The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-20
OUR SHORTCOMINGS
Many Delays Inevitable in Military
-, Preparations.
EQUIPMENTS SADLY LACKING.

To Maintain tho Army for Six Months
VIII Cost Thirty Million Dollars,
and Hostilities May Be Prolonged
Beyond That Period.
Washington, May 2O-With every
disposition on the part of the execu-
tive to make the present war short.
sharp and decisive, 1t Is beginning to
be realized that the shortcomings ,of
our military service are SO many that
delays are inevitable, and that much
work will be necessary to put the ma,
tion 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 officer who accepted volunteer
appointment would forfeit his commits.
sion In the regulars and 30 become lia-
BILE 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 towards congress
to secure the necessary corrective leg
islation.
Again, It has been found that the
equipment Of the army. small as 1t is
in comparison with the great army OF
, the rebellion, is sadly lacking. Nearly
a month after the formal declaration
of war the war department yesterday
purchased a number of shelter tents,
and 1t has just secured the hammocks
that experts say are essential to exist
ence in Cuba. These preparations in
xnIua that 10 t,rlr-
able that. In spite Of the herculean eff
forts of the officers of the army, no
positive start has yet been made to-
wards its goal by the army Of occupa-
tlon. Probably 1t is this fact rather
than any unreadiness on the part of
the navy, that causes the campaign to
drag in its inception. for the navy de-
partment has announced that 1t stood
ready at any moment to furnish con-
voys for the troop transports. provided
they were started from one point.
To maintain the army of 100000 men
for six months will cost $50, 900, 900, ac-
cording to estimates prepared by Pay
master General Stanton, and the lead
ing officials are beginning to fear that
hostiities may run along beyond this
period. The reason Is the growing con-
vction on the part of some of the Of
ficers that they must not reckon on any
substantial assistance from the Cuban
rebels in this campaign, and moreover
must meet the Spaniards in Cuba in
their strongest sphere that of the de-
fensive.
Work on the three monitors Ma
hopac. Canonicus and Manhattan, at
League Island, has advanced so far
that the department expects to have
them in service within a week or two.
These monitors will be valuable ad-
dition to the coast defense ships.
The absence of official news of any
character from the fleets at the navy
department gave the widest field for
speculation, and all sorts of stories were
atioat as to the whereabouts of the
vessels and the imminence of an en-
gagement. The report that came from
Madrid of the bombardment Of Santi-
ago received some credence, inasmuch
as it seemed to show that General
Greely. the chief signal officer has set
in motion the machinery of the navy
to carry out his declared purpose of
cutting the cables that afford the last
connection between Havana and the
outside world and thus isolate Blanco.
1t is not believed that the lombard
ment amounted to anything more than
this.
Hampstead. L. l.. has been definitely
selecting as a rendeZvousing point for
the troops from the New England and
Middle States section, and it Is ex-
pected that 10 regiments eventually will
be quartered there. The long expected
appointments of officers to the staff
of the IA new major generals have been
made, so that the way is now clear for
the entry upon active duty of the
officers, who have been obliged for sew
eral weeks to remain In Washington.