The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-05-20
WORK OF MASTERING
The Adjutant General Thinks 1t
Will Be Completed This Week.
THE EQUIPMENT OF THE VOLUNTEERS
The Necessities Lacking VIII he Supplied
at the Permanent Camps-Arrange-
ments for the Expedition to
the Philippines.

the philippines.
WASHINGTON, May 16-War depart
ment officials are gratified at the prog
ress being made in the mastering of
the force of 10000 volunteers called
by the president. Reports received
up to this morning indicate that 1000
volunteers have been mustered into
the United States army and, in the
opinion of Adjt. Gen. Corbin, the work
of mastering will be completed by the
end of the present week. Before the
call for volunteers was issued the adj
jutant generals of the various states
were requested to inform the war de-
partment how long it would take
them to put their force into the field
ready for duty. Some of the replies
put the time as low as "a hours, but it
has developed that much longer time
than was generally fixed has been re-
CURED While some of the volunteers
are well equipped, the majority are
not
kilograms that have been pouring
into the adjutant generals office in re-
Spouse TO orders directing volunteers
that have already been mustered in TO.
proceed to one or another of the points
of mobilization, indicate clearly that
the troops are by no means ready for
the field. One battery commander
wired the department that his com
mand was in complete readiness
for service except U.sI he lacked
guns, gun carriages, horses, har-
ness, ammunition and uniforms
Many of the volunteers have
gone into the state camps without
sufficient or proper clothing. The
kilograms received from almost every
state show something material is
needed to complete the equipment of
every regiment. 1t was for the reason
that the necessities lacking could be
better supplied at the permanent
camps than at the state camps that
urgent orders were issued that volun-
teer forces should be modified at
Washington, Chickamauga, Tampa or
San Francisco as soon as possible. Re-
gardless, therefore, of equipment or
drill, the volunteers will be hurried to
the permanent camps as rapidly as it
is possible to muster them into the
regular service.
Arrangements for the expedition to
the Philippines are being rapidly con-
cluded by the war department. Re-
ports received up to late hour last
night indicate that IL, 900 men selected
for the expedition from the volunteer
forces in the country west of the Mis-
sissippi river will be prepared to move
in few days Adjt. Gen. Corbin is of
opinion that in the neighborhood of
1000 of these will finally qualify
for the expedition. 1t is the purpose
now to send force of $4,000 to the
island. In order to make up the requi-
site number, il is the intention of the
army officials to send, as part of the
expedition, at least three regiments of
seasoned regular troops. Gen. Corbin
said last night that the regular troops
probably would be sent from the forces
encamped at Tampa, Fla, as they are
most available at the disposal of the
department
II is not regarded as desirable to re-
move such regular troops as have been
left in the Indian country. The fear
is entertained if these troops should
be sent away from their present posts
some of the unruly Indians might take
advantage of their absence to commit
outrages and depredations upon the
white settlements. For that reason
the regular troops selected for the
Philippines expedition will be
taken from the forces modified
on the Atlantic coast 1t was an
nounced definitely last night that the
transport ship City of Pekin, now at
San Francisco, would sail for Manila
to-day with about a regiment and a
half of volunteers already selected for
the expedition. Other forces destined
for Manila will be hurried TO San
Francisco as rapidly as possible and
will be sent to the support of Adm.
Dewey as soon as they can be thor
oughly equipped.