The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-31
AT WHITE HOUSE
THE DELIBERATIONS ARE KEPT SECRET
Department Has moi Had lime 10 Give Alien
ton 10 Regulations for The $1,000
Additional Volunteers interest
of Europeans in War.

said at the close of office hours to-day
that no word had come from any Of the
scouting vessels 50 numerous in West
Indian waters. conccrnin. the Spanish
flying squadron, wherefore he concluded
that Cerycra was still in Santiago har
Dor. Supposedly Schlcy is lying outside
watching the entrance to prevent the
egrcSs OF the Spanish vessels; but while
there is evidence Of Il certain kind Of
thai fact. there has been no Official con
firmation of it. This is Il little remark
able in view Of the fact that it is only
4 days run for one of Schley'S swift
torpedo boats from Santiago to Il cable
port in Haytl. There is also Il curious
lack of information from the newspaper
dispatch boats GU this point. 1t was
supposed that the censorS might have cut
out from the dispatches OF the news
paper men any reference To the fleets.
but this would apply, according to the.
statement of the navy department oiti-
Gals here. only to those parts OF the dis
patches that might relate to the move.
mcntS and whereabouts Of the United
States forces. and the ccnSors' rules
would not exclude reference to the Span
ish squadron. Notwithstanding the Of
ticials profess mistaken confidence III
their original belief that the Spanish
squadron is securely bottled up i'll san
tiago harbor, there IS no conccalmcnt
by them Of an intense desire To secure
some absolutely trustworthy Informal
ton on that point. 1t is not to be doubt
ed that with the question still open the
= l,, Iat,,. 70 10
tarded: for rs long as there exists Il pos
sibiIity Of the Spanish naval force being
at large. there is an indisposition to start
the troop transports for Cuba.
Probably it WAS this uncertain state
Of affairs that induced the president to
call Il consultation at the white nous"
odav between Secretaries AIgcr AMI
Long, General Miles and members of the
navy war board, Admiral Sicard and
Superintendent CroWnlngShlcld rs
stated by one of the members Of the
conference the purpose WAS 10 Z" over
the whole situation from the Philippines
to Cuba and Porto Rico, and decide just
how far he plans already laid should be
modified to fit existing conditions. Tins
involved Il discussion Of such important
points rs the proprlcty Of immediate M
vance Of military forces upon Cuba, the
tIt6lItllbIlIlN u d'lNIf1N - q I'i '''
ing the location of the Spanish squadron:
the policy Of preceding the Cuban cN-
pcdition, or accompanying If. With one
directed against Porto Rico. and finally
the extent of the military assistance to
be sent to Admiral Dewey ut Manila.
As already indicated. the proceedings
were rather III the nature of a COnSulta-
ton than of Il war council. where n full
decision is demanded at once. 50 that it
is not probable Ill Of these important
questions were disposed Of ut the coun-
Gil. None Of the members of the confe"-
cnce felt authorized to tell what had
taken place. but there are thought to be
patent Indications Of Il decision To en-
bark military expeditions. whether for
Cuba or Porto Rico can only he con
jcctrrcd. III the course Of the next few
days.
There was q lack Of news today from
Admiral Dewey. and this convinced tho
naval authorities that there could he
little credence placed in tho Madrid re
port of an accident 10 the Baltimore.
In the rush Of military preparations
the war department officials have not
been able to give much attention to pre-
partitions of the regulations for tn" pro
curemcnt of the q additional yolun-
tecrS called for yesterday by the prpSi-
dtIIt. II II sun uncertain Just HON IdT
the national authorities will 20 toward
recruiting these forces themselves. nor is
it positively known that independent or
carnations. companies battalione and
regiments raised bv individuals will he
accepted. if by 50 doing the department
IS required to accept the officers with
the mon; indeed. it is now questioned
whether, under the law. the department.
could, if it would accept services of of
ticerS under such conditions. as the gov
ernorS Of the states appear TO be the
only persons authorized To issue commits
SONS below the re-imental grade. There
are many other vexatinuS questions to bc
settled before the regulations can bo
promulgated: but. fortunately. in the
Judgment of the department. there Is
no occasion for haste in deciding upon
details i'll view of the fact that the full
draft Of men called for under the fret
proclamation has not been secured. The
department officials We're engaged today
largely with the executions Of Il new
law providing for the organization Of
certain independent forces. with the re-
suit that it was able to announce regrl-
latiOnS governing the examination Of an
pllcants for commissions in the regiments
ami organization for the immune reLi-
mentS.
An evidence of the growing interest If
European countries in the war was the
appearance at the state department to-
day Of Captain \. Wester. a newly ap-l
pointed military attache to the legation
of Sweden and Norway. He came to
the department with Minister Grip for
the purpose Of securing permission 10
accompany the United States military
forces to Cuba.
If a man treated all women Ms he
treats his wife the chanccS arn he u-aIIL |