The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-28

discuss with Captain o'Neill. Chief OF
ordnance, the feasibility of using that
novel craft in an attack upon the Span
ish squadron at Santiago, II the vessels
are still there. The officials are sup
posed to receive In kindly spirit any
suggestion that might prove to be val
liable in this line. and they will talk with
Mr.. Holland over the details Of his
scheme. probably on the basis Of COM
pensation to be paid to him for each
Spanish vessel destroyed.
The military situation, as at present
determined upon by those in authority.
is to make no forward movement Of
troops either upon Port Rico or Cuba
until definite information is received.
The interval prior to an aggressive move
ment will be employed in seasoning the
men. For the last few days army cir
cles have shared the public belief that
the Spanish ships were trapped. and that
has given impetus to arrangements by
which large bodies of troops at Chick
amauga and elsewhere might be moved
forward rapidly to Tampa for embar-
kation. The presence of 80 or more
transports In Florida waters added to
the conviction that a movement on a
large scale was about to occur. All this
has been going on with the understand
ing that Admiral Cervera's career as
a possible menace In the rear Of our
troops had been cut of by his being Sc
curely held within Santiago harbor: but
in the absence of positive information on
this point. IT is authoritatively stated
that there is no purpose on the part Of the
war department to make an aggressive
movement on Cuba or Porto Rico.
An important phase OF the military
program Is the war departments de-
cision not to take UP the details OF or
ganizing the new force Of $1,000 volun-
teers for at least week or 10 days. No
conclusion has been reached as to wheth-
er a portion of the volunteers will be
used to recruit the regiments still re-
naming untitled under the first call for
i25. 600.
One of the main purposes of issuing
the second call was to establish a second
reserve, made up Of men who could be
drilled and equipped at leisure and
called upon some months hence IL cir
cumstances required but II 10000 OF
them are put at once into the regiments
OF the first call. they will go to the front.
and the second reserve will be reduced to
about $4,000 men. or little more than
one army corps.
The department Is anxious to obtain
the views of the governors OF the states
and territories In regard to filling to
their maximum strength the regiments
already furnished by them under the
first call OF the president. Adjutant
General Corbin has sent kilograms ask
ing several governors to make recon-
mendations to the department on this
subject.
A number Of minor points coming up
constantly in relation TO the second call
for volunteers are being passed upon in
a general way at this time. For instance
the question arose as to whether colored
officers. as well as colored troops. would
be taken as a part of the organizations
offered. General Alger decided that IL
a colored company had efficient colored
officers they were as much entitled to
recognition and acceptance in the mill
tary service as were the troops them
selves. He made this known in a dis
patch to the governor Of Indiana, who
had asked for information, and he stated
the same thing TO Representative Hull
OF Iowa. who has an organization of
colored men with colored officers in his
district. II has also developed that
colored men are being considered for
some of the staff appointments. and the
surgeon general of the army has ac-
cepted a colored man as surgeon, with
the rank of captain. The colored sur
geon will be assigned to a colored regi-
ment. and colored troops and colored
officers will be kept together as far as
possible.