Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-17
SELECT NEW CAMP Ar TERNANDINA
Ample OdatiOns There fOI
TXycntN ThOusNnd Men.

NNeutN 'e"
WASHINGTON, June 16.-Many factors
are combining to make the military and
naval situation full of stirring activity, and
this was shown today by the large crowds
which thronged the corridors of the War
and Navy departments. The War depart
ment is fastening forward the preparations
at Fernandina which will make that point
one OF the most advantageous in the country
for the concentration of a large body of
troops. Notice has been sent to the city
authorities, as well as army officials, direct
ing Them to hurry the preparations. 1t is
said at the War department that the special
board which inspected Fernandina found the
| proposed camp grounds so suitable by nat
ural conditions and surroundings that sew
eral thousand troops could be concentrated
there today if it were necessary to institute
the camp at once. The orders for this con-
centration have not yet been issued, al
though the inference is clear that they will
follow when the Fernandina camp grounds
are ready. The department calculates that
the grounds will accommodate 10000 troops
when all preparations are completed. Sec
rotary Alger's main purpose in sending the
special board south was to avoid a repetition
of former experiences of having camps oc-
cupied before they were fully prepared in
Wv veg '.NN' Ntt'S o'
trenches, etc. While the report of the board
has not yet been formally presented to the
city, and while the report itself, when
made, will not recommend Fernandina as
against all the other cities examined, yet
1t has been made known to the secretary
that Fernandina has marked advantages for
a camping ground, and without waiting for
the report and canvassing other localities,
he has ordered the preparation OF camping
grounds there.
In response to inquiries from congressman
representing many other points in the south,
the department officials said today that this
preparation at Fernandina did not neces-
sarily imply that Savannah, Charleston,
Jacksonville and other points inspected
might not yet be utilized also for camping
grounds. The determination thus far, 1t was
stated. was to get ready at Fernandina and
at least have an available point thoroughly
prepared within the next few days. The
War department will give no information
as to how soon orders will be issued for
concentration of troops at Fernandina, but
officials apparently take it for granted that
! they will come very soon now that the camp
grounds are being put in readiness. 1t
doubtless will be the rendezvous for those
troops at Chickamauga and which
have been ordered to receive their full
equipment.
The various preparations have as their
main object the departure of a large eXpedi-
tion to Porto Rico at an early date. 1t was
confidently stated by high officials within
the last day or two that il was hoped the
expedition could be so rushed as to get 1t
way within the next ten days. Whether
the extensive preparations, the moving OF
troops, the gathering of transports, and the
movement in detail can be executed in tins
time is open to doubt, although eXtraordl-
nary activity marks every branch OF the
military service in advancing the eXpedi-
ton to completion.
The progress OF General Skaters army of
invasion also comes in for much attention
both at the War and Navy departments, for
there is Joint interest in the time when the
army can fully reinforce the gallant band OF
marines now holding the fort at Guanta-
namo. No word is possible from this expedi-
ton before tomorrow or next day, and then
only in case Admiral Sampson has sue
ceeded in repairing the cable at Guanta-
namo. He has buoyed the shore end and the
Navy department is expecting almost mo-
mentarily to receive a dispatch direct from
the flagship. If this operation is not con
cluded In a day or two. then there will be
the delay of waiting for dispatch boats to
reach Hayti, half a day after General
Skaters army OF invasion arrives. The
officials will not hazard a conjecture as tt
the exact time of arrival. They say only
that it cannot be before tomorrow night al
the earliest, and is more likely to be the
! day following and possibly Sunday.
5 WadIeigh 10 Command Philadelphia
WASHINGTON. June l6.-The question
who shall command the cruiser Philadelphia
S has been settled in favor Of Captain Georg'