The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-14
TROOPS FOR PORTLAND.
The Garrison Here Is Likely to Be Greatly
Enlarged.
ESPECIAL TO THE PRESS

ESPECIAL, TO THE PRESS.
| Washington, March l2.-The authorize
tion of the two new regiments of artillery
will probably make considerable change
in the garrison at Portland, although it
is rs yet too early to say just what that
change will be. There are at present
five regiments of artillery in the United
States army and there will be seven when
| the new regiments are recruited. These
regiments are stationed along the coasts,
the Second in New England, with head
quarters at Fort Adams, Newport, r. ]. !;
the Filth in New York; the Fourth with
headquarters at Washington; the First
in the South with headquarters at st.
| Augustine, and the Third on the Pacific
coast with headquarters at the Prosidio,
| in San Francisco. 1t is usual for the
regiments to be moved about once in
each three or four years, and the time
| is already past when the Second might
expect orders to move from New Eng
land. But it is quite probable that in
view of the difficulties in the foreign
situation there will be no changes at
present. Each regiment of artillery con-
sists of ten batteries of heavy artillery
(such as man sea coast sdefsnces) and
two batteries of light artillery, that is
the mounted field batteries. The two
regiment are not both in New England,
one being in the west One of the heavy
batteries is also at the school of instruc-
tion at Fortress Monore, Va. The head
quarters of the Second regiment is at
Newport, r. l., where. are three heavy
batteries and one battery of field artillery,
under the immediate command of the
colonel of the regiment. There are also
the regimental band and colors. Two
companies are at Fort Warren, Boston
harbor, ole at Fort. Turnbull New Lon
don, c., one at Portland at Fort Preble
and two at Fort Schuyler in New York.
1t is understood that the new regiments
are to he recruited at New York, the Sixth
at Fort Slocum and the Seventh at Fort
Wadsworth. In this case it is not i'm
probable that the two batteries of Second
artillery now at Fort Schuyler will be
sent to New England points, and it
would not be surprising If Portland
should receive as many as two batteries
more. There ought to be at least bat
terry at Portland Head and another at
Great Diamond island, besides the one at
Fort PrebIe.
The impression has gained ground
that our government understands very
we'll the cause of the disaster to the
Maine, and that the report of the board
of inquiry is not being hurried in order
that we may get well prepared to take
decided stand when the facts shall be
made public. If that report shall show
the vessel was maliciously blown up
public opinion in this country will of
course demand decided stand by our
government; and the administration and
Congress have in the last few days been
getting ready to back up just such
demand. What Spain will do is mat
ter Of con- lecture; but a gentleman well
acquainted with Spanish diplomaey,has
expressed the opinion that she will
manoeuvre for delay. That time is the
greatest aid to diplomacy has been
proverb of Spanish statecraft since the
days of Philip II. The fact that a new
minister has just arrived in this country
will furnish good pretext for delay.
He can say to our administration that he
has just come to this country and must
have little time in which DO get aquaint-
ed with affairs. or course this will be
pretext largely, but the ways of diplo-
macy are such that pretexts cannot al
ways be lightly brushed aside.
There is reason to believe that the Gu
ban Junta in this country are both de-
lighted and alarmed at the situation
which has arisen. They are delighted
that there is prospect of our embroil-
ment with Spain, as in this they see the
ruin of their foe. But at the same time
they do not want any American troops
landed on, Cuban Esoil. They feel that
now the island is all but in the grasp
of Gonez, and they. fear that if an Anne
rioan army should. landsin Cuba 1t would
stay there and that their island would
become an American province. This is
believed not to be the desire the men
VINO nave UDll6u 1bI buc lItOuOLA VI bu6lT
island. They want liberty and indepen-
dence and the chance to deal with the
Spaniards and .Ethe Spanish partisans as
they see fit Tho fact also that the Wey-
lerites in Cuba would perhaps welcome
intervention is also good reason why
the Cuban in arms does not want it.
TROOPS ON THE MOVE.
Chicago, March 12-Quartermaster
General Lee of the department. of the
lakes, is making arrangements to trans
port the artillery now at the forts in the
West of the Atlantic seaboard and Gulf
of Mexico. Today the West railroads
having headquarters in Chicago and St.
Louis and other Western cities, were in |
vited to telegraph by noon on the 18th |
instant proposals for the transportation |
of a battery from Fort Riley, Kansas, to |
Fort Monroe Va, another from Fort |
Riley, Kas., to New Orleans, and third
from Fort Riley to Savannah, Ga. Each