New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-25
ARMY AUTHORITIES BUSY.
COLONEL, SINCLAIR TO TAKE COMM MI
OF THE SEVENTH ARTILLERY.

HE IS ORDERED FROM FORT wADswoRTH to
FORT sLocrM-CoNTRACT FOR CABLE CoN-
NEcTfONs or FORTS TO DE MADE TO-DAY.
Orders were issued yesterday by Major-General
Wesley Merritt commanding the Department Vi
the East Of the United States Army 70 'oio"e'
william Sinclair who has been in command Az
Fort Wadsworth. Staten Island. 10 proceeu 10 ro'
slocurn in the Sound. and to take up ms ne"
duties as comman dlng officer of the 7h ArtIiery'
Colonel Sinclair was promoted 10 his nc" COM
mond after Congress gave the necessary au'ho'''S
for the increase OF the Army by two regi"if''S -
| artillery He Is a West Point graduate. He on
tered the Military Academy from Ohio In 1873 he
became second lieutenant Of artillery IN i''r IN
the VAR Of tho Rebellion he commanded the Skin
Pcnuavlyania Reserve Corps and served ms Colo
mel of volunteers. In the Regular Army service
he received the rank Of captain In 1850 ana OF major
I'm 1855 In 1896 he made lieutcnant-coionel OF
the 9Th Artillery. under Colonel John |. Rodgers
who IS artillery officer Of the Department CT the
East and Is attached 10 General Mcrritt's STAFF.
Major ! G. Ramsay. OF the 9Th Artillery, who IL
IN command ut Fort Hamilton Is TO he lieutenant
colonel Of the rev regiment at Fort Slocum. but he
has not Yet been ordered to his new post.
General Merritt was busy at his Office on Gov
errors Island yesterday afternoon. He said the
recruiting of the new artillery regiments was not
going forward rapidly but that sood men were
being secured THE 7th Regiment" he said. vii!
be stationed complete on Davids Island at pres
ont but orders have been given to divide up the
9Th Regiment. to command which Colonel
Williston has been sent to Fort McHenry. TWO
batteries Will go to the Washington Barracks. four
to Fort Monroe and to Fort Hamilton About
three hundred recruits have already been en-
listed"
Bids were opened yesterday at the Office OF Cap
tain Allen Of the Signal Bureau. for the submarine
cable and underground wires for telephone con-
batu tbo div no hay nd
tho Sound. The contract will be awarded 20
day ut Washington The lowest bids were made
by the Western Electric Company and the Safety
Insulated Wire Company. and it Is probable mat
the work will be divided between them.
There VII be about sixteen nils OF submarine iis
Will run from Fort Hancock, on Sandy Hook. to
be cable across the Narrows from Fort Wads-
worth to Fort Hamilton and one across the East
Schuyler to Willets Point All the connections
from the shores where the cables land VIII be by
We will secure not only direct communication
between the forts but also double means OF com
iinuhicauon, We can no" teIepnonr ana IeiegIaPn
through Brooklyn TO Fort Hamilton. and by way
OF Manhattan and Staten Island to Fort WadS-
worth. With direct communication between these
two forts. II We reach one We can reach the other.
ton with Sandy Hook at present ny the CONNER
cial Gable Companys line from Coney Island. and
nication with Concy Island We reach Fort Schuy-
Ter and Willets Point by different lines, and both
Will enable us 10 get one from the other. At Fort
Slocum already have cable under the chan
mel separating David's Island from the mainland
OF Westchester County. and direct communication
with New Rochelle
1T will probably take twenty days TO lay the
new cable after the contract Is awarded. and the
T T c w 6 BE % three wks om o 9S a
$1,000 and the underground work about S30)).'
There especial activity in the movement
OF munitions Of war or supplies yesterday at the
Quartermaster's Bureau. in the New-York Ar
senal Preparations have been made. however. TO
fill heavy orders II the necessity arises.