The San Francisco call., 1898-02-21


 NEW YORK, Feb. 2O.-A Washington special to the Herald says: As a pre- cautionary measure it is evident in many directions that the military and naval authorities are actively engaged in making legitimate preparations for emergencies with the resources at their command. While the number of off, cials of the War Department who were in their offices to-day is no larger than is usual on Sundays, their prolonged consultations regarding the work of their departments is an evidence of the energy that is being exerted to put the coast defenses and the army generally in the best possible shape as rapidly as practicable.
 Major Charles Shaler, Captain Charles S. Smith and Captain c. H. Clark of the Ordnance Department spent several hours at the department this morning discussing the progress of the delivery of ammunition and the ordnance now being manufactured under contract. The subject of purchasing shells and other necessary ordnance supplies in case of emergency was discussed and negotiations looking toward the pur- chase of such supplies will be begun immediately. The present available supply of powder, both brown and smokeless, is considerable, and the visi- ble supply of S0-caliber cartridges for the Krag- -Jorgensen rifles in use in the regular service is such as to give no occasion for apprehension.
 The plant for small arms and ammu- 0J phia, has been increased by the addi- ton of new machinery, and has pres ent capacity of about 10000 ball cart ridges, calibers 30 and 10000 miscel- laneous cartridges per day. This out put could be doubled by working night and day.
 For some time, by orders of Brig adler General Flagler, Chief of Ord nance, work at Frankford arsenal, Rock Island, Watervliet and other army ordnance factories has been pushed as much as possible. As con- sequence the reserve supply of ammu milton is accommodating, and encourag ing progress is being made on guns and carriages, both for seacoast and field artillery. The capacity of the Springfield armory, where both Krag Jorgensen and Springfield rifles of 45- caliber are manufactured, is very much greater than is at present utilized. A liberal appropriation by Congress, how ever, is necessary in order to increase the output of the armory. There are now understood to be about 50,O00 stand of -Jorgensen rifles for the use of the regular army.
 I,o1f oP Io organized militia Is now supplied with Springfield rifles, caliber 45 lately dis carded by the army, and about half of the remainder Is supplied with service able small arms. Abundant supplies of | ammunition for Springfield rifles are obtainable from the large private am- munition factories of the Eastern States. Deliveries of guns and car riages for seacoast Notifications are be- | ing made rather slowly, and efforts are being directed by the ordnance au- | thorities to expedite matters.
 1 The Engineer Department has the past year been pushing its work on em- l placements, particularly on the South | ern Coast and as much as possible, considering the difficulties experienced by weather, is now being done on the | Northern seaboard
 | Tn accordance with Major General Miles order of few days ago to Major-General Merritt, commanding the Department of the East, troops will continue to be detailed this week in small detachments to each of the fln- ished garrisons. The details are solely | in the hands of General Merritt, who will arrange the redistribution of the artillery troops on the Atlantic Coast. A like duty devolves upon Brigadier- General Shafter, commanding the De- pertinent of California, and Brigadier- l General Merriam, commanding the De- pertinent of the Columbia. The artil- l lery board, of which Colonel John I. | Rogers, Fifth Artillery is president. | appointed to investigate the cost and select the sites of new barracks and the necessary buildings at seacoast gar | risons, adjourned last week and the re- port is now in the hands of the Acting
 Secretary of War, Meiklejohn. Upon the basis of this report the Quarter masters Department will proceed to prepare plans for the erection of new artillery quarters and barracks.
 l The report that Major General Mer- ritt has requested the War Department ] to move at least 2000 troops from the