The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-14

UNCHANGED
No Communication From
War Department.
MILITIA REORGANIZATION
VIII Be Pushed as Soon as General
Kendall Makes Report.
A LETTER FROM CAMP ALGER.
MILITIA REORGANIZATION
A LETTER FROM CAMP ALGER.

There is still nothing new In the mill
tary situation, as far az Rhode Island
Is concerned, and Governor Dyer has
received not the slightest communica-
tion from the war department concern
ing either the regiment at Camp Alger
or the batteries at Quonset Point.
Governor Dyer intends to push the re-
organization ot the state militia az
soon as General Kendall presents hts
report on the equipment now in possess
sion dt the brigade. Officers will be
appointed In accordance with the act
passed by the General Assembly, per-
mittiny additional officers TO be COM
missioned as the exigencies of the case
may demand. These appointments Will
be only temporary and the officers will
soon as the officers now serving in the
volunteer army shall return.
Captain George III. Webb is working
persistently in the preparation OF the
war claims of the state against the
United States. Inasmuch as the state
auditor was opposed to having vouchers
In his possession leaving his office, but
was willing to afford Captain Webb all
the assistance in his power a clerk has
been appointed from the state auditors
Office who will go through all the
vouchers and expedite the work as
much as possible.
In addition to the figures given be-
low relating TO the recruiting OF volun-
teers in this state, a report shows that
the number of men in the First Regi-
ment is 1884 and in the batteries about
PIP, making some 1916 volunteers mus
tered into the United States service.
The number of men rejected by the
army surgeon or because the ranks
were already filled large number be-
ing sent home when the batedies were
reduced to a four-gun basis was 4S7.
Taking these men into account would
make the reflections by the army sur
geon about 13 per cent of the total
number sent to Quonset.
Volunteers PAID.
The men at Quonset Point have been
paid by Capt. Sackett, and consequent
ly they are happy, and the $1,000
brought to camp was soon distributed
and every private received $50. The
privates received pay for 20 days, the
time from their enrolment to the time
of their mastering in being paid for by
the state at the rate of $3.50 per day.
The officers received pay for 10 days,
for some reason their time being fig
ured at one day less than that of the
men. The result of this payment was
that a run was made on the store out
side the camp lines, and business was
rushing. Quite a number of the men
went out on passes, but none were
caught running the guard. Every man
in the cavalry command was on duty
last night, but the arrests were very
few.
Many of them desired to send money
to their homes and money order blanks
were sent down from East Greenwich
last night, and clerk from the East
Greenwich post office was coming down
at 10 o'clock this morning to look after
such orders as the boys might wish to
send up. Altogether the men are feel
ing much more cheerful, but they are
still anxious to receive orders to move,
and the order can come none too soon
to please them.
equipment, for Capt Barker of Bat
terry A has been ordered by the Wash
ington authorities to turn over two of
his guns to Battery b, and he has done
so. Battery has, therefore, two of It's
four guns, but seems no nearer receiv-
ing the other two than IL did when the
batteries were mustered In. There are
all sorts OF rumors in the camp, and a
shipment of Is tents that came down on
the boat the other day gave rise to the
story that one of the heavy artillery
batteries of Massachusetts was about
TO encamp at Quonset Point. The boys
had the camping place all picked out
None of the officials here knows about
the coming OF the battery.