer army The
President is understood t. have practically
promised to give General woodford a com
mission as major general and Colonel Grant
q commission as brgadier.
Il Is nov said that the War Department
officials viii avail themselves of the faci-
tiles offered by the cities OF Nashville At
lanta ana Chattanooga for concentrating
some Of the troops Of the volunteer army.
Washington and Rlchmnd are also pieces