The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-23

war department sent ont secret agents y
make reports upon the State militia-th
number of men that could be put IN IN
field, their drill, discipline equipments bat
teries, delu outfit, etc. Having amasset
all possible information the authorities
here know what they can depend upon
They know. for Instance, that within
twenty four hours. in addition TO part o.
the regular or Federal army. 10000 militia
men can be on the railway trains EN- rout,
for the seabesrd They know that within
forty eight hours 10000 men can be on the
cars. They know that within ten days
counting regular troops and militia, 76.-
oe0 men can be mcblizei ut the ssaports
In all 100000 trained and equipped soldiers
are available for the offensive or defensive
operations OF the government.
Today General Miles made the following
important statement. to the correspondent
OF the Times Herald;
DAY 'before yesterday issued circular
letter to the commanding officers OF all the
military departments. directing them TO de-
tail detachments of artillery, about twenty
or thirty men In EACH to the ungarrIsoned
artillery posts where new guns have re-
Gently been mounted. NV orders have al
ready begun TO be carried into execution.
For example. Major General Merritt,
commanding the department of the East
has informed me that he has ordered
detachment from upper New York harbor
to Fort Hancock and detachment has
been ordered to the new mortar battery at
Boston. This can not be considered as gar
risoning artillery posts. The detachments
are sent In accordance with regulations
which | made long ago touching the neces-
sity of detailing Il few men to each OF the
new Notifications 10 properly care for the
guns. and to become familiar with their
disuse and lack of care. and it. is with a
view of preserving the expensive ordnance
that Is being mounted that the orders We're
Issued. We have not vet obtained from
congress the authority to enlist the two
new regiments OF artillery which are 50
much needed. II is therefore necessary 10
utilize rs far az possible the facilities now
at our command
Since we can not yet quarter an ade-
quate force OF artillerymsn in immediate
contact with the guns. owing both to lack
of men and to the lack OF barracks. there
is nothing to be done for the present but
10 detail detachmeL 10 care for and man
the hgh-power guns and mortars as they
are placed in position. There are twenty
SIN points where new ordnance now requires
or soon Will require attention. and TO gar
rison them properly will require over seven
regiments of artillery as minimum
Miles referred are:
Portland Head Portland. Me
Great Diamond Island. Portland Me
Fort Constitution, Portsmouth, N H.
Growers Cliff. Boston harbor Mass.
Long Island Head, Boston harbor, Mass.
Dutch Island, Narrangansett Bay, r. L.
Great Gull Island, eastern entrance Long
Island Sound, n. Y.
Fort Hancock. New York harbor.
Films Point approach to Philadelphia.
North Point approach to Baltimore.
Hawkins Point, approach TO Baltimore.
Fort Washington and Sheridans Point
approach to Washington ID. G.
Fort Caswell. Wilmington. n. c.
Fort MoMltrie. Charleston. S. @.
Tybee Island, Savannah, Ga.
Fort Morgan, Mobile, Ala
Fort ST Philip. New Orleans.
Fort Point. Galveston, Texas
Ballast Point San Diego, Cal.
Lime Point Ridge tor Fort Baker, II so
namsd), San Francisco barber Cal
Fort Stevens, mouth of Columbia river,
Wash.
Morrowstone Point and Admiralty Head.
The shipment today Of eight S-nch double
uzzeloading rifles, converted from ord