The age-herald., 1898-05-20
FLAWS IN OUR
 ARMY SERVICE Being ForcibIy Brought to De- partment's Attention. DETECTS COMING TO LIGHT Equipments for thg Volunteer Branch, Al-
 though Sg= : s Lacking.
 
 HosTILITIES Sf BE PROLONGED Little Aid s .pected From the Insur.
 ; on the Island. SIXTEEN TORPEDO BOAT DEsTRoYERs Circular Completed Defining Their Chief | Characteristics Will Bo of 400 Tons Displacement With a Minimum l Speed of es Knots.
k.S Little Aid s .pected From the Insur-
 S on the Island.
SIXTEEN TORPEDO BOAT DEsrRoYERs

sition on the part of the executive to make the present war short, sharp and decisive it is beginning to be realized that the shortcomings of our military service are so many that delays are inevitable and that much work will be necessary to put the nation in efficient fighting shape. Every day brings forth some weak spot that has to be strengthened or some hid- den defect such as the discovery at this late moment that every regular army offi- cer who accepted volunteer appointment would forfeit his commission in the regu- lars and so become liable to be left out of the service entirely at the end of the war. Few officers cared to risk their fu- ture in that way so a rush was made toward congress to secure the necessary corrective legislation.
 Again it has been found that the equpi> ment of the army, small as 1t is, in com- parison with the great army of the civil war, is sadly lacking. A month after the formal declaration of war the department today purchased a number of shelter tents and it has just secured the hammocks that experts say are essential to existence in Cuba. These preparations involve de- lay so that it is not remarkable that in spite of the Herculean efforts of the off, cers no positive start has been made to- wards it's goal by the army of occupation. Probably it is this fact rather than any unreadiness the part of the navy de- partment that causes the campaign to drag in it's inception, for the navy depart ment has announced that it stood ready at any moment to furnish conveys for the troops transport, provided they were started from one point.
 May Be Prolonged
 To maintain an army of 100000 men for six months will cost s9O, ,OOO GOO according to estimates prepared by Paymaster- General Stanton and the leading officials are begin- ming to fear that hostiities may run along beyond this period The reason is the growing conviction on the part of some of the officers that they must not reckon on any substantial assistance from the Cuban rebels in this campaign and moreover must meet the Spaniards in Cuba in their strong est sphere, that of the defensive.
 Naval authorities are relieved of good deal of embarrassment by the consent of the French authorities at Martinique to al- low the scouting vessel Harvard to remain in St. Pierre until her repairs are conn pleted. It was supposed at first that she
 
 at the end of that time would be forced out to risk attack at the hands of some ambushed Spanish cruiser or torpedo boat.
 Work on the three monitors Mahopac, Canonicus and Manhattan at League is- land has advanced so far that the depart ment expects to have them in service In a week or two. They have been supplied with tubular boilers in place of rusted out boil- CTS they have carried since the war. These
 H. f. A coast defense ships.
 All Sorts of Rumors
 The absence of official news of any char acter from the fleets at the navy depart ment gave the widest field for speculation and all sorts of stories were afioat as to the whereabouts of the vessels and the immin- ence of an engagement. The report tnat came from Madrid of the bombardment Of Santiago received credence nasmuch as 1t seemed to show that Gen. Greedy, the chief signal officer, has set in motion, the ma- chinery of the navy to carry out his declar- ed purpose of cutting the cables that aiford the last connection between Havana and the outside world and thus isolate Blanco. It is not believed that the bombardment amounted to anything more than this;
 Judce Advocate General Lemly today completed the circular de1ning the cnieI characteristics of the sixteen torpedo boat destroyers and twelve torpedo boats, pro- vided for by congress in the present naval anpropriation bill The destroyers are to be of larger type than any vessel of that kind we now have in the service. about aoo tons' b,,t inc torpedo boats will be about the size of the average torpedo boat now in use namely, about 150 tons.
 Speed of 2s Knots
 Bidders are left the widest liberty in the matter of designs, but no bid will be con sidered which fails to guarantee speed of at least 2S knots for destroyers, and 70 Z1< fa Not 1nrA IS and 12 months respectively will be allow ed to complete these boats, and shortness of time of construction will be an impor- tant element in determining the awards. The long expected appointments of offi- cers to the staff of the fourteen new major generals have been made so that the way is now clear for the entry upon active duty of the officers who have been obliged for several weeks to remain in Washington. 0sa1