Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-03-27
The Register Has Only Sunday Geographic News Service

navigation. He maintained the strict
retlcence ne has shown ever since the
report of the court was confined to his
care. He has taken a desk in the
judge advocate generals office, and will
remain in Washington while the report
of the court of inquiry is under con-
sideration by the President and cab
met, with view to answering IN
quiries which may be made
The Navy Department was advised
to-day that the monitor Terror had
arrived at Hampton Roads en- route to
Key West, where she will join Capt.
Simpsons squadron. The Vicksburg
has also reached Hampton Roads.
THE FLYING SQUADRON
will not complete it's organization until
the middle or latter part of next week,
although its nucleus will be at Hamp-
ton Roads, when Commodore Schiey
hoists his pennant on the flagship
Brooklyn next Monday.
Secretary Long has deferred to the
Judgment of Assistant Secretary Roos-
evelt as to the color which the vessels
of the navy are to be painted. Yester-
day it was announced that the snowy
white that has been the distinctive
color of each has given the name to
the naval squadrons of the United
States was to be changed to a piratical
black To this color some objection
was made by naval officers as it was
thought to afford to striking a target
for an enemy's guns.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt had a
conference with Captain Crownin-
shield, chief Of the bureau of naviga-
ton, at which Mr. Roosevelt announc-
ed that he would leave the matter of
painting the ships to the squadron
commanders and orders to that effect
will be promulgated. 1t seems quite
likely that the color to be selected by
the squadron commanders will be a
dull lead That color will fur
nish poor target and the vessels will
not be discernible, it is said at so
great a distance at sea.
The government has acquired two
small vessels, the contracts for the
purchase of which were closed last
evening One of them is an ocean tug
and both of them will be employed as
provisional torpedo boats. The navy
department declines to make public
the names Of the newly acquired yes
sells
IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE
the enlistment of men for the naval
service, which has not been quite sue
cessful owing 70 reserve requirements,
the navy department to-day issued an
order waving the requirements as to
height in the case of all landsmen and
mess attendants This applies to all
the recruiting stations, including that
@f ~ AZ, III
Office of Secretary Alger was appar-
emily the most lively of any in the
war department during the morning.
Secretary Alger again held extended
conferences with his bureau chiefs,
notably Gen. Wilson, Gen Greedy, Ma
jor Shaler, of the ordnance bureau Of
flee, also Gen. Miles The most i'm
pOrtant action taken was the allet-
ment to the signal Office, of which Gen.
Greedy is at the head, of S94 500, with
which to install an electrical system
of sea coast artillery fire control by
which projectiles can be fired from
guns with reasonably VIZ defined ac-
curacy The money will Je used also
in connecting the various forts and
ports at sea coast Notifications by tel
ephones and telegraph.
The recruiting officers of the army re-
port satisfactory progress in the matter
OF enlistments for the two regiments of
artillery just organized by virtue of an
act of Congress, enlstments having been
made a an average of 81 men per day
or at the rate of $50 a month During
the past five days this average has been
raised TO 81 enistments a day In conse-
quence of this rapid enlistment. Major
General Miles has issued an order to dis
continue the plan of transferring men
from the old regiments to fill up the new
ones, as was originally contemplated and
it is believed the army will reach its full
legal quota within very short time.
ADJUTANT GENERAL CORBIN
said to-day that there was no truth, so
far as he informed, in the report
published this morning to the effect that
the War Department has telegraphed TO
a number of National Guard commanders
asking how many men of the State
militia could be modified at Atlanta
within five days from any given date
He said that if such action has been
taken il must have been done by the
Secretary himself without reference to
the Adjutant Generals department.
proceeding which he regarded as extreme
ly improbable under the circumstances.
Notwithstanding this statement of the
Adjutant General with regard to a par
ticular order, it is pretty well understood
that the army authorities have prepared
plans for The mobilization of the National
Guard of the various States and terri
tories at points along the coast on short
notice in case it shall be found necessary
a. ouo,,n,at1t the military strength of the
government.