The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-26
Roosevelt's Successor.

So far the talk of a successor to Mr.
Roosevelt as assistant secretary has
been mere speculation and it can be
stated positively that up to this time
the president has not made a choice as
his successor. 1t may be noted, in view
of the recent mention of Admiral Walk
er in that connection that as it stands
the law requires the office of assistant
secretary to be filled by civilian so
that if the admiral desires to accept the
office he would be under the unpleas-
ant necessity of resigning from the
navy and lose his place as retired Of
ficer, which he is not likely to do.
Dearth of News From Fleet.
There was a dearth of news from the
seat of hostilities off the Cuban coast
so far as the department was con-
cerned, or if it was in possession of in
formation it was so carefully guarded
that nothing leaked out. A few tele-
grams came from Key West announc-
ing the arrival there of the prizes whose
capture has been reported through the
press. Nothing could be obtained as to
the intentions of Commodore Schley in
so hastily rushing away the flyers Co
lumbia and Minneapolis from Hamp-
ton Roads, but it is believed that their
purpose is to shelter the Paris or some
of the other liners from attack at the
hands of some Spanish cruiser. There
was talk of establishing a supply de-
pot in the PHILIPPINES to meet the con-
ditions in Asiatic waters. Our fleet
there now has no home and under neu-
trality laws the stay of the ships at
any port is limited to a, few hours This
is unpleasant besides involving the
expenditure of a great deal of coal, so
that it may become necessary for Com
modore Dewey to seize a, port in the
PHILIPPINES and fortify it as a. base of
base of supplies. The department to-
day purchased two more tugs, the Hor-
tense of New Orleans and May Willick
of Galveston.
Notice TO Governors.
The feature of interest at the war
department was the dispatch to the
governors of the states and territories
of circulars notifying them how many
| men they would be expected to furnish
as volunteers, how they should be ap-
| portioned among the three arms of the
| service and where they should rendez-
vous in the United States army. A
| good many details remain to be ar
ranged, but these are rapidly being dis
posed of.
| John Jacob Astor's Regiment.
| John Jacob Astor of New York, not
| content with offering the government
| his splendid yacht Normahal and free
| transportation for troops and supplies
| over the railroads in which he is inter-
| ested, has come forward with notice
| that he has raised and equipped at his
| own expense battery of artillery
| which he desires to offer to the gov
ernment under his own plans for SER
vice in Cuba. This offer probably will
| be accepted although the department
has been deluged with offers to raise
| volunteers in this way to the aggregate
| number of at least $4,000 men, AS the
| presidents call is to enlist only three
| regiments outside of the regular
| quotas to be furnished by the state
there is not much opportunity to ac-
cept the services of these patriots. The
| order to the district militia to go into
camp here at soldiers home was re-
| yoked just at the moment when it was
| in execution, owing, it is said, to the
| fact that the sudden calling away
| of so many employees from the de.
partments without notice threatens tc
cripple the government service. The
action of the president in recommend
ing formal declaration of war was
wired by officials in every direction,