The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-16
AT THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Conference with Arms Manufactures
characterization of Troops.


-TranspOrtatiOn of Troops.
WASHINGTON, March ia representa-
tive of the Winchester Arms Company was
in conference to-day with General Miles and
General Flagier at the Office of the Bureau
Of Ordnance OF the army, with view to
examining various patterns of rifles made
by this concern. and of ascertaining how
speedily these could be furnished in large
quantities in case of emergency. Samples
of two of the latest patterns of 80 ealibre
rihes--one a Winchester and the other
Lee straight-pull gun-weTe examined. No
contracts were made, but the conference
led to full understanding. The repre-
sentative. of the Winchester firm said that
the present commercial demand, particu-
larly that connected with the Klondike ex-
element, kept the company at it's full ca
pacity, but that government orders would
be filled without reference to these private
obligations. The company has force of
1900 men, and by working ten hours a day,
with several shifts, it is believed that the
government could be supplied with rifles
at very rapid rate. A large number of
Winchesters could be supplied at once,
Bids were opened in the quartermaster's
Office of the War Department to-day for
transporting some of the artillery batteries
Gently completed. The batteries for whose
movements proposals were received include
the following: Battery L, Fourth Artillery,
from Fort McHenry, Maryland, to Fort
Delaware; Battery I. Fourth Artillery,
from Washington Cd. c. barracks to Fort
Mott mear Fort Delaware); Battery E,
Fourth Artillery, from Fort Monroe to
Sheridan's Point, on the Potomac; Battery
I, Second Artillery, from Fort Monroe to
Fort Caswell, near the mouth of the Cape
Fear river; Battery F, First Artillery, from
Fort Monroe to Tybee island, Georgia; Bat
terry I, First Artillery, from Fort Monroe to
Fort Morgan, Alabama. The Pennsylvania
Railroad received the contract for trans
porting the batteries from Washington to
Fort Mott and from Fort McHenry to Fort
Delaware.
Other batteries that are to be removed as
a result of the recent orders to man fortif-
cations are: Battery G, of the First Artil-
lery from st. Augustine to Sullivan island,
Charleston harbor; Light Battery B, Fourth
Artillery, from Fort Riley, Kansas, to Jack
son barracks, Louisiana; Light Battery F,
Fourth Artillery, from Fort Riley to Fort
Monroe; Light Battery F, Fifth Artillery,
from Fort Riley to Savannah, Ga; the
light battery at Fort Sam Houston, Texas,
to Galveston; Fifth Artillery, two batteries,
from Fort Slocum to Fort Hancock; one
battery from Fort Wadsworth to Fort Han
cock, and one battery from Fort Hamilton
to Fort Hancock; Second Artillery, one bat
terry from Fort Adams to Long Island head.
Inspired by the war sentiment prevail
ing in many parts of the country officers
of state militia organizations have been in
quiring of the War Department as to al
is an annual appropriation aggregating
about 100000 allotted among the militia
of the several States according to their nu-
merical strength, and the money granted
may he expended for any branch of the
service desired. That feature which has re-
ceived some attention lately relates to the
artillery field pieces, only few States hav-
ing been supplied with this necessary adj
junct to successful military service. The
militia organizations as a rule have been
satisfied with the ordinary Napoleon
twelve-pounder brass cannon, which fires a
solid ball, but their use has been almost
entirely discarded in the regular army or
late years New York, Illinois, Pennsyiva-
MIA Vermont, Utah and few other States
have been furnished the new field artillery
pieces used by the War Department in its
service. The officials are prompt to accede
to the requests of the militia organizations
if their allotment of the annual appropria-
ton made by Congress is not exhausted
but in the absence of any money on hand
to the credit of the States no equipment
of any character can be given them. The
artillery strength of the state militia
ganizations in time of peace is four field
pieces and in time of war six pieces.
Representative j. w. Stokes, of South
Carolina, has received letter from Gen.
Joseph l.. Stoppelbein, commanding the
first brigade of the South Carolina Cavalry
After commencing Mr. Stokes for his re-
cent speech in Congress in favor of the
$50 100000 appropriation for the national de-
Tense, he adds: THE people OF South Caro-
lima stand ready and willing to shed their
blood in defense of the stars and stripes,
and IL ever our people were united they
are to-day. We know no factional or party
Continued on Second Pagel