Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-28
Of the As1andria Gazette.I
WASHINGTON. April 2S.

Tuesday. Congressman Hay will al
tend it, and some of the other Virginia
are talking about going
with MIN. -,
Congressman Yost of Virginia will
try to have included in the war tax bill
q provision to put tax of ten per cent.
on Pullman Car tickets.
Agents of the proprietor8 OF sevsral
Virginia mineral waters are here to-day,
trying to have the tax on such waters
imposed by the new tax bill, removed.
They say that unless it be, the ousi-
ness in such waters will be broken up
almost entirely.
Senator Daniel called at the War De
nartment this morning in the interest
Of the establishment of camp at
Richmond for the drilling CT from
twenty to thirty thousand new soldiers,
and saws he thinks the proposition Will
be favorably considered. De also
talked about the proposed organization
of ten thousand men who have had the
yellow fever. to 90 to Cuba. He says he
thinks Generals Lee and Wheeler will
DE commissioned as major generals OF
volunteers, and that while the formers
appointment will tend to restrict the
nunber of Virginis's brigadiers, ne Is
inclined to believe that she will get al
least one of them. There are three
military Vrginians spoken OF for brig
adierships. he says, Generals Male,
Rosser and Groner, but he has no idea
who, if any of them, will be appointed
II is stated in the House to-day that
the Brown-Swanson contested election
case from Virginia will be called up on
Wednesday next. 1t is we'll known
that some republicans will vote that
Mr.. Swanson shall retain his seat, but
there is still some donbt as to whether
there will be enough OF them to effect
that object.
L. W. Cox, OF Charlottesville, VIZ
ginia, proposes TO raisA n 60 company
for the Spaniel war. At the War De
partnent, when Col. R. @. Marshall'i
proposition to raise negro brigade Wa:
discussed, it was stated that, under
existing laws, such thing would be
impossible, though General Miles sale
if his advice on the subject were asked
ne would recommend it heartily.
Secretary Long says he has no re-
ports whatever of any bombardment o
Matanzas. 4 member of the strategy
board says he is sure Sampson made
no attempt to reduce batteries: that i
would be useless until troops were
ready to occupy the place. The strategy
board believes the only purpose O
Sampson was to draw the fire of Ma
tauzas batteries and learn their mum
Der and strength. So far as could bt
learned the administration were no
notified ofthe bombardment of Matan
zas this morning, though the Navy
Department keeps full-hedged tele
graph Office open in the building al
night and confidential officer remains
at the department all night to TRANSMIT
the messages as received. Officials O
the Navy Department reply with {
smile of discredit to the frequent sug
gestions that come through the news
papers of wholesale lombard ment o
the Cuban coast by Admiral Sampson
The apparent lack of any sufficient
purpose and the very poor strategy TO-
volved in any such action is said to be
sufficient to disms IS ct once any such
stories as mere pigments ofimagination
indeed there is no intention on the
part of the government to lombard
any Cuban ports at present, if at all
aud certainly no such move will be
made until the fleet is reinforced by
the transports carrying troops enough
to hold any advantageous positions
ashore that it might win.
The surgeon general OF the army
has issued the following cir
cular: No appointments are made
in the regular army except af-
ter examination by an army medi-
cal examining board, and ell APP
plicants must be graduates in medi-
cine and less than % years Of age.
The surgeon general of the army has
nothing to do with the appointment
of medical officers for the volunteer
army. Comparatively few contract
surgeons (acting assistant surgeons are
likely to be required, and it is the in
tention to employ for service with
troops going to Cuba or at hospitals on
the Gulf coast only such as are i'm
mune to yellow fever. All applica-
tons and offers of service will be
placed on file for future reference, and
for selection of the most available per-
sons for the special duty required, in
case of need. No female nurses will be
sent to Cuba or to hospitals on the
Gulf coast, and it appears probable, at
present, that there will be no necessity
for the employment of trained. female
nurses. All applications will, how
ever, be placed on file for future refer
ence in case Of need.
Senator Platt saw the President to.
day in behalf of General Stewart l..
Woodford and Colonel Fred D. Grant,
both OF whom desire commissions in
the volunteer army. The President is
understood to have practically promis-
ed to give Gen. Woodford a commits.
sion as major general and Col. Grant
commission as brigadier.
Hon. Melyin Grgsby, attorney gen.
eral OF South Dakota, has been ap.
pointed to command one of the cowboy
regiments authorized by the volunteer
army bill.
When the vote is taken upon the war
bill in the House there will be
a split on the democratic side. The
solid democratic vote will be cast for
the amendment to strike out the bond
provision and insert in lieu thereof the
PROVISION for al income tax. Mr.. Bal
ey and the msiority OF the democrats
are determined to stick out to the last
against any bond authorization because