The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-15
VOLUNTEERS CONCENTRATING
ILLINOIS AND OTHER CONTINGENTS
EN- ROUTE TO CHICKAMAUGA.
Announcement of Stan Officers Ex-
pected i'm a Few Days-MajOr Gener-
alship DECLINED by Senator SeweH.

| -H-
| WASHINGTON, May 14.-The War De-
partment shows no signs of relaxation in its
war preparations, but appears to be making
ready for hostilties on the theory that they
are to last a long time. Thus, bids were
| opened to-day for supplying the government
a very large number Of armor-piercing shells
of the largest calibers, such as are used al
most entirely by coast defense guns in at
| tacking or repelling heavy ironclad ships
Another transport, the Miami, was chartered
| to-day at Norfolk, indicating that the move
ment of the army in force upon Cuba is not
to be long delayed else the government
| would not go to the needless expense Oh
chartering the boat Immediately. The Mi
ami will coal at once and proceed to Tampa.
| The date of the invasion is still uncertain
and will depend upon the developments OF
the next few days. This uncertainty, how
ever, in no wise interferes with the prepara-
| tions for hurrying to Tampa the large
| amount of quartermasters and commits
| sary's supplies which will be taken to Cuba
| by the army of occupation According to
the present plans, many of the volunteers
will be held at Chickamagua until the date
for their embarkation is near at hand, when
| they will be sent on to Tampa.
Major General Merritt, who is now at
| Governors island in command of the De-
| partment of the East, and who has been Sc
| lected for the military governorship of the
! Philippines is expected in Washington to
receive his instructions before leaving for
| his post of duty. Some of the troops which
are to go on this expedition to the islands
| are already on their way to San Francisco,
and every effort is being made to have the
others who have been ordered there to
| proceed as rapidly as possible. 1t is not
| believed, however, by the officials here that
| the expedition can start inside of a week.
Many of the troops will have to be re-
equipped and furnished with ammunition
| at San Francisco. 1t is said here the City
| of Peking, which can carry more than a
Thousand men, will be the first of the trans
| ports prepared for the trip to the Philip
| pines.
A successor to General Merritt, in CON-
mand of the Department of the East, is be-
| ing discussed, but it is not believed any one
| has yet been chosen. Brigadier General
| John l. Rodgers, who has been appointed
chief of artillery, and who has been desig-
mated to accompany General Miles to
Tampa, is believed to be anxious for the
command, as by his long experience he is
familiar with every detail of the service and
knows the location of every gun on the At
lantic coast
Proposals for furnishing the government
with nearly 6,OOO projectiles for seacoast
cannon were opened at the Ordnance Bu-
reau of the War Department to-day. This
probably is the largest amount of material
of this kind for which advertisements were
issued at any one time in the history of the
government. The advertisement provided
for furnishing projecties as follows: 1,0l9
nsr IL.
eight-inch rmor-piercng shells; 1856 ten
inch armor-piercing shot, capped; 1856 ten
inch armorpiercing shell; All twelve-inch
armor-piercing shot, capped; $50 twelve-inch
armor-piercing SHE'LL 1856 twelve-inch torpedo
shells, weighing 500 pounds each 1886 twelve
inch torpedo shells weighing 1000 pounds
each. The bidders included the following:
The Midvale Steel Company, the Carpenter
Company, of Reading, Pa; the Firth-Ster-
ling Steel Company, of Pittsburg; the
Mannesmann Tube Company and the Tay
lor Iron and Steel Company, There was
considerable difference III some of the bids,
but the companies promised to put forth
their best efforts and furnish the govern
ment the projectiles soon possible.
The awards will be made early next week.
There was tremendous rush of visitors
at the War Department to-day, and the
officials were subjected TO an uninterrupted
fire of questions regarding the assignment
of troops opportunities for desirable
berths in the quartermaster, commissary
and paymasters departments, and efforts
by friends of those persons who have al
ready been nominated for assignments to
the staffs of the various major and brigadier
generals. The announcement of the staff
officers of the generals already assigned is
expected in a very few days. The COM
manding generals of the seven corps al
ready have been about agreed upon but
their announcement is withheld because of
the lack of definite organization of the
army. Meantime the recruiting for both
branches of the army is proceeding rapidly
In the regular branch the recruiting is go
ing ahead very satisfactorily to the officials
and many good men are being obtained
The qualifications are very strict, which
makes progress slower in that branch than
in the volunteers. Over 60000 OF the latter
have now been mustered in, nearly one
half of the number called for by the Presi-
dent. In addition 1,S47 officers have been
mustered.
Some of the state organizations which 1t
was determined should proceed to Chicka.
mauga may not reach there after all. AL
though it was understood here that all those
ordered TO 0ulChdLHduSd were TedQy 10 60
information has come that in some in
stances this is not the case notably with
Rhode Island and Maine. Much depends on
the outcome of the next few days. The |
possibility now is that some of the troops |
may be sent TO coast points If there ap- |
pears to be any danger of the appearance |
of Spanish vessels in the vicinity of these
places. With most of the men detailed for !
lCOntinued ON Second PaEea