New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-15
VAR DEPARTMENT lSTIR.
PLANS FOR THE EXPEDITIONS TO CUBA
AND MANILA
DATES OF THEIR DEPARTURE UNCERTAIN. BUT

DATES OF THEIR DEPARTURE UNCERTAIN BUT
PREPARATIONS CONTINUE WITH vIGOR.
Washington. May 14-In tho War Depart
meat the day was one Of extraordinary activity.
Arrangements for the expeditions TO Cuba and
the Philippines continued with unabated vgor
Concerning the former The late Of departure
is still uncertain. and will depend on the devel-
opments o. the next few days. This uncertain
~. however In wise interferes with the
preparations for hurryng to Tampa the large
amount of quartermaster's and commissary's
supplies which will be taken to Cuba by the
army of invasion. According 10 the present
plans. many OF the volunteers will be held at
Chickamauga until the date of their embarka-
tion is near at hand. when they will be sent
on to Tampa Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn
to-day chartered the ship Miami as transport
for the Army. The vessel is now at Norfolk
where she Will coal, and will then start for
Tampa.
Major General Merritt who is now at Gov
ernor's Island, In command Of the Department
OF the East and who has been selected for the
Military Governorshp Of the Philippines. is ex-
pected In Washington to receive his instruc-
tons before starting for his post OF duty. Many
Of the troops which to go on this eXpedi-
ton are already their way to San Francisco
and every effort Is being made to have the
others who have been ordered there proceed
rapidly possible. 1t is not believed, how
ever by the officials here that the expedition
can start inside OF week Many OF the troops
will have 10 be equipped and furnished with
ammunition at San Francisco.
1t is said here that the City Of Picking which
can carry more than thousand men, Will be
the first of the transports prepared for the trip
70 Nc 4 n
rift in command Of the Department Of the East
is being discussed but II is not behcved that
any one has yet been chosen.
BIDS FOR PROJECTILES OPENED
Proposals for furnishing nearly six thousand
projectiles for seacoast cannon were opened AT
the Ordnance Bureau of the War Department
to-day. This probably is the largest amount or
material OF this kind for which advertisements
have been issued at any one time in the history
Of the Government The advertisements pro
vided for furnishing projectiles as follows: one
thousand and nineteen S-inch armor- piercing
shot. capped; 0S4 S-inch armor- piercing shell;
1876 1O-inch armor- piercing shot. capped; iNb
lO-nch armor-piercing she'll Az 12-inch armor-
piercing shot capped $50 12-inch armor-pierc-
ing shell. 3s5 12-inch torpedo shells. weighing
500 pounds each 396 Pinch torpedo shells
weighing 1000 pounds each.
The bidders included the Midvale Steel Com
pany: the Carpenter Company. OF Reading
Penn: the Firth-Sterlng Steel Company. OF
Pittsburg; the Mannesnan Tube Company and
the Taylor Iron and Steel Company. There was
considerable difference some Of the bids. but
the companies promised 20 use their best ef-
forts and furnish the projectiles as soon as pos
sible The awards will be made early next
week
Orders have been sent from the War Depart
ment directing the sth and ID regiments or
Massachusetts, TO proceed 10 their destinations
in the South by rail
One OF the regiments OF the Indiana volun-
teers ordered to Chickamauga yesterday, that
commanded by Colonel Barnett. will not go TO
that place Immediately. but will remain tempo
rarily at Indianapolis.