Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-04-30
WAR NOTES.

From Chickamauga PARK, the present
rendezvous, 5000 infantrymen are to
be sent at oncs to Tampa, there to be
joined by thousand cavalry
men. The date for their departure
from Tampa has been fixed for We'd
nesday next, May i. BY that time the
eight transports which have been char
tered by the government will be in the
port of Tampa ready to carry troops
to Cuba. At present all haste is being
made to get the men to Tampa, and
there has been no such hurrying and
skurrying since the days of 81.
The selection of the commanding Of
ficers has been practically settled. Con.
ferences between the President and
Secretary Alger have resulted in the
selection of the four officers who are to
conduct the real fighting. They are
man of experience and capacity.
The plan is to commission four of the
Brigadier Generals of the regular army
as Major Generals of volunteers. The
officers who have been selected are as
follows
Brigadier General William R. Shat
ter.
Brigadier General Elwell S. Otis.
Brigadier General Henry c. Merriam.
Brigadier General James F. Wade.
These are the officers who will have
the real work of handling the volunteer
forces which are eventually TO go to
| Cuba. There will be other major ger
erals appointed in the volunteer army,
but they will be given, as the pro.
gramme is now arranged, home guard
1 commands.
Gen. Granville W. Dodge, for in-
stance, may be the major general IN
command of the North Atlantic coast,
while Gen. Fitzhugh Lee will have his
army modified at Richmond. There
will probably be eleven major generals
altogether, while the thirty-four brl-
gsdiers will be selected from the var
ious States. The number of spplica-
tons for these positions is overwhelm-
ing. The trouble will be to select the
number required out of the very large
field of applicants. There is certain to
be q great deal of disappointment when
the list is finally announced. Colored
4
the first invading forces.
A cablegram from Havana which is
not credited states that part of the
army there is being organized for the
invasion of Florida. A large force is
assembling. 1t is estimated that there
are $4,000 men at Havana ready to
fight.
A dispatch from Hong Kong states
that Admiral Dewey's squadron has
been sighted of Bolinao. near Manila,
but because of u severe storm has been
J unable to communicate with the lnsur
| gents on shore.
All the Spanish warships are supplied
with the best smokeless powder, while
the United States government has only
! $4,000 pounds of it ready for use.
It is said in Washington that the
Navy Department proposes to use the
four former American liners to prey on
Spanish commerce on the coast OF Spain
and that information has been received
that several rich prizes are soon due ID
that country.
1t is stated that the regular army is
prepared to invade Cuba within the
next few days. Regiments and batteries,
modified at New Orleans, Mobile and
Tampa, have been hurried forward to
| Tampa, while the others left behind
have been told to expect sudden calls.
Large quantities of supplies are being
forwarded to Tampa, and DIR. Gulteras
the yellow fever expert, has been adj
vised to be at Tampa in few days to
accompany the troops.
| 1t is rumored in Madrid that Ger
many has officially notified tie United
States that she will not permit the
Commandment of any of the towns in
the Philippine Islands, owing to the
important German mercantile interests
in every town, but she will not oppose
the landing of troops: This story is
received with deep satisfaction.
Japan has asked Spain to allow Jap
aness naval officers to watch events
from the Spanish headquarters.
The Rome correspondent of the Lon.
don Daily Chronicle says "Archbish-
op Martinelli, pspal delegate to the
Roman Catholic Church in the United
States, has cabled to the Vatican to
abstain from all demonstration of SYM
pathy with Spain which could excite
| the Protestant sentiment of the Uni ed
| States against the Roman Catholics"
A rumor was prevalent in Washing
ton last night to the effect that the cen
trail powers of Europe had requested
the United States to explain the pro-
posed demonstrations against the Phil
ippine Islands, inasmuch as the decla-
ration of Congress regarding interyen=
ton was confined to Cuba. No con-
irmation of the rumor could be OBJ
tanned.
The organization of the volunteer
army of 125, 900 men is we'll under way.
Mastering officers, surgeons, and quar-
termasters have been appointed. The
War Department is adhering to its
purpose not to increase the quota OF
troops originally called for. President
Mckinley will nominate the major gen.
erals and brigadier generals of yolun-
teers early next week. The govern
ment policy in making these appoint.
ments will be to promote officers Of the
regular army so far as possible.
A dispatch from st. Vincent says
two Spanish transports (probably the
San Francisco and the Ciudad de Ca
diz) have returned there with three
Spanish torpedo.boats (most likely the
Azor, Rayo aud Arietej owing to col
lision. The Spaniards say two of the
torpedo. boats have been slightly dam
aged. They claim the boats will he
able to put to sea again to-day.