Evening star., 1898-05-31

bands at Cuaba and other points surround
ing Holguin. Besides Holguin and Gibara,
the Spanish General Pando has small gar
risons of from 600 to 5000 men at Mayan,
Tanamo and Baracoa on the north coast
ard at Guantanamo, Santiago and Mama
milo on the south coast. These points are
said to be the only ones held by thu Span
ish, for Santiago province is overrun
throughout the interior by the insurgents
The Cuban commander. General Garcia, has
his headquarters at Bayamo, seventy-fiva
miles west of Santiago. The reports brought
by General CollaZo and Lieutenant Rowan
indicate that Garcia has about 5000 men
under his immediate command and about
5000 scattered in bands around Holguin
Vitoria de las TUnis, Jiguaal, Meron and
ether points. Aside from their offensive
strength, the Cuban forces are looked upon
as valuable in that they hold the interior
roads and passes and keep the Spanish gar
risons penned up in the six or seven sea-
port towns which they continue to hold
The Cadiz Fleet IA Paper One.
The frequent reports from Spain through
other countries to the effect that for
miGable fleet is being prepared at Cadiz tc
sail for the West Indies IN aid of Cervera
give very little apprehension here. The
naval officers through private means OF
communication have pretty well satisfied
themselves that the Cadiz fleet is a paper
fleet In other words, it's offensive power Is
altogether illusory. More than half of the
vessels whose names appear so frequently
in the press dispatches Is formidable wal
crafts are of antiQuated type. and in a sad
state of disorder.
fro,
this that our naval officers are neglecting
the adoption of precautions against sur
prise at Santiago. They have thrown
scouts well out to TIE eastward of Cuba 50
that they may receive quick notice if any
of the CadiZ feet were foolish enough to
have started day two aso for the Wes!
Indies, as is now reported from Europe.
At Army Headquarters.
The departure last night of Maj Gen.
Miles and his staff for Tampa leaves army
headquarters in the War Department build
ing almost deserted, and there was today
an absence of the life and hustle which
has characterized that branch of the de-
partment for three months past Brig.
Gen J. c. Gilmore of the generals staff
was left in charge of affairs at headquar-
ters. and will attend to all matters that
come up for consideration. Later Gen. Gill
more expects to join Gen. Miles, but just
when he is not at this time able to state.
as ii depends entirely on conditions which
may hereafter arise. Several of the civil
ian clerks at headquarters left with Gen.
Miles last night, but the larger portion
of the force remains on duty here. Should
necessity arise additional help will be sent
to the front TO assist the general and his
staff in their official correspondence.
There was large number of visitors
to the War Department today, including
many members of the Senate and House
interested in appointments in the voIun-
teer army. Considerable interest is being
taken by members of Congress from the
south in the immune regiments whic h
are to be recruited largely from persons
accustomed to tropical climates. Eight of
the colonels of these regiments already
have been nominated by the President, and
the work of recruiting already has begun.
Five of the regiments are to be composed
of colored men. who will undoubtedly be
especially valuable for service in Cuba.
TWO Russian officers, accompanied by a
member of the legation here, were at the
War and Navy Departments today to OBJ
tain permission to observe the operations of
the army. They are Col. Yermoloff and
Lieut.. Zelenoy. They will be granted the
permission desired.
Hours for Calls on Secretary Alser,
Secretary Alger desires to have 1t under
stood that he will receive visitors at the
War Department between the hours Of 10
and II o'clock each morning, and that 1t
will be useless for them to call at other
hours. rule of this character was neces-
sary to enable the Secretary to attend to
the important business now engrossing the
attention of the War Department.
The Second Apportionment.
The officials of the War Department are
completing arrangements for the mastering
of the 1900 additional troops called for by
the President. 1t is expected that the ap-
portionment of these troops among the diff
ferent states and territories will be an
nounced this evening or tomorrow There
appears to be diversity of opinion among
the governors of the various states as to
the wisdom of the department. plan to re-
cruit the existing regiments up to the max
imum strength out of the second call for
troops, instead of organizing entirely new
regiments. While most of the governors
approve the plan, there are many who
would prefer a plan whereby entire regi-
ments might be mustered into the service
under their existing organization. The de-
partment decided, however, to adhere to its
original plan, to first recruit the volunteer
regiments now in the service I'D to the
maximum strength. This will absorb about
$4,000 men and leave only % 900 men under
the second call to be organized into addition
al regiments. Each regiment will consist of
twelve companies of 1O6 men to each COM
pany, or IL, ,126 men to a regiment. Officers
from each regiment will be detailed for re-
cruitng duty, and the work of recruiting
the quota of each state under the second
call will proceed precisely as it does in the
regular army. AS rapidly as the men are
recruited they will be examined and sent
forward to join the regiments to which,
they may be assigned The new recruits
will be assigned to regiments of their own
states, and. so far as possible, to companies
and regiments which represent the cities
and sections of the states in which they re-
hide. Thus the recruits will be among
friends and acquaintances, and not among
strangers.
Only after the existing regiments have
been recruited up to the maximum strength
will new regimental organizations be
formed Some of the regiments now in the
service have less than the required num-