The record-union., 1898-06-17
Expected to Get Away Within the
Next Ten Days.

w YIN, JUNE lO-NddHy
tors are combining to make the mill
tary and naval situation full of stirring
activity, and this was shown to-day by
the large crowd which thronged the
corridors Of the War and Navy De
partments The War Department is
Fastening forward the preparations at
Fernandina, Fla, which will make
that point one of the most advan-
tageous in the country for the concen-
tration of a large body of troops. No
tices have been sent to the city author
tiles as we'll as to army officials, di-
recting them to hurry the preparations.
1t is said at the War Department that
the special board which inspected Fer
nandina found the proposed camp
grounds SO suitable by natural condi-
tions and surroundings that several
thousand troops could be Accommodated
there to-day if it were necessary to in
stitute the camp at once. The depart
ment calculates that the grounds will
accommodate 10000 troops when all
preparations are completed.
Secretary Alger's main purpose in
sending the special board South was to
| avoid a repetition of former expert
ences of having camps occupied before
they were fully prepared in the way of
water supply, tenting grounds, trench
es, etc. While the report Of the board
has not yet been formally presented to
the Secretary. and while the report it
| self, when made, will not recommend
Fernandina as against all the other
cities examined, yet it has been made
known to the Secretary that Fernan-
dina has marked advantages for a.
camping ground, and without waiting
| for the report of canvassing other To-
calities, he has ordered the preparation
of camping grounds there.
In response to inquiries from Con-
gressmen representing many other
points in the South, an official said to-
day that this preparation at Fernan-
dina did not necessarily imply that Sa-
vannah, Charleston, Jacksonville and
other points inspected might not be
utilized also for camping grounds. The
determination thus far, it was stated
was to get ready at Fernandina, and
have at least one available point thor
oughly prepared within the next few
| days
The War Department will give no in
timation as to how soon orders will be
issued for concentration of troops at
F'ernandina, but officials apparently
take it for granted that it will come
very soon, now that the camp grounds
are being put into readiness 1t will
be doubtless the rendezvous for those
| troops at Chickamauga and elsewhere
which have been ordered 20 receive
their full equipment.
The various preparations have as
their main object the departure of a
/ large expedition to Porto Rico at an
early date. 1t was confidently stated
| by nigh officials within the last day or
TWO that 1t was expected the expedi-
tlon could be so rushed as to get away
WITHIN the next ten days Whether the
extensions. preparations, the moving of
troops, the gathering Of transports and
the movement in detail can be executed
III TINS time is open to doubt although
extraordinary execution marks every
branch of the military service in ad-
vancing the expedition to completion.
The progress of General Shafter's
army of invasion also comes in for
much attention, both at the War and
Navy Departments, for there is Joint
interest in the time when the army
can fully reinforce the gallant band of
marines now holding the fort at Guam
tanamo. No word is possible from
this expedition before Tomorrow or
next day. and then only in case Ad-
miral Sampson has succeeded i'm re-
pairing the cable at Guantanamo. He
mas buoyed the shore end. and the
Navy Department is expected almost
mofnentarily to receive a dispatch di-
| rect from the flagship. If this opera
| ton is not concluded in a day or two.
then there will be the day of wait
ing for dispatch boats to reach Hayti.
haif day after General Skaters army
| OF invasion arrives. The officials will
not hazard conjecture as to the exact
time of arrival. They say only that
1t cannot be before tomorrow night at
the earliest, and is more likely to be
the day following, and possibly Sunday.