Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-03-05

commanders OF the new regiments will be
Lieutenant Colonels L. s. Willister and Will
liam Sinclair, who will be promoted to the
grade Of colonel as soon as the bill becomes
law.
WILLETTS POINT, n. Y. March 4
Orders received from General Wilson, chief
OF the engineering corps OF the army direct
that the officers and men be drilled daily
In torpedo practice and the laying OF sub
marine mines or stationary torpedoes. Fol-
lowing, AS these orders did, the receipt OF
the electric cable. it at once became obvious
to the officers that sharp work is soon ey-
pected. Several officers from each Of the
western posts have been detailed to report
here to take advantage ofthe drill. Genera!
Wilson 5 purpose Is to have q corps OF officers
competent to mine any given area OF water in
the shortest possible time. The drills here
have already demonstr rated that the soundbe-
tween fort Schuyler and Willets point, a dis
tance Of mile, can be mined in four hours.
The same kind of work is expected to be
performed rs expeditiously at any point on
the Atlantic or gull coasts. General Will
sons plans contemplate the mining OF the
Cuban coast at all points where Spanish ves-
sells would be likely to disembark troops.
The western officers as soon as made pro-
llcient in placing torpedOes AMI submarine
mines, will be detailed to Boston, Philalel-
phia, Norfolk. Savannah, Charlestown. Fer
nandina, Jacksonville, Key West and other
minor points. The eastern gateway to Long
Island sound Is being fortified with the utmost
energy. The main ship channel lies between
strait four miles across. Shallow water
exists midway between these points and
the ship channel, divided, passing around
this bar. This fact brings the two chan
nels within easy range Of guns placed
on Fishers or Little Gull islands. Every
other approach to Long sland sound
is unsafe for "a man-o..-war. and
by II few stone-laden hulks and torpedoes.
At this moment 400 men are working day
and night on the nearly com pleted batteries
on Little Gull island. Within u week several
thousand men will be throwing up earth
works on the western end Of Fishers island.
behind which Il complete battery Of disap-
pearinS guns of long-range will be placed.
AUGUSTA, Me-. March mo one who is
ut all acquainted with the situation doubts
that the officers OF the national guard
of this state have received orders to
see that their men and equipments
are in good condition to respond to
II call ut any time. The captains OF
the two regiments have received an
order which instructs each to inform
hiGlself "of the place OF business and
Ger and private, and arrange condi-
tions by which they may be assem-
bled in the armories In the least pos
sible time In case there should be
need" and the captains are also instructed
il they are to leave their stations for any
length Of time, to place their companies In
the charge Of those next In command and to
direct them to receive and act upon all off,
cial communications, and to regard such
communications us strictly confidential and
not to be discussed except by commissioned
officers. The commanding officers have also
been instructed to hold as many extra
drills rs possible, and strive In every
way to put their companies In the best pos
sible condition. Many OF the companies OF
the state have already perfected a signal
system. both for u public call at any time and
for Il secret assembly Of the commands. Both
regiments have orders to see that every
company has enrolled Its full complement
OF men and officers.
WASHINGTON, ID. G., March 4-Repre.
sentative Bromwell, Republican, of Ohio.
has introduced In the House resolution au.
thorizing the secretary OF the navy to secure
options upon such battleship s cruisers rams,
torpedo bonts or other forms OF naval ves-
sells rs In his Judgment are necessary to place
the naval strength of the country upon Il
proper footing for Immediate hostilities with
any foreign power with VIII CHI the same may
be threatening,an npprOpriating 800, 0OO, 900
for this purpose. The resolution was re.
ferred to the naval committee.
WASHINGTON. ID. c., March 4-The
naval affairs committee has agreed on items
Of u ,000. 600 for the purchase of smOkeless
powder. so, 600 for the erection Of buildings
ON government ground for tho nufacture
Of smokelcss powder. with the necessary
machinery and equipment, and 100000
for armins and equipping the naval militia.
The latter item is an increase Oslo, 900 over
the estimates Of Secretary Long, and pro-
videS for the arms, Announcements, signal
outfits, boats and their equipments and the
printing of the necessary books of instruc-
tion for the naval militia of the several
states. under navy department regulations.
The item for the purchase OF smokeless
powder Is identical with the estimates. Sew
eral other items of less Importance also were
passed on.
WASH lNGTON, ID. C., March If Spain
should reject our further offers Of media
tion it is believed that our government
would recognize the independence Of Cuba.
1t is the general understanding that this
would follow the failure of the pending ne
gotiations with Spain, and prevent the rec
ognitiOn OF belltgerenoy by Congress, and
therefore made it perfectly safe for the nd
ministration to send in the consular reports
showing the condition Of affairs in Cuba,
without fear Of congressional Interior
ence with its attempts to settle the
matter. 1t Is felt that 1t is now recognized
in Congress that the day for the recognition
of bolligcrency has passed. and that II we
are not able to end the matter in any other
way, we must proceed to the recognition Of
the Independence of Cuba. The serious con-
sequences that follow from such an act are
giving the administration more concern than
anything else ut this time. The president
and members OF his cabinet and the
leading Republicans OF the two houses are
discussing daily, with earnest Interest, the
question of what our government shall do
when 1t stands-as they anticipate as soon
as the Maine incident Is terminated peace
ably-face to face with the larger Cuban
question. They regard this as the real crisis
and are very DESTROYS to reach some conclu-
sion that will bring about peaceful and
satisfactory issue.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 4-The pre-
sijent and his advisers expect the report
from the board Of inquiry within two weeks.
There is no disposition to unduly delayit.
HAVANA. via Key West, Fla, March A.
"Only one thing remains to be discovered,
who did it?' This is the remark made by
man whose pOSltlOn entities MIN 10 KNOW
VIII ether the evidence taken by the court of
inquiry points to the destruction Of the Maine
by a submarine Spanish mine or by an in
ternal explosion. That the Maine was de-
stroyed by a mine Is certain. Whether it
was the result OF plot in which the govern
ment officials were concerned or the work
of some irresponsible individual remains tc
be discovered. Probably the truth will never
be known.
In the Interest of Humanity.
WASHINGTON, d. G., March 4--Secretary
Long has decided to send a naval vessel &c
Cuba ut once with 40 or so tons Of provisions
for the relief OF the suffering reconcentra-
does. 1t is said IN emergency exists which
makes 1t necessary to dispatch provisions al
once In order to succor the starving. The
Montgomery will take supplies to Matanzas
and the Nashville supplies to Sagus la
Grande. The vessels will not stop In Cuban
waters, but will return Immediately after
delivering their supplies. which were fur
nished by the New York Cuban relief COM
mittee.