The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-16

Sio"n py the contractors who have M
ueftakeh to construct the new fortiHc7-
tohs along the coast. It is said that onI,,
une among the whole number has finished
nis contract on time. The denartp,an,
mas oeen greatly embarrassed thereby in
placlng IT'S guns and has been Obliged 10
1Atenu ~ 'he time allowed these contractors
uepartment has determined not to
submit TO further obstruction in nrosacut
ing the work undertaken. but will do ~
WORK itself and refrain from entering info
contracts Aiilo
A good deal of announcement was cre-
ateu at the navy department TODAY nv
report from the capitol that q rnaiority,
OF the naval affairs committee is disnose1
10 substitute six battleships for the three
ProVided for In the pending naval appro-
pliauoh piih> This number is supposed to
~ ~lepieseht ABOUT the normal working ca
pacity OF the three ship-building concerns
IN TINS country that are able at present
10 undertake the construction of hattie
ships.
Inc 1ortifcations board began its ses
slons Today In the war department. The
proceedings are guarded zealously against
publication.
BIDS We're opened in the auartermaster's
once OF the war department TODAY for
transporting the artillery batteries that
are TO man the fertilization works recently
competed. The batteries, for whose
movements proposals were received. in
clude the following: Battery L. Fourth
Artillery, from Fort McHenry. Md. To
Fort Delaware; Battery 1, Fourth Artu
iery, from Washington D. c. barracks
10 foft Mott near Fort Delaware); Bat
tery h. Fourth Artillery, from Fort Mon
roe to Sheridans Point on the Potomac.
Battery l, Second Artillery. from Fort
Monroe to Fort Caswell, near the mouth
or the Cape Fear river; Battery F. First
Artillery, from Fort Monroe to Tybee ISL
ana, Ca; Battery l. First Artillery, from
Fort Monroe to Fort Morgan. Ala.
The Pennsylvania Railroad received the
contract for transporting the batteries
from Washington to Fort Mott and Fort
McHenry to Fort Delaware Other bat
teries to be moved as a result of recent
orders to man fortifcations are: Battery
Z OF the First Artillery from st. Angus
tine to Sullivans Island Charleston har-
Dor; Light Battery B, Fourth Artillery.
from Fort Riley, Kan, to jackson bar
racks, La; Light Battery F. Fourth Ar
tillery, from Fort Riley to Fort Monroe;
Light Battery F, Fifth Artillery, from
Fort Riley to Savannah, Ga; the light
battery at Fort Sam Houston, Tex, to
Galveston; Fifth Artillery-two batteries
| from Fort Slocum to Fort Hancock, one
battery from Fort Wadsworth TO Fort
Hancock, and one battery from Fort Ham
ilton to Fort Hancock; Second Artillery
one battery from Fort Adams to Long
| Island Head.
Inspired by the war sentiment prevail
ing in many parts of the country, officers
of state militia organizations have been
| inqulring of the war department as to al
| lotments of arms, ammunitions, etc.
Representative J. W. Stokes of South
| Carolina, has received letter from Gen.
| Joseph l.. Stoppelbein, commanding the
| First Brigade, South Carolina State Caval-
ry. After commencing Mr.. Stokes for his
| recent speech in Congress in favor of
| $50 600, 600 appropriation for the national
defense, he adds: 'The people of South
| Carolina stand ready and willing to shed
| their blood in defense of the Stars and
| Stripes, and If ever our people were united
| they are to-day. We know no factional
\ or party lines when the honor of the
country is at stake. AS you know COM
| mand the largest body of cavalry in the
| United States My command and I are at
| the services of the President, and while
I understand that militia cannot be press
ed into service for a longer period that
ninety days, 1 now, through you, formally
| tender my services to the President in the
volunteers for ninety months if needs be.
''The people of South Carolina have inn
plicit confidence in the wisdom of the
| President at this critical moment, and
| feel that he will do the proper thing" +"
| Mr.. Stokes presented Gen. Stoppelbein's
| letter to the President to-day after the
| cabinet meeting.