Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-20

every disposition on the part or the
Executive 20 make the present war short,
sharp. ana decisive. it Is beginning TO be
realized that the shortcomings Of our
military service are so many that de-
laws are inevitable and that much work
Will Dee necessary TO put the nation in
efficient lighting shape. Every day
lrnes forth some weak spot that has
~ De- strengthened, or some hidden de-
feet 90 be remedied. such as the dis
c1rery az this late moment that every
regular army officer who accepted a
volunteer appointment would forfeit his
commission in the regular service. and
50 become liable to be left out Of the
service entirely at the end Of the war
Few officers cared to risk their future
in that way. so a rush was made to-
wards toward Congress to secure the
necessary corrective legislation.
EQUIPMENT LACKING.
Again. il has been found that the
Equipment Of the army. small as it is, in
comparison with the great army Of the
war between the States. is sadly lack
.ng. Nearly a month after the formal
declaration Of war, the War Department
to-day purchased a number of shelter
tents. and it has just secured the ham,
mocks that experts say are essential to |
existence in Cuba. These preparations |
iavolve delay, so that it is not remark |
able that, in spite of the hercuean ef- |
forts of the officers Of the army. no posi- |
five start has yet been made toward its |
goal by the army of occupation. Prob
ably il is this fact, rather than any un-
readiness on the part of the navy. that
causes the campaign TO drag in its in
ception. for the Navy Department has
that II stood ready at any
moment TO furnish conveys for the troop
transports. provided they were started
from one point.
MORE THAN SIN MONTHS OF WAR.
To maintain an army OF 100000 men for
Six months will cost SiOOOJ.00o. according
10 estimates prepared by Paymaster-
General Stanton, and the leading officials
are beginning to fear that hostilties may
-un beyond this period. The reason is the
7rowing contention on the part Of some
lf the officers that they must not reckon
mon any substantial assistance from the
cuban rebels in this campaign, and more
,ver must meet the Spaniards in Cuba in
heir strongest sphere-that Of the de-
ensive.
THE HARVARD O. X.
Naval authorities are relieved of a good
Ieal OF embarrassment by the consent
,f the French authorities at Martinique
o allow the scouting vessel Harvard 20
emain in St. Pierre until her repairs are
ompeted.. 1t was supposed at first that
.se would be allowed only seven days
stay. and at the end Of that time would
be- forced out, 10 risk attack at the
.nds of some ambushed Spanish cruiser
r torpedo-boat.
THE OLD MONITORS.
Work on the three moSitors, Mahopac'
.anonicus. and Manhattan, at League
-and. has advanced 50 far that the {
department. expects to have them in SER
ire within a week or two. They have
been supplied with tubular boilers. in =
.acs Of the rusted-out boilers they have /
.4rltd since the war. These monitors c
l.H B.. a valuable addition TO the coast j
.,i,lce ships. :
80 NEWS FROM FLEETS.
The absence Of official news of any c
baracter from the fleets at the Navy n
apartment to-day gave the widest field c
lr speculation, and all sorts Of stories u
.sre aaoat as TO the whereabouts of the n
ts,els ana the imminence OF an en- n
-gement. d
sHEILING OF SANTIAGO.
The report that came from Madrid OF
B. bombardment Of Santiago received G
Jme credence. inasmuch as it seemed TO
bow that General Greeley, the chief sig
a officer, has set in motion the ma 81
llnery Of the navy TO carry out his de-
ared purpose OF cutting the cables that "
lord the last connection between Ha- =.
ANA and the outside world. and thus
0.a.e Blanco. 1t Is not believed that to
be- bymbardment amounted TO anything it
oge than this. III III
THE NEW TORPEDO-BOATS. ri
adge-Adyocate-General Lemley to-day co
mp.eted the circular defining the chief pa
arac.eristics OF the sixteen torpedo -,
at destroyers and twelve torpedo-boats IN
divided for By Congress in the present gu
sal appropriation bin. The destroyers tn
e 10 be Of larger type than any vessels IN IN
that kind we now have In the service "a
about 400 tons, but the torpedo-Doats ch
j ba Of about the size of the average
-pedo-bOat now in use-namely OF
out 30 tons Bidders are left the
dcst liberty in the matter of original
signs. but no bid viii be considered y
.ich fails TO guarantee speed OF at frc
st twenty-eight knots for the destroy Nj
and twenty-six knots for the tor ha
lo-boats. su
,ot more than eighteen and twelve ~
nths respectively, viii be allowed IN IS
lch 10 complete these boats. and short res
.s Of the time OF construction VIII be ma
Important element in determining the an
aTas. nj
STAFF APPOINTMENTS. raj
he long-expected appointments OF Off qu,
8 % the staff of the fourteen new 20
Jor-generals have been made, so that a 7
way is now clear for the entry Of the rov