New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-27
LAYING THE SUBMARINE MINES.
ACTIVITY OF ARMY OFFICIALS HERE-cHANGEs
THIS DEPARTMENT

ACTIVITY OF ARMY OFFICIALS HERE-CHANGEs
N THIS DEPARTMENT
Major General Merritt has not yet made an OFF,
cial visit 70 Fort Slocum on Davids Island and
he has not decided when he will go. He was busy
all day yesterday In his private office. The num-
Der OF recruits at Fore Socum for the new artillery
regiments Is about eight hundred Under the d.
recton Of Major II VI Adams. the work OF laying
tho submarine dcfences OF the harbor channels
AT tho Narrows and Sandy Hook pushed for
ward Yesterday with all possible expedition II Is
said that bout Two hundred and Atty IN all Will
Ia put in place in the deepwat channels Lead
Ing from the ocean to the Lower Bay. and from
the Lower Bay 10 the Upper Bay. The contact
mines are being placed everywhere they are to
go save in the main channel. which will be
marked By white buoys by day, but closed at night.
with all lights removed Vessels will receive no.
tice by day keep In the marked channel. ara TO
be careful in regard 20 tho turns In the channel
near Sandy Hook.
Some secret buoys 10 be put in place for
the guidance OF warsh,ps which may have occs-
sion 20 come into the port NJ night. The position
or these Will be known only the Government
officials and charts will be supplied to the war
ships for their guidance. All suspicious vessels
Will be at once halted. and II Is not proposed 20
permit any Interference with the defences OF tho
harhor ,u Lfr water or their land connections.
At tho CGartcrmaster Office II was said yester-
day afternoon that important matters were IN
hand but that news in regard 10 them would have
70 come from Washington. Arrangements have
been made so that large bodies OF troops can be
moved al short notice anywhere In the Depart
mcnt OF the East
Major Frank r. Phipps. Of the Ordnance De-
partment has made arrangements for the shipping
81 considerable quantity OF cannon from the
New-York Arsenal on Governors Island this after
noon to the points where tn" guns Will be mounted
captain Albert s Cummlns who has been the
engineer officer on the stan OF General Merritt.
WAS detached yesterday and ordered 20 Fortress
Monroe. wl're 10 Will command battery h, AIN
Artillery. and have chnrS" Of battery OF lo-inch
rined disappearing guns. The duties OF engineer
officer will deyoyc upon Lieutenant Hale. or Cen
er,I Merrltts personal stan. who Will have charge
I'm that capacity Of compiling military maps OF
IN. DEPARTMENT from the data furnished by ned
officers While the work OF the latter has stopped
FOR the present. there is material enough on mana
for six months work OF compilation.
One OF the visitors n Army Headquarters yes
,or,Iav was captain John L. Thompson. L. s. A.
ra,ir.d who has Just returned from Bermuda 10
offer his services ~ tho Government. He received
disabilities i'm the service At Fort Smelling. Mimi
which caused his retirement. but he believes he can
he of some use now that his health is partially
restored
The new rostor Of the troops OF the Department
NJ the East was issued yesterday. under date %
April % II shows the recent chasneS mace ny wv,
transfer OF troops TO the South ana me 'ranslr.'
of officers The only troops leit IN me ,Depdrt-
n,atf are heavy artillery At tho coast defenccs
Tho 9th 18th and 2lst Infantry are at Tampa ria
for service in the field; squadron or me 50 0av-
airy is AT Chickamauga. and two batteries OF ngnt
artillery at the same place All Tor the ior's III
General Merritt's Department..
Thc Engineer Cops at Willets Point Is unne,
orders to move at twenty -four hours notice. and
ca Snuth 10 ion the army OF invasion. Major
John g. II Knight. VINO commands the post, hopes
IN he able TO leave his command and go with the
co,ns First Lieutenant T.. W. Van {. Lucas. COM
rntssarv of tho post, busy in arranging for the
nontoou trains TO he used in Cuba.
The bids received by Lieutenant MaXneld tor
balloons for war operations wore forwarded ny
him 70 Washington yesterday They ranged from
81 800 10 5000 It stated that Il would take
three or four weeks TO supply balloon OF n ca,
n,ritv Of 900 cubic feet. the silk to be covered
win three coats of elastic varnish No orders nave
vadsworth 10 the front II Is in readiness for
usn but Il not TO be used until balloon corps
Mator Willard Of the Commissary Department.
has asked for proposals FOR furnishing quantities.
Of various articles needed for army use. the guam
tities being unlimited. and tho contracts to Ne
ax.qr ed