The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-25
AT THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Orders Issued to Artillery POsts-TOur
of Inspection.

WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator Proc
tor, of Vermont, was one of the callers at
the War Department to-day, and spent con-
siderable time with Secretary Alger. Gen.
Wilson, chief of engineers, called in.
II is said their conference related to matters
other than those bearing on the general
Cuban situation. The secretary also saw
for a few minutes a delegation represent
ing business clubs of various Western and
Southern cities. who are anxious to have
Port Arthur, Tex, declared a SUPPORT of
entry.
The remainder of the secretarys time was
taken up completely in conferences with
General Wilson, chief of engineers; General
Flagler, chief of ordnance, and General
Greely, chief signal officer. An incident of
the general plan of preparation for any
emergency that may arise is found in an or
der issued to-day by Adjutant General Cor
bin with the approval of the commanding
general of the army. This order contem-
plates the supply to artillery posts not al
ready having them of various military adj
juncts necessary for proper discharge of
duties that may arise. At all such posts
commanders are to have compiled the best
charts possible for the use of their respect
i've commands, by detail of officers and men
may be on hand or readily obtainable Suit
able base lines are to be laid off, carefully
measured and accurately marked on the
harbor chart. Where no range and position
finders have been installed acquisitions are
to be nude for them, and, while awaiting
their arrival, arrangements will be impro-
vised for position finding. Where electrical
installations have not been made already
Iequlsltions are to be forwarded to the sig
nal department for necessary telephones
and material for connecting battery, base
ends, ETC. AT posts where eight-inch con-
verted rifles and ten and fifIeen-inch
SmOoth-bore guns are already mounted and
bearing upon channels, especially upon the
proposed location of mine fields, post COM
manders are TO place them in as perfect
condition as possible, and where suitable
ammunition Is not on hand acquisitions are
to be made at once upon the ordnance de-
partInent
Senator Hansbrough, of North Dakota at
the War Department introduced to the OFF,
Gals State Senator Little and Captain /. F.
Baker of Bismarck who compose the To-
cal committee appointed to come to WASH
lngton to recommend a change in the loca-
ton of the site of Notifications This post
IS siXty-f1ve mles~south of Bismarck, and
the citizens of the latter city are anxious to
have 1t removed to a site of about $40 acres
within a mile or so from Bismarck This
location has been purchased by the city and
will be presented to the government if the
War Department will remove the fort. Sen
ator Hansbrough says that by changing the
POSl 40 plOpOSSd the government Will save
annually $4,000, now expended for freight
transportation, etc. The officials of the de-
partment promised to give the matter their
early attention
Captain w. P. Duvall, the military aid to
Secretary Ager, left the city tonight for
the South on a tour of inspection. The de-
tai Is regarded as an important one,
Captain Duvall has been director of artillery
practice at the Fortress Monroe, Va school
and was recently ordered to Washington for
special duty in the secretary's office. His
thorough acquaintance with all branches of
the artillery service makes him especially
competent TO determine the needs of the
service and the improvements necessary
TO seacoast fortificationS. The officials de-
cline to make public the itinerary of Capt.
DuvalPs trip, but it is assumed that it will
include many of the cities and forts on the
coast to which 1t might be necessary to send
additional troops and make further inn
proVementS in case of war.
The officials of the Ordnance Bureau of
the War Department already have deter
mined on the manner in which the addition
al $l,0OO,OOO which has just been allotted to
that branch of the service out of the fifty
milion-dollar emergency fund shalls be ex-
pended. Aside from few unimportant
chase of rapid fire guns and ammunition and
carriages for the same. The department is
making an extraordinary effort to secure all
the rapid fire guns 1t possibly can for the
Notifications on the coast and the addition
al allotment made available will assist ma
terially in that direction. The Maxim rapid
fire guns, about twenty or more in number
shipped to the United States at the earliest
practicable moment, and will be distributed
to the points where the greatest necessity
exists for them.