The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13
MANNING LOCAL DEFENCES
8 Err OF hRTILL ERTMEN TO
THE HOOK PUT OFF TO MONDAY.

-
Ges. Merritt Does Not Regard tho Situation
ne saualy-uisht ne Sent TO Cuba n the
u.ited states Array Lands ~There-Thinhs
That as. o Men would he a-PientS.
BY a change in orders made yesterday the
garrison at Sandy Hook. when the transfer OF
troops shall nave been completed. will DO In
creased by 400 mon instead OF by 800. as was frst
contemplated. Tho blowing acquisitions OF
men have been made: Two batteries from Fort
Slocum, David's Island; ono battery from Fort
Wordsworth, and one from Fort Hamilton. In
the original order no requisition for men was 10
be mado on Fort Hamilton. The first transfer
Of men to the Hook will be made from Fort
Hamilton and Fort wadsworth on Monday
morning Mt IL O'Clock. The Government tug
General Meigs will be used to make the trans
fers. The transfers will he made from Fort
6locum as soon thereafter rs possible.
The transfer Of the troops will DO In charge OF
the Deputy Quartermastor Of tho Department
Of the East, Lieut..Col. A. s. Kimball, On one
trip the tug will be able TO carry one battery,
with tho tents and other equipment. In speak
ing Of the transfers Liout-Coi. Kimball, In
answer to a question, said that no passes would
be issued for visits OF persons not connected
with tho army to Sandy Hook.
at has been the custom heretofore" he said.
'to allow persons known to tho officers of this
0OpuEt ulUht Z " ACt tHS ~
and passes to such persons have beon issued.
1 have issued such passes. Now. however, l
would decline to issue q pass to any ono. From
this time on, so far as I am concerned, the rule
which has always prevailed in the War Depart
mont, to allow no one to visit the reservation
will be strictly inforced."
On this head Con. Merritt said:
81 shall be obliged 10 refuse all applicants for
passes. There is q division Of authority at tho
fIook Dart pf tho raaeryptiOn in under tho
under The, Infantry, Holders Of passes have
heretofore had trouble down there, owing to tho
e eshesf brS am haH Of The service to honor the pass.
ANY one who may now wish to visit tho reser-
walton can only do 30 ON u pass from the Secre-
to A the East, Gen. Merritt raid: Il have not
stated that all troops to be seht from the West
will rendezvous at Governors Island; have
has come to mo through the newspapers, that
there is TO be a movement OF troops from Went-
movement is made, 1t is quite probable that the
troops assigned to posts IN this vicinity, would
we could accommodate about ~, 900 troops at
Governors Island. The troops that l have Gl,
command of Lieut. Col. McCrea, now stationed
at Fort SlOcum and recently promoted, from
already there. viii number about425 men. They
will live in army tents until the quarters at Fort
hanCOCk, u b ohuuy j hnONh III IL v
Department, are completed. This will not DO
until early In July. Aside from emergency
questions, this number of mon was needed at
Fort Hancock to take care OF the guns properly.
"when will the work OF connecting tho har-
Dor Qualifications by telegraph begin Gen.
"Esrly next week" was the answer. "a cable
will be laid from Governors Island to Sandy
Hook, and from there and connecting with this
worth, Lafayette and Hamilton. Direct cables
viii also he laid from these forts to Governors
Island. We shall use tho land wires for connec-
Willets Point. Similar connections will also be
made in the near future with the forts around
Boston. Gen. Merritt's attention was called to
the fact that he had been mentioned as the per-
son to whom would be given command Of the
army of invasion should one be sent to Cuba.
"Ibnve seen such a story in the papers" the
tue story is true. I am the ranking officer of the
@. ~, next to tho commanding General, and 1t
" wG fors. not SSo 20 dn one by s seat t ReSIa BIZ bs ofIe or saf fa
me. II 1t were ! should accept it."
How many men do you think it would BIO
"oh, Is. 900 or 10000"
other day" remarked the reporter, that an
considered. should consist of 100000 mon at
Least"
Cuba, in warm weather especially. However,
with 25. 900 men. ] think I could alphabetically
s sban sSfs, TX 7 fIhln Sk'l Il Ssll iRsrsst'd lis sG %e wer mo ae'
commission themselves. I don't think they
w9 SWei ne General sps s whst DC So On P Phink of tb Su sIsu.
alton Does It look squallyr
D." don't think So was the answer. II can't
mont wants war. What the Spanish populace
Eili have War II the spanish Ministry can hold
the Spanish people in check
"