The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-12


service has received orders to drill
with sixe horses instead of four. Yester-
day Battery Z. First Artillery. Capt.
Capron. at the Arsenal. was drilling with
six horses for each piece and caisson.
To those who understand military laws
and Gus, oms this is peculiarly signifi-
cant for in time of peace no battery
ever. not even in field maneuvers, drills
with more than four horses for each
piece.
Col. Gunther, of the Fourth Artillery,
who is commanding officer at the Arse
nal. said yesterday:
Il can concentrate the forces under
my command at a given point in the de-
Tense of this city at an hours notice"
In anticipation of a rupture between
America and Spain many naval officers
on the retired list have informed the
Secretary OF the Navy OF their willing
ness and readiness to perform any duty
in the line of their profession that he
may deem suitable for them.
Orders were issued at the War Depart
ment yesterday for manning the newly
established Notifications on the Atlantic
coast from Boston down to Galveston,
on the Gulf They include the organiza-
ton OF the two new artillery regi-
ments-numbers Six and Seven-author-
lied by recent act of Congress. The
Sixth Regiment will have its headquar-
tiers al Fort McHenry. Md. Col. Will
iston. just promoted. will have com
mand Of the Sixth Regiment. ard Col.
Sinclair, just promoted. has been as
signed u the command of the Seventh.
General Wilson, chief OF engineers. who
has been in Florida. is expected back to-
morrow to report to Secretary Alger up
on progress of the fertilization works in
that section of the country. and probably
especially TO the defense of TortugaS.
Battery ]. Fifth Artillery Captain l.. II.
Hin. at Fort Hamilton. received orders
yesterday to hold itself in readiness for
an immediate departure for Charleston,
S. g. and 100 rounds Of canister-an un-
proceGented number in the experience of
this hattery-was issued TO the men.
Headquarters Of the Fifth Artillery also
will be transferred TO Charleston.
1t is now admitted by the ordinance
officials that directions have been given
to the various arsenals and armories con-
trolled by the Government to increase the
working force to the fullest practicable
extent. with a view 10 hurrying the COM
pletion Of existing projects Likewise all
firms having contracts to supply the Gov
eminent with ordnance have been re-
quested to work their men night and day
in order to finish the work in hand and
10 arrange their business with a view to
increased orders.
General Greedy. chief signal officer. has
authority from the Secretary Of War to
proceed without regard to ordinary re-
strictions in establishing rapid telegraph
&c connections between the seacoast for
tifications.
Secretary Alger has authorized General
Flogler. the chief of ordnance to make
arrangements at once for procuring a
large number Of rapid-fire guns for sea-
coast defense.
Ever since the battleship Maine was
wrecked in Havana harbor the Ordnance
Department has been fastening the deliv-
cry OF guns already finished and making
arrangements for the supply of addition
al ones.
As was told in The Times this morning
premiums for specially quick delivery of
munitions Of war have been authorized by
the War Department. These premiums in
crease as the time OF making the delivery
is lessened by the contractors.
Every infantry regiment in the service
is being drilled in field maneuvers. and
the hospital corps is being trained care
fully for war.
Yesterday contracts for more than 1.500-
600 projectilcs We're awarded to the fol-
lowing companies: The CARPENTER and
Midvale companies. Of Pennsylvania: the
Hotter company and the Driggs-Sea-
bury company.
An order for u. coo 900 cartridges was di-
vided yesterday between the New Hamp-
shire Cartridge Company. of Lowell
Mass; the Union Metallic Cartridge Com
pany, and the Winchester Repeating
Arms Company. The firms report their
ability to produce the material AT the rate
Of l0C.00G a day.
So clear is it now to all that sharp
work must soon come that the President
himself in a private conversation.
throws aside the mask he has been wear
ing for the last two weeks.
He said to an intimate friend yester
day that the situation is one of gravity,
and that in his opinion. the possibility of
settling the controversy with Spain with
out war was very remote"
He said he had had in his possession for
nearly week full information of the
wanna and that the circumstances are
such as to render peaceful negotiations
exceedingly difficult
He admitted that the War and Navy
Departments are engaged on work in
tended to anticipate the direst result,
and this result he saw little hope of es-
Gaping.
The President Informed this gentleman
that he would send 10 Congress within
the next few days a message which
will convey to the public the findings
Of the Sampson Court of Inquiry.
The President told his visitor that the
Maine was blown up by a submarine
mine. under such conditions as sur
rounded the disaster with all that prom
ised the ''graYest consequences
He also explained that careful plans
l,,.7 ont hrrf
would be manifestly improper subjects
for discussion.
New Haven March 12.-The Connecti-
cut militia has received instructions to
hold itself in readiness for marching or
ders at a moments notice The adju-
tant general has also instructed the COM
manders to recruit to the limit.
Philadelphia, March 12-The coal
barge Edith Howes. that was recently
purchased from Dempsey, Son & CO.. by
the Government was taken from
Cramps shipyards yesterday, after hav-
ing been sheathed with iron plates. She
will carry about 400 tons of coal to Key
West. The barge is 162 feet long. %
feet 10 inches wide. and has a depth of
II feet She has n maximum capacity
of 1000 tons.
Charleston. w Va, March 12-Iieut
Commander Brown, one of the heroes of
the Apia (Samoa) disaster, has been
summoned to the Navy Department in
Washington. He expresses himself as
confident that war with Spain will come.
Willimantic. Conn.,. March 12.-Four
12-inch steel breech-loading mortars,
weighing about fifteen tons each, arriv-
ed here yesterday by rail. The guns
came from Providence. and are consign-
ed to the commanding officer of the
proving grounds, at Sandy Hook. n. J.
Boston. March 12-Lieut. Benjamin