Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-17
FEW ACTUAL EVENTS
Dearth of War News In
Washington.
NO WORD FROM SAMPSON
"en' RAJ Skaters Troops Expected =,
Hench Santiago Som, TIN. To-day.
Feserinh activity at the
90 War Dcpar, ,ncn,

-
| WASHINGTON, June IG.-In tho WAY,
Oh actual events there was little to
| record today; no word came from
sampson at Santiago Or from Dewey
~ Manll;,. TniS absence ot uui,,n:,iy.
| new from the respective seats ol war
S@fS iiSe 10 no apprehension. The
! t"lei'iS are resting secure III the hn
| 'iel lil;tt the marines ut l;,,an,au,,,.
| -" easily maintain themselves unru
cue troops arrive and the worst thar
,'hl pe feared ut Manila is not harm, IN
wc"eS. but To Spnni;.rds in the. CITY
- oiileiills ol the War Department do
| no. care 20 give out any inforllaiio,,
| as 10 when General Shafter with his
| troops VIII land in Cuba, but from
,e''iiih signs OF reStlcsSneSs exhibited
ns them IL Is evident that they would
~ ne surprised to have some very
Important news within the next TWEEN
ty-four or thrty-siN hours, The naval
| ol':cla's arc confident Sampson will
haNe established Il cable comm,,-
nacatlon within that time so that news
.. inc arrival of the American troops
or Santiago should not longer he a.
laycd than the time required for - die
l'atch boat to make the run ar rnrt,.
l,'les eastward along the coast to the
shores Of Guantanamo harbor. where
the cable will be working under the
marines .. wa
There wns an exhibition of reycrish
actiVitS at the War Department to-
"iS so pronounced as to attract attcn-
tich even In these stirring times. m
was apparent that renewed efforts were
! li'ahlnE TO complete the equipment or
5ttroops already gathered ut the conccn.
trat'on points and that preparations,
are IN progress to move a number of |
troops. So far, however, 1t is stated |
.n,,t no orders have gone out for the
actual movement and what has been |
ard is doing in that direction is mere
~ preparatory. Very likely definite
acton VIII follow n conference which
secretary AiSer Will have with General
Miles, who is expected to arrive here
=. , from Tampa. The General
rs better aware OF the exact state or
htness OF the troops at the southern
rendezvous points than anyone ELS, nj
andsthe President and SecrettarI,ng n
ger. ~ ell probability will haroops. h,
ny what ne has to say IL :ss,,n be la
Frntion OF troops oil the southern zen n
board. the new camp at FernaJsea o.
Fla, will be made ready for .lhdina, e.
ception OF the additional troobhe re- 81
officials have been forehanded a9'he b
this camp, proftng by the experience r.
gained in the establishment of the two
great camps at ChickamauSa ana
Camp Alger.
n'he President has not yet decided +,
what measure of reword shall be me-
ted out To Lieutenant Hobson for his
brave achievement. The men he led
have been taken care of; Secretary
Long attended to that himself because
it WIS g matter entirely within his au-
ti.uritN, and they have been made war
rant officers. the ideal of sailors am
hition Hobson is to be advanced, that
is settled. The department called upon
Sampson for q Recommendation In this
case but in advance of its arrival mad |
about decided to advance Hobson ten
numbers, which would have placed him
Just below Constructor Linnard. when
4 doubt arose as to whether the young
man would not prefer n transfer to the
line His relatives We're consulted.
among them his uncle, Representative
Pearson Of North Carolina. and II |
was decided to allow Hobson to make
his choice as between the line and the
staff Steps accordingly have been
taken to acquaint him with the depart
ment's purpose and ask his pleasure in
the matter.
The Navy Department has sent to
the battleship Massachusetts a COM
plete new breech mechanism for one Of
the 13-inch guns Of that ship. This was
due to a report reaching the depart
nent about a week ago that the breech
Of one of the big guns was out OF order:
The new mechanism Will be delivered
in a day or two and be readily sub
stituted for the old breech
The condition of this 13-inch gun
gave rise to rumors today that the
had suffered rather Sc
verely during the first action off SAN
tiago and that two of the big guns
were disabled and a gunner killed.
There was no basis for the rumor be-
vond the disordered breech mechanism