The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-02
DAILY. SO A YEAR
CENTS A copy.
WEEKLY 2-TIM MES-A-WEEK QA YBAn
ROADS TO BE BUILT IN CUBA.
ENGINEERING ESTIMATES FOR THE
INVASION.

Secretary of War Recommends Ap-
Droprintjona Aggregating s3,1O7,-
O0O-First Army Of Invasion 10 Be
Composed of $1,000 TO 10000 Mem
and 10000 More Ia Follow as Soon
Rs PractfcabIe-POrtab Three-
Foot Gunge Railroads to BE Carr
ried.
Washington, June lin significant re-
commendat lions recommended TO Congress
to-day. Secretary Alger through the med
ium of a letter accompanying his recon-
mendations, outlines in a general way the
steps contemplated In the campaigns
against Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines.
The letter is from Chief Engineer Lud-
low, who makes the important statement
that IL IL now proposed 10 forward to-
Cuba an army of invasion to be composed
of 1900 or @,0G9 troops, to be followed az
rapidly as practicable by 5000 more.
The secretarys recommendations ara
for appropriations aggreeating 50, ,1O7. 600.
one recommendation is for $2,562,OOO Of
deficiency in the appropriation for gun
and mortar batteries. required imme-
diately for the use OF the war Department.
to remain available unexpended,"
This amount is needed to provide em~
placements for carriages of high power
and rapid-hre guns to be procured BY the
ordnance department with the funds all
ready appropriated. etc.
A second one is for $4,000, for the es-
Enlistment and maintenance Of special
electrical communication in connections
with the army in Cuba, Porto Rico ana
the Philippine Islands"
Then follows a significant recommends
tion for $4,000 for an expeditionary forca
to Cuba, required by the war department.
for immediate use"
The Items are as follows
For machinery and equipment for tho
construction and repair OF roads, S25 0O0a
construction and equipment of military
railroads, $4,000; additional entrenchinla
tools, electric appliances, Photographic
and topographic outfits, instruments and
maps, manuals, and for special and tech
nlcal services $50,C00; contingencies, in
volvlng immediate expenditure of COM
paratvo urgency that cannot be specified
in advance, to be expended under the di-
rection OF the major general commanding
the army, $50. coo"
The letter outlining the expeditionary
project against Cuba Is written by Gen.
Ludlow, whose special engineering SER
vices were availed OF by Secretary Alger
TO outline what was needed II Is dated
May %, was forwarded by Secretarw
Alger and says: referring to my letter
of April 90 covering the project with es-
Inmates FOR the establishment In Cuba oe
an expeditonary force of from 5000 to
5000 men. invite attention TO the follow
ing
provisional estimates for this purpose
"a al "a t4r,f hot
proved and made expendible under the inn
mediate direction of the major General
commanding the army in the deficiency
act approved May T. 1898.
This did not include several items that.
while important, could temporarily be-
omitted on the suppositlon that no imme-
date movement would be made Further
more the project for transfer to Cuba of ans
expeditionary force has been materially
modified In that instead OF an assumed
force Of 5000 for the establishment of ai
depot and base of supplies IL Is now pro-
posed 10000 troops to be followed as rapid
ly as practice bic by $1,000 more. II is.
therefore, necessary to make provision for
the greatly augmented scale on which ths
expedition is 20 be equipped and for it's for
ward movement IN the direction of Cuba.'s
Gen. Ludlow says for obvious reasons
the plans in detail cannot be given bus
that in a general way they can be outlln-
ed. The general nature of these engineers
ing provisions, however, may be clearly
indicated, and In fact estimated for I'm
the ensuing campaign account must be-
taken Of the fact that the rainy season.
in Cuba covers the summer months. and
must be anticipated as affecting the time
and means required for transportation sn
order not to delay movements and imperli
health. There are few regularly builr
roads in Cuba, the principal ones being
westward Of Havana.
II Is not likely that these roads have
been kept In repair and II Is quite certain
that others must be constructed and MAIN
tained. This will require road-making ma.
chinery, as economizing the labor Oe
troops and leaving them free for the pure
ly military work, for which the numbers
I'm question will not be more than suffi-
cient 10 equal the enemy.
I'm addition special means OF transpor-
taton will be necessary and portabla
three feet gauge railroads must be pro-
Vided both on the established lines ard
along such additional and connecting llnes
as may be feasible and expedlent
For railways there should not be less
than thirty miles of track and sultable
equipment, which may be estimated at
S5 00o per mile for track and $500 per
mile for equipment The total of this
item, therefore, is S225,0O0
Three outfits of road-making machines
including rock quarrying and crushing ap-
paratus road rollers, ditchers and grad
ers will cost at $500 each, say S25 COO.
In addition there should be additional all
lowauce of 10000 for electric Hghts, dy-
Mantle and torpedo appliances. etc.. in
cludlng employment of scouts, spies, etc.s
GORDON'S ASSIGNMENT.