New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-18
WEBER
PIANOS.
Fifth Avenue and Sixteenth ST.
FEELING AT GOVERNORS ISLAND
THE TROOPS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
EAsT-sTATEMENTs OF ARMY OFFICERS.

THE TROOPS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
EAsT-sTATEMENTs OF ARMY OFFICERS
Much interest is taken at Governors Island
in the possible results OF the loss Of the Maine.
As the headquarters OF the Department or the
East embracing all the States east or the MIS-
sissppi River except Illinois and Michigan
Governors Island Is centre OF Army aiairs'
There is regular communication kept up between
headquarters and all the forts in the territory
o, the Department Nothing OF Importance
takes place from Northern New-England 10
Southern Florida. or from the Atlantic seaboard
TO the Mississippi Valley without being at once
made known at headquarters. where It is care
fullv considered Cuban affairs. from the prox-
unity OF Havana to Key West. have always been
carefully watched. and the recent developments
have called forth the closest scrutiny The mead
quarters are under command or MaJor-1enerai
Wesley Merritt who succeeded Generai Ruser
in April OF last year At the head OF his star
IS Colonel Merritt Barber. Acknowledgement OF
the Department, and associated with MIN are
nine other staff officers.
or the entire Regular Army. comprising TWEEN
ty-hve thousand men, there are seven Thousand
five hundred serving in the Department OF the
East They include six regiments or infantry
eleven batteries each OF the 1st I'd ana oth
Artillery ten batteries of the 4th Artillery ana
ore battery Of the Sd Artillery. together with
eleven troops Of cavalry The infantry sarri-
sons the island forts. the cavalry Is stationed
at Fort Myer Virginia and Fort Ethan Aleu-
Vermont while the artillery defends the sea-
board Notifications.
In the vicinity there are about nfteen hunureu
men. including the 9th Artillery at Forts Hamii-
ton Wadsworth and Socum; a detachment OF
Co1x,, ,-lor and n H.
ment of the 18th Infantry at Fort Columbus. on
Governors Island.
The 9th ARTILLERY is commanded by Colonel
John l. Rodgers, who IL stationed at Governors
Island: Fort Wadsworth Is under command or
Lieutenant-Colonel William Sinclair; Fort Ham
,lton ,s commanded by Major Joseph @. Ram
sey; willis Fort Schuyler Is under the command
of Lieutenant Colonel William L. Haskin, ana
Major Tully McCrea commands Fort Slocum. on
David's Island. Old Fort Lafayette In the Mar
rows. Is In charge Of the Navy Department
number of officers are attached to the United
States Engineer School at Willets Point
The other seaboard defences are at Fort Pre-
BILE Maine; Fort Warren. MASSACHUSETTS, fort
Adams Rhode Island; Fort Trumbun. Connecu-
cut; Fort Mott, New-Jersey; Fort McHenry'
Maryland: Fort Monroe, Virginia; Suliivans ISL
and South Carolina: Key West. Fort BarTan-
cas-, and st. Francis. Florida.
In speaking OF the situation growing out OF
the disaster TO the Maine Colonel Looms L.
Langdon, U. s. A. (retred). who was In COM
mand at Fort Hamilton for five years, said yes
terday: THE North did not hold the entire South
responsible for the act Of the assassin VINO Klieu
President Lincoln. 1t seems TO me the Spanish
Nation in no event could De heio respoiSio''
for the loss of our warshp
In regard TO the prospect OF successfully con-
Quoting a war, Army officer SAID: ne ques-
ton Of war Is most serious one, not 10 De lISh,
Iv considered or acted upon by the men high IN
the counsels OF the Nation. we are IN no Posi,
ton TO fight any foreign nation. what couiu
our Army of twenty -fve thousand men DO we
must have military organization. not mere
skeleton Of one to engage in CONNECT vi
course, we can get all the men we want. put we
must have them armed and organized. 90 ho1
reIiavn en- much in drill; but where can we arm
an army? The Government has provided no re-
armament - ., 49, - ~.
when l enlisted In the Civil war an o.d
Belgian musket was put in my hands AFTER
ward we had Springfield rifles. OK course we
have those now, but what We want IS Houeii,
rifles But we don't really know what they VII
do with suokAless powder, magazines ana nat
traiectores / remember | was up In Michigan
A few years ago. and we were 10 test some riiies
at a target ground 1 suggested that as we tha
not know how they would act we get tht
written consent OF every one living within tnr''
miles. so as not TO be liable for damages. a.
was done: but the next day man hvlng ny
miles away comes In with board from NE
barn which had been shot through ana wanted
the shooting stopped as he was AFRAID 70 go out
OF his house. -, ..
"If we could land our present army or twenty
five thousand men in Cuba, We could cream IL
out. but what would do at home with our
whole force gone? IL Is uncertain now our new
Sn,ances at This mort will defend. We have put
in some big guns. costing 100000 or 100000
apiece: but It costs 500 or 5000 TO fire them
once. and we haven't appropriated money 70
~, ,ben, II a min breaks the usefulness OF the
Gun IS gone The Government has been liberal
70 the Navy for the last few wears, and liberal
10 the Army. such as it Is, but II WilI require "a
80, a,,,ount NJ money 10 engage in war. OF
course we could soon wipe out those pesky
Standards. but no one can foresee what other
complications might arise. il is Dig question
and can't he settled by rev men shoo'inG o"
their mouths in Congress