The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-20
VAL UNTEER ARMY NOT IN TRIM
nr1AY IN INVASION OF CUBA UN-
AVOIDABLE.

,,..,t,ment of the Troops Not on n
,,ur Basis-OmciaIs Prefer That
,,,r should Drag for Six Months
neither Than Court Disaster by
rrematurc NIOvement of the
Troons-AIIeged BOmbardment of
s,utiaeo Probably Only "A FusiIade
81, connection With Cable Cut
ting.
washington. May 19.-With every dispo-
s,ton on the part of the executive to make
tbe present war short, sharp and decisive,
ii is beginning to be realized that the
ssortcomings of our military service are so
rany that the delays are inevitable and
that much work will be necessary TO put
the nation in efficient fighting shape.
Every day brings forth some weak spot
that has to be strengthened or some hid
den defect, such as the discovery at this
ate moment that every regular army Off
Ger who accepted a volunteer appointment
would forfeit his commission in the regu-
lars, and so become liable to be left out
Of the service entirely at the end of the
war Few officers cared to risk their fu-
ture in that way. so a rush was made TO-
ward Congress to secure the necessary
corrective legislation.
Again 1t has been found that the equip
ment of the army, small as 1t is in COM
parison with the great army of the civil
war, is sadly lacking. Nearly a month
after the formal declaration of war the
department to-day purchased number
of shelter tents and it has just secured
the hammocks that experts say are es-
sential to existence in Cuba.
These preparations involve delay, so that
1t is not remarkable that in spite of the
herculean efforts of the officers of the
army no positive start has yet been made
toward its goal by the army of occupa-
ton.
Probably it is this fact rather than any
unreadiness on the part of the navy that
causes the campaign to drag in it's incep-
ton. for the navy department has an
nounced that it stood ready at any mo-
ment to furnish conveys for the troop
transports provided they were started from
one point
To MAINTAIN an army of 100000 men for
six months will cost $S0OOO,OOO, according
60 estimates prepared by Paymaster Cen
eral Stanton, and the leading officials are
beginning to prefer that hostilties may
continue along beyond this period The
reason is the growing conviction on the
part OF some of the officers that they must
not reckon on any substantial assistance
from the Cuban rebels in this campaign.
and moreover must meet the Spaniards in
Cuba in their strongest sphere, the defen-
sve.
Naval authorities are relieved of a good
deal of embarrassment by the consent of
the French authorities at Martinique to
allow the scouting vessel Harvard to re-
main in st. Pierre until her repairs are
completed. 1t was supposed at first that
she would be allowed only seven days stay
ana at end of that time would be forced
out to risk attack at the hands of some
ambushed Spanish cruiser or torpedo boat.
work on the three monitors Mahopac,
Canonicus and Manhattan, at League Is
4ahd' has advanced so far that the de-
partment expects to have them in service
"'thin a week or two. They have been
I+-~N win luDUIOuS DOlIefS IN place
ol the rusted out boilers they have carried
since the war. These monitors will be a
valuable adition to the coast defense ships.
Inc absence of official news of any char
acter Irom the fleets at the navy depart
Hleht to-day gave the widest field for spec
uIatlon, and also accounts for the stories
tiat We're atioat as to the whereabouts
ol the vessels and the imminence Of an
eHsagement The report that came from
MADRID of Che bombardment of Santiago
received some credence in as much as 1t
seemed to show that Gen. Greely, the chief
sI@Hal officer, has set in motion the ma
cHlHeIy OF the navy to carry out his de-
.o'ed purpose of cutting the cables that
uHoia the last connection between Ha-
ana ana the outside world and thus iso-
'"'e Sapt. Gen. Blanco. 1t Is not believed
mat the bombardment amounted to any
tHihg more than this
Judge Advocate General Lemlie to-day
completed the circular defining the chief
characteristics of the sixteen torpedo boat
ueSuoyers and twelve torpedo boats pro-
''"'" Tor by Congress in the present naval
'PI optlatlon bill. The destroyers are to
De Oh larger type than any vessel of that
A'ha we now have in the service, about 400
.'"s' out the torpedo boats will be about
t"e SIZE OF the largest torpedo boat now
4' use namely about $50 tons. Bidders
are left the widest liberty in, the matter
"a "eslSns, but no bid will be considered
"H'eh fails to guarantee a speed of at
le"sI twenty eight knots for destroyers
am twenty-six knots for torpedo boats
-Nol more than eighteen or twelve months
teSpecuvely will be allowed to complete
'''se boats, and shortness of time of con-
sIuciion Will be an important element in
determining the awards. IL
i'e long expected appointments of off,
GERS to the staff of the fourteen new major
generals have been made, so that the way
Is now clear for the entry upon active
uuly OF the officers, who have been obliged
ton.
CNSrrrV n rn.-rrvx,,s