The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-02
HIS RECOMMEN MENDATlONS
THEY GIVE A GENERAL OUTLINE
OF POLICY CONTEMPLATED.
DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME IN CUBA
The Secretary's Recommendations are for APP
priaiions Aggregating S3,I0R000--The
Facts and Figures are Gotten up
BY Chief Engineer Ludlow.

by ChIet Engineer Ludlow,
Washington, June LIN significant
recommendations submitted to congress
today Secretary Alger, through the
medium of letter accompanying his
recommendations outlines in a general
way the steps contemplated in the cam
paign against Cuba. Porto Rico and the
Philippines. The letter is from Chief
Engineer Ludlow, who makes the inn
portant statement that it is now pro-
posed to forward to Cuba an army of
invasion to be composed of $4,000 or
10000 troops. to be followed as rapidly
as practicable by $4,000 more. The sec
retary's recommendations are for appr0-
priations aggregating SO 101 600 One
recommendation is for $2,562 900 of de-
tciency in the appropriation for
gun and mortar batteries required for
the use of the department to remain
available until expended. This amount
is needed to provide emplacements for
carriages of high power and rapid fire
guns to be procured by the ordnance de-
partnlent with the funds already appro-
printed 4 second one is for S195,000
for the establishment and maintenance
Of special electrical communication in
connection with the army in Cuba, Por-
to Rico and the Philippine Inlands."
Then follows a significant recommen-
dation for $4,000 for an expeditionary
force to Cuba, required by the war de-
partinent for immediate use
f'b4, ifa1t,S l. foIIast-e,. Tfof. f,.,cItil3
cry and equipment for the construction
and repair of roads, $25,000: construc-
tion and equipment of military railroads,
$4,000; additional intrenching tools,
electrical appliances, Photographic and
Topographic outfits, instruments, maps
and manuals, and for special and tech
nical services. $4,000. Contingencies
involving immediate expenditure of inn
perative urgency that cannot be speci-
fed in advance to be expended under
the direction Of major general command
ing the army, $4,000"
The letter outlining the eXpeditionaIy
project against Cuba is written by Gen
eral Ludlow, whose special engineering
services were availed Of by Secretary
Alger TO outline what was needed. 1t
is dated May % was forwarded by See
retary Alger and says:
Referring to my letter OF April 26,
covering the project with items for estab-
lishment in Cuba Of an eXpeditionary
force Of from 5000 to 5000 men. | in
yitc attention to the following
Provisional items for this purpose
amounted to S130.034. which have been
approved and made eXpendible under the
immediate direction of the major general
commanding the army deficiency account
approved May 4, 1893. This did not
include several items that while import
ant, could temporarily be omitted on the
suppositon that no immediate move
ment would be made. Furthermore the
project for transfer to Cuba of an cXpe-
dictionary force has been materially modi-
fed in that instead of an assumed force
Of 5000 for the establishment of a depot
and base of supplies it is now proposed
10000 troops to he followed as rapidly as
practicable by 10000 more. 1t is there
fore necessary to make provision for the
the greatly augmented scale on which
the expedition is to be equipped and for
it's forward movement in the direction of
Cuba"
General Ludlow says for obvious rea-
sons the plans in detail cannot be given
but in general way they can be out
lined. The general nature of these en-
gineering 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 he anticipated as at
fecting the time and means required for
transportation in order not to delay
and imperil health There
are few Regularly built roads in Cuba,
the principal ones being west of Ha-
vana 1t is not likely that these roads
have been kept in repair, and it is quite
certain that others must be constructed
and maintained. This will require road
making machinery as economizing the
labor Of troops and leaving them free
for the purely military work, for which
the numbers in question will not be
more than sufficient to equal the enemy.
In addition special means of transpOrta
tion will be necessary and portable
, feet gauge railroads must be provided
both on the established lines and along
such additional and connecting lines as
may he feasible and eXpedient.
For railways there should not he less
than thirty miles Of track and suitable
eonipment which may be estimated at
S.. 900 per mile for track and $1,000 per
mile for equipment. The total of this
item. therefore is $225,000 Three out
fits of road-making machines including
rock ouarrying and crushing apparatus,
road-rollers. ditchers and graders, will
cost nj least $4,000 each-say S25,000. |
In addition there should be an additional
allowance of say 100000 for electric |
lights, dynamite and torpedo appliances,