The herald., 1898-05-20
HOPES or A SHORT WAR
NoT now NNTERTAINED By THE
ADMINISTRATION
PREPARATION TAKES TIME
Every Hour Emphasizes the Fact That
the Nation Is Not Ready
for War
Associated Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WARRINGTON. May 1s.-With every
disposition on the part of the executive 10
marke the present war short, sharp and
decisive. It Is beginning to be realized that
the shortcomings Of our military service
are 90 may that delays are inevitable and
that much work will be necessary to pu:
the nation in efficient fighting shape.
Every day brings forth some weak spot
that has to be strengthened or some hid
den defect, such as the discovery at this
late moment that every regular army Off
Ger who accepted volunteer appointment
would forfeit his command in the regulars
and so be liable to be let out of the SER
of1cers cared to risk the future in that
way, 80 a rush was made toward congress
to secure the necessary corrective legisla.
ton. Again, 1t has been found that the
equipment of the army. small as it is in
comparison with the great army of the re-
tellion, is sadly lacking. Nearly month
after the formal declaration of war, the
war department today purchased number
Of shelter tents, and 1t has just secured the
hammocks that experts say are essential
to existence in Cuba.
These preparations involved delay, so
that 1t Is not remarkable that, in spite Of
the herculean efforts Of the officers q the
army. no positive start has yet been made
toward its goal by the army Of occupation.
Probably It Is this fact, rather than any
unreadiness on the part of the navy, that
causes the campaign to drag in its incep-
ton. for the navy department has all
nounced that 1t stood ready at any moment
to furnish conveys for the troops, provided
they were started from one point.
Gen. Miles had an interview this after
noon with Capt. Crowninshield. chief OF
the navigation bureau. and 1t is surmised
that this very subject was under discus
sion. The rumor was afioat that Gen.
Miles and his staff were to leave WASH
ington tonight for Tampa, but this again
proved to be premature.
To maintain an army Of 100000 for six
months will cost $4,000. 900, according TO
estimates prepared by Paymaster General
Stanton. and the leading officials are be-
ginning to fear that hostilities may run
along beyond this period. The reason is
the growing conviction on the part of some
Of the officers that they must not reckon
en- any substantial assistance from the
Cuban rebels in the campaign. and. more
over, must meet the Spaniards in Cuba
in their strongest sphere-that of the de-
fensive.
Naval authorities are relieved Of grea,
deal of embarrassment by the consent of
the French authorities at Martinique to
allow the scouting vessel Harvard to re-
main in st. Pierre until her repairs are
completed. 1t was supposed first that she
would be allowed only seven days. and at
the end of that time would be forced out,
to risk attack at the hands of some am
bushed Spanish cruiser or torpedo boat.
Work on the three monitors, Mahopac,
Canonicus and Manhattan, at League
Island has advanced SO far that the de-
partment expects to have them in service
within a week or two. They have been
supplied with tubulous boilers in place of
the rusted out boilers they have carried
since the war. These monitors will be
valuable addition to the coast defense
ships. Mr. Niblack, late U. s. naval at
tache to Berlin and Rome. reported at the
navy department today and had some
amusing stories to tell Of his experiences
In every seaport of Europe trying to buy a
been assigned to duty as watch and d.
vision officer on the Topeka, one Of the
ships he helped to purchase in England.
The absence Of official news of any char
acter from the fleets at the navy depart
ment today gave the widest field for spec
ulation, and all sorts of stories were afioat
~ to the whereabouts of vessels and the
imminence Of an engagement.
The report that came from Madrid Of the
bombardment Of Santiago de Cuba was re-
ceived with some credence, inasmuch as it
seemed to show that General Greeley, the
chief signal officer, has set in motion the
machinery Of the navy to carry out his de-
sired purpose of cutting the cables thu
AFFORD the last connection between Ha-
vana and the outside world and thus iso-
late Blanco. 1t is not believed that the
bombardment amounted to anything more
than this
Judge Advocate General Leady today
completed the circular defining the chief
characteristics of the sixteen torpedo boat
destroyers and the twelve torpedo boats
provided for by congress in the present ma
val appropriation bill. The destroyers
provided for are to be of larger type than
any vessel Of that kind we now have in the
service, about 600 tons, but the torpedo
boats will be about the size Of the average
torpedo boat now in use, namely, about $50
tons. Bidders are left the widest liberty in
the matter Of original designs. No bids
will be considered which fail to guarantee
= speed of at least twenty-eight knots for
destroyers and twenty-six knots for tor
pedo boats. No more than sixteen and
twelve months respectively will be allowed
to complete these boats.
The shortness of the time Of construc-
don will be an important element in deter
mining the awards.
Hempstead. Long Island, has been def
nitely selected az a rendezvousing point
for the troops from New England and the
Middle States section and it is said nine-
teen regiments eventually will be quartered
there. En
The long expected appointment of ofri
GERS to the stan Of the fourteen new major
generals have been made, SO that the wav
= Dnow clear for the entry upon active duty
Of the officers who have been obliged for
several weeks to remain in Washington.
Sass Back to New York
SAN FRANCISCO, May &c. p. Hunt.
U1fon. president of the goufhern pacg0n