The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-14
GREAT ACTIVITY.
The Buying of New Warships-Talk of
 MDbiIizing Troops

GREAT ACTITITY.
 The Buying of New Warships-Tallx of
 MobiIizing Troops.
 Washington, April 13.-Thcre was greater activity in both the war and navy departments to-day than has been the case for over week past, and everything tended to indicate the gen. eral belief that hostilities with Spain will not be postponed many days. Probably the most significant action of the navy department was instruct- ing the naval auxiliary board at New York to immediately purchase the ocean grayhounds St. Paul and St. Louis of the American line. Orders were issued to purchase another first class auxiliary cruiser, probably the Yorktown of the Old Dominion line and to purchase the Brazilian cruiser Nich- theroy. The last named vessel is about to be inspected and the result will de- termine the question of her acquire ment by the navy. The purchase of the St. Louis and St. Paul is probably the most expensive transactions con- summated by the navy department since the beginning of the war excite ment. The amount paid for them is known to be about $3,000000. The St. Paul left Southampton on the ninth instant and is due in New York on the fifteenth instant. The St. Louis is at the English port and the date of her E.. r and St. Paul will be sent to Cramps shipyard, where they were constructed, to be fitted out as auxiliary cruisers.s With rush work the vessels will be in readiness for service in about thirty days.
 The Yorktown is a vessel of 2,20O tons and is said not to be in an entirely satisfactory condition, and this is de- laying the purchase.
 Captain Sigsbee, the hero of the Maine, and Captain Chadrick of the naval war college, have been practice ally agreed upon by the navy depart ment as the two officers to take conn mand of the St. Louis and St. Paul
 Another significant event at the navy department to-day was a secret cons ference between Consul General Lee and the naval strategic board, conn posed of Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, Rear Admiral Walker, retired, Cap- tain Goodrich of the naval war college. Commanded Clover and Captain Crowninshield, chief of the bureau of navigation. General Lee was ques- toned in detail as to the armament of the forts at Havana harbor, the loca- tion and strength of the land batteries and other points of military import ance which he had knowledge of. The conference discussed thoroughly the entire question of offensive and defen- sive movements in the neighborhood of Cuba in the light of valuable informa- ton which General Lee imparted.
 Complete arrangements have been made for the immediate mobilization of practically the entire military force of the government at the Chickamauga National park at the first signs of trou-' ble. It is expected that in case of ne- cessity a call will be issued for About 40,000 troops, preferably from the na- tional guard of the different states and territories. If the war policy conte1n- plates the invasion of Cuba the army may be increased to 0,000 men. Of this the regular troops and the na- tional guardsmen will aggregate about 55,000 men, and the remainder will be made up of volunteers. Tn the event of a call upon the national guard att. tention will be directed first to the or ganizations in the state of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio and the Dis- trict Of Co111nhia
 General Miles plan is to mobilize seventeen of the twenty-five regiments of infantry and five of the ten regi- ments of cavalry at the Chickamauga National park as speedily as possible. General Flagler, chief Of the ordnance department, is bending every effort to- wards supplying the seacoast fortifi- cations with rapid-fire and other for- midable guns, and the engineer bureau is constructing various works of de- fence and building emplacements for the guns. General Flagler had anoth- CT consultation with the secretary of war to-day for the purpose of obtain ing an additional allotment of money from the emergency fund for rapid-fire and field artillery guns and for ammu- nition for the same.