The Yale expositor., 1898-03-18
WAR NOW SEEMS INEVITABLE
Uncle Sam is Making Preparation:
10 Fight Spain.
CUBA MUST BE MADE FREE,
Gen. Alger Pushing Army Preparations
to Meet Any Emergency-Two New
Warships Purchased From Brazil
Spain Cannot Expect European Aid.

the tragedy now being enacted by the
United States, Spain and Cuba. Uncle
Sam continues to make extensive prep
arations for the struggle, and. while it
is impossible to secure any official intim-
alton at Washington as TO what steps
are to be taken in dealing with Spain,
yet enough is constantly leaking out
or is made apparent by official orders
and actions to give fair idea of the
trend of affairs.
The action of Secretary of War Alger
in making such extensive changes in
the divisions of the army is significant.
Orders have been issued creating the
departments of the Gulf and of the
Lakes and abolishing the departments
of the Missouri and of Texas. The de-
partment of the East will embrace the
states on the Atlantic coast to and in
Guiding North Carolina; the depart
ment of the Lakes will include Wiscon-
sin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
Kentucky and Tennessee, with head
quarters at Chicago, and the depart
ment of Gulf will comprise the states
of South Carolina, Georgia. Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Texas, with headquarters at Atlanta.
The troops at all army posts are now
prepared to receive orders to move in
any direction at three hours notice,
and the most ample transportation
facilities for the purpose have been ar
ranged. a general movemen of troops
from the interior posts, both cavalry
and infantry, to support the new ar
tillery batteries on the coast is eX-
pected to be ordered shortly. Orders
received at Fort Riley, Kas., directed
the sending of three batteries of artill-
cry to the south. Quartermastcr GEN
eral Lee, of the department of Missouri,
is making arrangements to transport
batteries of artillery now at forts in
the west to the Atlantic seaboard and
Gulf of Mexico.
The fortress at Sandy Hook, New
York harbor. is now on a war footing
Big guns and mortars have been placed
in position and finally tested. Four
artillery companies, made up of 500
men, arrived there composed of picked
men, and among them are the most eX-
pert gunners in the world. Light Bat
terry ID. Fifth L. ). artillery. stationed
at TT. Hamilton. New York harbor.
has been transferred to Charleston,
:. c. This is the first step in the mob
ilization of the whole army force
along the Atlantic seaboard These
men, being experienced in coast defense
work, are sent south. where there are
grave apprehensions of an attack from
the Spanish fleet. Their places will
be filled by men from the new artillery
regiments.
The war department has received
bids for one of the largest orders for
shot and shell for heavy calibcr guns
ever given, including armor-piercing
projectiles and dccll-piercing torpedo
shells. These projectilcs are for the
heavy fortifcation guns now mounted
along the seacoast. The entire amount
is designed to give all the heavy guns
now installed and those to be placed
during the coming year, a full quota of
projectiles and powder.
Meanwhile the navy department has
been fully as active. Contracts have
just been signed for the purchase of
the Brazilian warships Amazonas and
Admiral Breu which arc now receiving
finishing touches in an English ship
yard. Full crews are being organized
to man the two s-essels as soon as they
are completed, and the fact that Uncle
Sam will thus have two fine war vessels
so near Spain's coast has enabled the
navy department to order three other
join the North Atlantic squadron at
Key West as soon as possible.
There is intense activity at the Wash
ington navy yard, three shifts of men
working "a hours continuously. The
completion of the big guns there is be-
ing pushed ahead with all possible haste
The big armored cruiser Brooklyn
has arrived at Fort Monroe direct from
La Guayra, Venezuela. She has made
fast run up and it is expected will
await at Hampton Roads the arrival of
the cruisers Minneapolis and Columbia.
which arc just fitting out at Philadel-
phia. This force will form an excel
lent nucleus for the projected flying
squadron" which the department is
contemplating. The big monitor Puri-
tan is also ready for service now. The
monitor Miantonomah will be retained
at the mouth of the Delaware to guard
Philadelphia, and the ram Katahdin.
it is expected. will be ordered TO New
York TO re-enforce the Terror in pro-
lection of the port of New York.
Emergency orders had been issued that
the Vesuvius at Jacksonville. Fla. be
placed in fighting trim at once. She
has taken on 10 tons of ammunition.
her dynamite tubes are being placed in
the best of condition and several six
Founders are being added to her arma-
ment amidships.
The secretary of the navy has di
rected that recruiting station be
opened in Washington Immediately,
the special purpose being TO secure
ordinary seamen and machinists. A
special board has been appointed to ex-
anime all merchant vessels which are
intended to be transformed into auxil-
liary cruisers, and they report that al