The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-27
'AT The DEPARTMENTS.
Long Conferences Being Held Be-
tween the Chief Officers.
GETTING READY FOR EMERGENCIES.
Vessels Suitable for Torpedo Bonts
Purci,nscd--Mcn for Doth Army
and Navy Enlisted.

| washington, March 26.-eecretary Long
had a long talk with Lieutenant Com
mander Marix, Judge advocate OF the
Maine court. Mark spent most of the
! morning at the navy department confer
ring with the Judge advocate gsnaral and
with Captain Crowninshield, chief of the
bureau of navigation. lie maintained a
| strict reticence as he has shown since the
report Of the court was conferred 10 hs
care. he has taken desk in the judge
advocate generals office and will remain
in Washington while the report OF the
| court OF inquiry is under consideration.
The vieksburg has reached Hampton
Roads
The flying squadron will not complete
part of next week, although the nucleus
will be at Hampton Roads, when Commo-
dore Schley hoists his pennant on the nag
ship Brooklyn next Monday AT that Time
the Brooklyn and Massachusetts will bs
the only ships OF the prospective nyihs
squadron, the Texas being al the New
York navy yard, while the cruisers Co
anu Alluutaiut4S SNf-SNNA
be ready TO leave League l5iahu IN TINE
To reach HAMPTON Roads about the middle
OF next week.
Already men and supplies have been for-
waraed to League Island for the two cruiS-
ers of this squad OH. Sixty saiio.s have
como on from the old ship Michigan, sta
TONED ON the great lakes, and seventeen
coal passers from me receiving snip Wa
bash al Boston. These men are nov at
I lei nd hn
tween the cruisers Minneapolis and CO.
lumbla. BY the end of next week the lying
squadron win be complete in its orsanlza-
ton OF ships, men and armament
The government has acquired two small
vessels, terms for the purchase of which
were closed last evening. One of them .
an ocean tug and both of them viii be en-
ployed as provisional torpedo boats. The
navy department declines to make public
the names of the newly acquired vessels
In order to expedite the enlistment OF
mes for the naval service which h3s not |
been quite so successful, owing to the Sc
we're requirements, the navy departing Mt |
today issued an order waving the require |
ments as 10 landsmen and mess attendants. |
This applies to all recruiting stations. in |
GLIDING that at Washington navy yard.
The office of Secretary Alger was ap-
the most lively Of any in the war
department during the morning. He again
held extended conferences with his bureau
chiefs, notably Generals Wilson, Greeley.
Shaler of the ordnance bureau and also
General Miles. The most important act on
taken was the allotment TO the signal Of
flee, OF which General Greeley Is at the
head. of 500 with which to install an
system of seacoast artillery fire
control by which projectles can be fired
from guns with reasonably well defined
accuracy The money will be used also in
the various forts and ports at
seacoast Notifications by telephone and
telegraph.
The recruiting offices of the army report
progress in the matter of en-
stments for the two new regiments of
artillery just organized by virtue of an at
II congress Enlistments have been made
1t an average of thrty-one men per day,
" at the rate of $50 month During the
1ast five days this average has been raised
o thirty-scven enlistments a day. In con-
sequence of this rapid enlistment MAJOR
ieneral Miles has issued an order tc dis
continue the plan of transferring men from
he old regiments to I'LL UP the two new
mes as was originally contemplated auh
is believed the army will reach its full
egal quota within a short time