The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-26

Of the navy department would soon retire,
in order to enter the military service in
the Cuban campaign. This story can now
be confirmed positively. although the time
set for Mr.. Roosevelts departure from the
department is not definitely fixed. The
president today namtd Mr.. Roosevelt as
lieutenant colonel of one of the regiments
of mounted rifemen to be raised IN the
Rocky mountains under Colonel Wood,
whom Mr.. Roosevelt has urged for tht
place. Colonel Wood is now DR.. Wood, of
the army. He won a medal OF honor for
distinguished gallantry while commanding
a detachment of regulr troops during the
exceedingly hard Apache campaigns
aginst Geronimo.
Secretary Alger selected Colonel Wood
and Mr.. Roosevelt for these positions be-
cause he felt that their training and ex-
perience in the past peculirly fitted them
to do good service with a cowboy regi-
ment Colonel Wood strts west tomorrow
to superintend the recruiting, many Of
ftrs having alredy come TO Mr.. Roosevelt
from individuals and organizations among
the cowboys. Secretary Long wishes Mr..
Roosevelt to remain in his present posi-
ton as long as possible. SO it may be
two or three weeks before hit will join
his command.
The president and both secretaries have
regretted Commissioner Roosevelt's leav-
ing his prestnt position, but they feel that
IN a regiment of this character he can
do good service and should be allowed
to go. though if possible they wish him
lied and ready to take part in the inva-
sion of Cuba. Befort that. however. he
may have to leave for short periods to
superintend the enlistments.
So far, the talk Of a successor to Mr..
Roosevelt as assistant secretary has been
mere speculation, and it can be stated
positively that up to this time the presi-
dent his not made choice of his sue
cessor. 1t may be noted, in view of the
recent mention of the name of Admiral
Walker in that connection. that, as It
stands, the law requires the office of as
sistant secretary TO be filed by civilian,
so that if the admiral desired to accept
that Office he would be under the I'M
pleasant necessity of resigning from the
navy and losing his place as a retired Of
fcer. which he IS not likely to do.
NEWS FROM THE NAVY.
There was a dearth of news from the
seat of hostilities off the Cuban coast, SO
far as the department was concerned, or
if it was in possession of information. It
was so carefully guarded that nothing
leaked out
A few kilograms came from Key West,
announcing the arrival there of the prizes
whose capture has been reported through
the press.
Nothing could be obtained as to the in
tentions of Commodore Schley in so has
tily rushing away the flyers Columbia
and Minneapolis from Hampton Roads.
but it is believed that their purpose is to
shelter the Paris or some of the other
liners from an attack at the hands of
some Spanish cruisers.
There was talk of establishing a supply
depot in the Philippines TO meet the con-
ditions in Asiatic waters. Our feet there
now has no home. and under neutrality
laws the stay of the ships at any port is
limited to a few hours. This is unpleas-
ant besides involving the expenditure OF
A great deal of coal, so that It may become
necessary for Commodore Dewey TO seize
a port in the Philippines and fortify IT as
a base OF supplies.
The department today purchased two
and the Mary WilIck of Galveston