Evening star., 1898-03-25
for transporting freight. and it is supposed
| she will be used for such purposes.
Activity I'm the War ORtee

Activity in the War ORice.
Except in sths Office Of Secretary Alger,
VINO left the department early for the cab
met meetingt rhhre was the usual activity
around the war Office today. Both the ord
nance Office and the engineers department
are busily st work making ready to ex-
pend the money allotted to them out of the
SJo,S0o,Oe0 emergency fund in purchasing
munitions Of war, shipping them to the
sea coast fortifcations, and putting the
latter in condition to make them effective.
The ordnance office is much better off in
the supply of rapid-fire and other guns of
formidable character, ammunition and pro-
iectiles than in the matter of carriages and
mounts fortehe suns.
1t has been the practice of the bureau to
first acquire guns. for supplying which the
contractors require much more time than
for furnishing ammunition and projectiies.
The construction of guns required for the
sea coast fortiications are therefore taken
in hand as sosn as the money is available.
The carriages for the guns are furnished
ordinarily in much quicker time than is re-
quired for supplying the guns themselves.
The main need of the service just now Is
an adequate supply of gun carriages, and
it is hoped to secure them out of the aHot-
ments made 10 the bureau and from the
money made available by the Notifications
BILL Bids were recently opened for supply
ing eight, ten and twelve-inch gun. car
rfages, and as soon as the officials know
the precise AMOUNT of money at their dis
posal for this purpose awards will be made.
Meanwhile, the engineer bureau is at
work engaged IN the building of emplace-
ments for the guns, and this work is being
pushed with all possible speed with the
force available for that purpose.
The Tortusas FortilcatiOns.
1t is expected that the work on the Iorti-
fications at Dry Tortugas, at which place
the Navy Department is to establish
coaling station, will be begun as soon as
the plans for that purpose have been adopt
ed. 1t is thought that Capt. Duvali. the
military aid to Secretary Alger who left
here last night will make an investigation
of the requirements of the service at Tor
tugass
The ordnance bureau expects to obtain
in all about forty-six rapid-fire guns from
abroad for the sea coast fortificatlons.
Twenty of these were obtained through
Vickers Sons and the remainder through
the Hotchkiss people. The former consign-
ment is understood to be already on its way
to this country. These guns are of Al cali
Der and the contract providing for their
purchase calls for between two and three
hundred rounds of ammunition.
A Big. Order for Cables.
The largest order ever placed by the gov
ernment for cables was given today to the
Safety Insulated Wire and Cable Company
of New York city for submarine and un-
derground cables connecting all the forts
and islands of New York harbor.
Secretary Alger sent to Congress today a
request for an increase In the number or
hospital stewards in the army from 100,
the maximum now fixed by law, to 11o.
The Secretary says that in view Of the re-
cent increase in the number OF military
posts and recent expeditions to Alaska, the
present number of stewards is inadequate
to the needs of the service, and that 10
is the lowest number that will meet the
present demand. The request is made on
the urgent, Recommendation of Surgeon
General Sternberg.
Senator Davis at the Department.
Senator Davis, chairman of the conf
mittee or foreign relations was caller at
the Navy Department this morning. he
was there to see Secretary Long, but the
Secretary had gone to the Whlte House
with the report ON the Maine disaster. Tne
Senator had brief interview with Assist
ant Secretary Roosevelt, but had no In
formation to ir1part at its conclusion
Senator Davis. said that it was his un-
derstanding that the Maine report would
be sent to Congress next Monday, but Its
t, transmission might be delayed until Tues
day AS to the disposition to be made of
ii by the Senate, he said that in all proba-
bility, after the reading of the letter or
nl hn
ferred to the committee on foreign re-
t.cns and ordered to be printed.
Any senator might, however, demand the
reading of the report in the Senate, and II
it should prove TO be not too long that
course might be, pursued on account of the
intense interest. manifested in it's contents
by ALL He was decidedly of opinion that
there would be no debate upon 1t until 1t
had been considered by the foreign rela-
tions committee.
The expression of opinion as to the &C
ton of either the committee or of Con-
gress with regard to the report would be
premature at this time, in Senator Davis
Judgment, as only those who had read the
report had any definite idea of the findings
of the court of inquiry, and even they
might not be prepared to say what course
it would be most desirable and polite to
pursue.
Commander Marks New Post.
Lieut., Commander Mark. judge advocate
of the Maineiicourt of inquiry, has been
ordered to special duty in the Office of the
judge advocate general of the navy, pend
ing action by the President on the report
of the court. He will hold himself in read
mess to supply any information that the
President or Secretary of the Navy may
desire in connection with the proceedings
of the court.
Conference With Judge Day.
Secretary Long, on leaving the cabinet
meeting, went with Lieutenant Commander
Mark back to the Navy Department and
had short conference first with Assist
ant Secretary Day at the State Depart
nent, next with the judge advocate gen.
era! of the navy, and then with Mr.. En-
dicott, the new chief Of the bureau of
yards and docks. The naval Secretary
went to luncheon amout IL 30 o'clock and
Gid not return to the department until
after o'clock.
CABINETxA AGAIN IN SESSION.
1t Merely TOOka Recess When 1t