The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-04
PREPARATIONS FOR INVASION
WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS AR
RANGING FOR OCCUPYING CUBA.
Little Anxiety Felt for the safety Of
Hospital Secured for the Army.

WASHINGTON, May S-Adjut. Gen. Corr
bin had a conference with the President
this afternoon concerning the nominations
of major generals and brigadier generals.
which, according to present intentions, will
be sent to the Senate tomorrow. General
Corbin took with him to the White House
full list Of those nominations which had
been agreed upon by the War Department
officials. After twenty-minute conferences
with the President General Corbin returned
to the department to make some alterations
in the list suggested by the President. IL
is understood to have been decided to name
General Shafter, who has been designated
to lead the invasion into Cuba General
Fitzhugh Lee and General Joe Wheeler, OF
Confederate cavalry fame, as three of the
major generals. 1t is reported as probable
that the President will also nominate Gen.
Woodford former minister to Spain, TO be
a major general The name of General Otis,
of New York, is also mentioned.
Concerning the appointment of brigadier
generals, it is said to be the purpose of this
President, SO far as possible, to take the
candidates from the ranks Of colonels In the
regular army. This will dsappoint some
of the candidates for important commands
The exceptions. if any are made, will be In
more brigades of troops. In such cases it
is believed the President will appoint as
brigadier generals officers recommended to
him by the Governors of the States from
which the troops come. George r. Blanch-
ard, chairman of the Joint Trafisc Railroad
Association, it is said, will be nominated =.
brigadier general of volunteers and viii be
attached to the quartermaster's department.
of the army to take charge of all matters
relating to the transportation Of troops.
The plans Of the Cuban campaign are be-
ing steadily developed and there is no indi-
cation of a. change of purpose on the part
of the military authorities who are expected
to land an expeditionary force in Cuba in .
very snort time The army bought hospi-
tai ship to-day for the benefit Of the troops
going to Cuba. The Cuban authorities hers
expect to receive early information direct
from the camp of General Gomez, brought
by Brigadier General Nunez who left here
about ten days ago and succeeded In land
ing party and making his way to Gomezs
camp. The party was small one and took
along some supplies, but it's main purpose
was to open communication with Gomez and
bring word as to his resources and readi-
ness for an aggressive movement. Officials
of the Cuban delegation say General Nune7
is likely to come out to one of the American
war ships on it's return trip and thence to
Key West to make reports to the authori-
ties here. Secretary Albertini Is Cuban
charge d'affaires at present, President sPal-
ma and Secretary Quesada being in New
York.
POSTAL SERVICE IN CUBA.
The postmaster general to-day issued an
order to establish postal service in the Gu
ban port first occupied by the United States
Pa, special agent of the department, to or
ganize the work. The service will cover not
only the army mails for troops ordered to
Cuba, but business mail of the ordinary
character for the territory temporarily un-
der the authority of our army In connec-
ton with this appointment, Second Assist
ant Postmaster General Shallenberger, ur-
der whose jurisdiction this matter comes,
has issued instructions to Mr.. Brewer au-
thorzing him upon his arrival with the mail
at such port in Cuba as may first be occu-
pied by the United States to rent, tempo
rarily, suitable rooms for handling the
mails provided the rooms cannot be fur
nished free of expense by the military au-
thoTities.
According to advices heretofore received
by Adjutant General Corbin, the mastering
in of the soldiers of the volunteer army was
soon as this formality is accomplished they
become regular United States troops avail
able for any service which the President
may call upon them to perform, Up to
the close of office hours. however, reports
on that subject had been received only
from Massachusetts and Arizona. With the
limited force in charge of this work at the
various rendezvousing points the mastering
in necessarily will take from two days to
ten or more. according TO the size of the
States quota. One regiment a day is con-
sidered very fair progress. Now that the
mastering work is under way the officials
are giving their attention to questions OF
mobilization, transportation and subsistence
and by the time the soldiers are ready to
move these questions will have been set
tied. Arizona has the honor of being the
first commonwealth in which mastering was
begun The recruiting was for Col. Leonard
Woods regiment of mounted rihemen Of
which Assistant Secretary Roosevelt. Of the
Navy Department, IS to be the lieutenant
colonel.
General Wesley Merritt commanding the
Department of the East. with headquarters
at New York. has returned to that Sty
after having had consultations with Sec1e-
tary Alger, General Miles and other offlcialS
of the War Department. General Merritt'a y
name has been associated with the conduct
of the expendition which is soon to leavs
American soil for Cuba, but which is being
held back pending news expected every day
concerning the movements OF the Spanish
feet that left Cape Verde some days ago.
No official was willing to say whether Cen.
Merritt win accompany the Cuban expedi-
tion or to so any further than to suggest