The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-29
An |NT|NAT|ON TO SPAIN
The Extraordinary Preparations
for War Continue.
WE COULD DEFY THE WORLD
American Army Officers Comment on
the efficiency of our National De-
fenses - Spain's Proposal of an
Armistice Viewed With Disfuvor--
Patriotic Yale Students.

New York, March 2S.-Spain's repeated
proposal of an armlstice in Cuba until
October. with permission to the United
States to feed the reeoncentrados in the
mountains, did not strike army officers on
Governors Island today as a proposition
likely to be looked on with favor III the
United States. One of them said
I'VE demanded or are supposed to
have demanded that the war in Cuba
stop. Spain offers to accede to our
demand for six months at least.
We have therefore, gained a partial vic
tory, But supposing Congress were likely
to accept this concession, how do we
know that the Cubans will agree to stop
fighting until October l? 1t has been
commonly supposed that the insurgents.
having nothing to fear from the climate
of the island during the rainy season.
rather wage war then than at any other
| time of the year. on account of the dis
| advantages under which the Spaniards
| labor.
| Possibly Gomez. unless his assent has
| already been obtained, will not agree to
| the proposition. If he does not, who is
| going to compel him 10? We certainly
| could not think of doing that and I'm
not sure that We could during the warm
/ weather if We would
Another officer had this TO say:
THE Secretary of War has issued no
| orders directing that work on the national
! defenses shall stop. / do not believe he
will issue any such order. Until he does.
/ can assure you that there will be no
| let up in the work of the army for any
emergency.
"If the work keeps up at the present
| rate we could. l had almost said, defy
| the navies of the world in short time"
Testing the PIunger.
Baltimore, March 2S-The activity in
| the work on the torpedo boats Plunger
| and Mckee. the new steel tug for the
! United States Engineer Corps and the
lighthouse steamer Holly has increased,
| if anything. Night and day, Sunday and
| week days. all four of the boats are being
pushed to completion as fast as practi-
| cable
Steam has been kept up on the subma-
rine boat Plunger for several days and
her engines are kept busy for hours at a
time in order to test the workings of her
machinery. She is wonderful Iiece of
mechanism and Navy authorities base
| great hopes on her.
The United States revenue cutter Win
dom will leave for Norfolk where she will
be fitted with additional guns and torpedo
tubes which will make her a formidable
gunboat.
Inspecting Auxiliary Boats.
New York, March 2S.-The Naval Board
on Auxiliary Boats was hard at work all
day today and threw out from the list
of vessels which have been offered TO the
government a goedly number on which
too high prices were set by the owners.
The tug Atlas, OF the Standard Oil Com
panys fleet. which the board recommends
ed 10 the Government for purchase. was
| bought and delivered at the navy yard
Peter Widener's yacht Josephine was
inspected at Wilmington. Del. The jose
phine is a little smaller than the Soyer-
eign, for which Mr.. Borden asked $400 900.
Mr. Widener offered the Josephine AT a
much lower price She is a steel yacht of
545 tons, 1S2 feet inches long, and was
built in 1896.
The board. it is said. is looking for Two
colliers, two more tugs, two distilling
boats, two repair vessels and another
yacht
Recruits for the Navy.
New York March 2S.-Over fifty men
the largest number in a long time, en-.
listed on board the Vermont at the
Brooklyn navy yard today. The recruit
ing officers were busy until nearly sun
set receiving and classifying the act
cepted applicants. A detail of ffty-thret
men and boys enlisted at New Orleans il
one week. arrived today. and were trans
feTred to the Vermont.
The work of repainting the Dolphin
was continued. and the hull completed
today. a neutral gray tint was used in
stead Of the graphite first tried.
Four more tugs arrived at the yarC
and We're turned over to the naval con
structors for armament. Visitors wer,
admitted to the spar deck of the battle
ship Texas today for the first time sine,
she has been in this port. The officer.
Of the ship attach no Importance to tn.
injury done by striking a coral reef neal
Dry Tortugas.
Patriotic Tennesseeans.
Chattanooga, March 2S-There was al
all-day session of the leading officers o
the Tennessee National Guard at tn,
capitol yesterday, at the conclusion o
which Gov. Taylor received the officer
and approved their plans. The meeting
was called by Adjt Gen. Sykes to enabl
him to prepare his answer TO the Wa
{ | Departments letter asking what troop
| they could furnish on short notice
Gov Taylor said that If the genera
Government called for volunteers from
Tennessee. he would send the Nationa
Guard. of $500 men, intact, all avaiiabl
for immediate service.
Gov. Taylor is said to be contempIat
ing taking the field at the head of tn
] ! Tennessee troops.
I GaIensians Ready for War.
! New Haven, Conn. March 2S.-Nearl
200 Yale students joined in a Cuban pa
= rade this afternoon. The brigade forme
in front of Pierson Hall. marched dow
Chapel Street and through the Green
American and Cuban flags waved, and of
ficers Of the recently organized Cuban
Reserves of the university led the regi
| ment
: At every block the battalion haItet
and gave the long Yale yell with "Cub
libre" at the end. When the procession
arrived at Pierson Hall. on the counter
march, speeches were delivered by j. M
Mccormick. of Chicago; Stephen b. FL
kins. Jr.. of Elkins. w. Va. and David r
Francis, Jr.. Of St. Louis. Mo. All tn
| speakers declared that if troops wer
called for Yale men would be first at tn
front.
Significant Military Orders.
New Haven. March 2S.-Every membe
of the State National Guard has beer
| ordered n pamgin at his homo IInIaS