The Saint Paul globe., 1898-04-17

WASHINGTON, April 16.-Secretary
| Alger, in reply to a specific inquiry on
the subject, said today that no call on
| the militia Of the several states will be
made by the president until congress
passes a resolution of Intervention.
This authoritative statement dispos-
es of the rumors that have been per-
sistently circulated during the past
few days that a call of this kind will
be made within a certain specified
| time.
The action thus far taken by the gov
ernment in the matter of troops has
been confined entirely to the issue Of
orders for the concentration of the reg
| ular army in the South
| Four or five days will elapse before
Gen. Miles will start South to take ac-
! tive command of the army in the field.
| The expectation is that he will take
with him his personal staff. as follows:
Lieut.. Col. J. c. Gilmore, adjutant gen
eral Capt. Micheler, of the Fifth cav
airy; Capt M. p. Maus, First infantry;
| Capt. Edward Davis, Third artillery
| and Chief Clerk j. B. Morton, of the
| generals office.
| Gen Wilson, chief of the engineers,
| is making arrangements to have a
| pontoon or bridge train at the disposal
/ of the army to facilitate the move
| ments of the troops on the march, and
| it is probable a train of this character
will form part Of the army on it's way
| to the various rendezvous on the South
| ern coasts.
| All of the officers attached to the
artillery school at Fort Monroe, Va
and also the officers on duty al colleges
and institutions of learning as profess
orS of military tactics and instruction
have been ordered to join their regi-
| ments.
Gen. Miles said this afternoon that
| the movements Of troops to the South
ordered yesterday, will not begin until
Monday morning at the earliest. There
| was no special occasion for haste in the
| matter, he said, and there were also
certain formalities to be observed in
arranging with the railroad companies
for their transportation.
Although no definite information on
that point could be obtained this after
noon, it is said that the Sixth cavalry
at Fort Meyer, and the Fourth artillery
| at Washington barracks will hardly
start on their journey South before
Monday evening or Tuesday morning
next.
An important conference was held
this afternoon in the office of the sec
retary of war, the purpose of which
was to perfect arrangements for the
use of the national guard of the states
and territories in the national Defense
in case 1T becomes necessary to rein
force the regular army. There were
present: Secretary Alger, Gen. Miles,
Adjt. Gen. Corbin, Col. Wagner, Of the
military bureau of information; Repre-
sentative Hull, chairman of the house
military committee, and the adjutant
generals Of the national guard organi-
cations in nearly every state and terri
tory in the Union.
1t was announced at the navy de-
partment there was no present neces-
sity for the assignment of naval ves-
sells for transportation of troops to
Cuba, in the event that such a step
was determined upon. 1t was explain
ed that the war department would have
entire charge and direction of the
transfer of troops by land and water,
and that it is now engaged in making
complete preparations for the charter
Of steam vessels for use in transport
ing the military to Cuba in the event
that such movement is ordered by
the president
The only part that the navy would
send a suitable fleet Of war ships alons
with the expedition for it's protection
and safe conduct.
The general understanding among
military and naval officials is that the
army and navy, when the proper time
arrives, will make a joint demonstra-
tion in great force against the Spanish
capital in Cuba. and that smaller ex-
petitions will be organized for the pur-
pose Of landing troops at Matanzas
Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos and
other points on the island, with view
to the capture or surrender of the
Spanish army and the establishment Of
a single government in Cuba