The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-25

Alger conferred in the afternoon respect
ing arrangements for calling on the
governors of state and territories for the
quota of troops they are to furnish under
the Presidents proclamation asking for
1876, 900 men. The number of men in each
branch of the service, viz:
Infantry, cavalry and artillery, remains
to be settled, besides many other matters
of detail,
In the State, mfr and EAvy depart
ments, many Of the officials were at their
desks directing the execution of policies
heretofore determined upon Neither
Secretary Alger nor Secretary Long was
on hand, but Assistant Secretary Meikel-
john and Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
were on duty for several hours. Mr..
Meikeljohn has already received long
number of applications from newspapers
to permit their representatives to accom-
pany the army, but as stated in the circu-
lar issued yesterday thenumber to be ac-
corded the privilege Willabe limited. The
Assistant Secretary is busily engaged in
supervising the general preparations for
the transportation of the troops overland
and also TO Cuba, for which large num-
ber of vessels will be chartered. In the
quartermaster' office nearly the whole
clerical force was on hand. The de tails
are far from complete, but Quartermaster
Ludington believes everything Will be
in readiness by the time the troops are
ready to move. 1t may be that the rail
road arrangements for the transfer of the
troops overland will be loft to the imme-
diate charge of the quartermasters of the
various army departments who are fully
acquainted with the facilities at hand for
doing this work. Some understanding
! with the railroads on the basis OF uniform
| rates of travel, will be arranged if possible
so that the soldiers may be sent by the
shortest possible route with the last
charge to the government. Questions of
equipments of the troops with the uni
| forms and tents are also to be settled,
though many of the state organizations
are prepared in this respect. The depart
| ment has q number of branches in which
| tents uniforms, etc., are manufactured,
but it viii be compelled to call on tho
services of outside firms to meet the
present demands.
| General Miles was at his offics in the
| War Department for some time. in con-
| ference with his staff officers. Anticipat.
| ing service in the field, the General has
| had manufactured several hundred SABRE
taches or officers dispatch cases which are
| in use among the European armies.
These are manufactured of leather, are
about nine inches square and can be at
atched to the belt around the officers
waist. With them is a fairly good sized
| isinglass map case, by which an officer
may always have at band an outline OF
| the country he is traversing.
1t is said at the Navy Department that
all the naval militia which will be used
in the deep sea patrol have been already
ordered to them. Those remaining will
be utilized in manning the signal
stations along the coast and the vessels OF
the close shore auxiliary fleet.
Commander Richardson Glover expects
that the gunboat Bancroft which he is
to command and which is now undergo
ing repairs at Boston will sail for Norfolk
in a few days to take ON her ammunition
The probabilities are that the vessels
| then will be sent to join Admiral Ssmp-
| son S fleet
1t is said to be definitely settled that
captain Albert S. Barker, member OF
the joint army and navy defense plan
board. will command the protected
cruiser Newark, nowss fitting out at Nor
iolk. She will be rsady for service some
time in May.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt today an
nounced that the government had pur-
chased the steam yacht Allen for the
auxiliary navy.
This vessel like so many others that
nave been acquired is of light draught