The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-14

cglc BOARD went into session ana cnlleu
Consul General Lee into the conference.
The setsslon was q long one and was de-
voted 10 a thorough discussion OF oifen-i
slve, and defensive movement In Cuban
waters. General Lee. being able to give
the board much Valuable Information
regarding the defepces Ii Havana.
n Crowding,cloae upon the heels or these
events was the news that the ilylng
squadron had raised anchors and put TO
sea. This fact caused intense excite
,nent In all quarters, and finally ellcited
from the officials the statement that the
squadron had merely gone TO sea for
a short practice cruise. There was an,
evident anxiety on the part OF the ON.
cials for news of the various Spanish
fleess, but up TO q late hour to-nlSht no
word had been received OF any, mnvc-
mens In that quarter, II was rumored
that the Spanish vessels at Porto Rico
had sailed. but this could not be con-.
firned. On 8fF
PROBABLY THE MOST sIGNITT.
CANT ACTION AT THE NAVY DE-
PARTMENTAWAS THE ISSUE OF
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE NAVAL
AUXILIARY BOARD AT NEW YORK
FOR THE 1MMEDIATE PURCHASE
OF THE OCEAN uREYHOUNDS,
ST. PAUL AND ST. LOUIS, OF THE
AMERICAN LINE. THE PURCHASE
OF ANOTHER FIRST CLASS lAUE-
1LIARY CRUISER, PROBABLY THE
YORKTOWN, OF THE OLD DoMIN-
ION LINE, AND THE PURCHASE
OF THE BRAZILIAN CRUISER
NIcTHERoY.
The last named vessel IS about to be
Ankn nj u $50.
tho question 0f her requirement by the
United States navy. The purchase OF
the st. Paul and st. Louis Is probably
the most expensive transaction consume
mated BY the navy department since
the beginning OF the war excitement.
These vessels cost over $4,000, 900 each.
and are regarded as among the bes.
vessels OF that class in the world. being
exeelled In speed only blythe Kaiser
Wilhelm Der Crosse, OF the German line.
and the Lucanla. and Campania, OF the
English Hne. Their impressment into
the naval service Is authorized by the
act under. which they were granted q
subsidy for carrying the United States
malls. The amount paid for them is an
official secret. but Il IS known to be
somewhere in tile nelghborhood OF s5,-
Vuv,vVU. Ac ~. Aul lcAL ALoOhkildiipkoii
on the 9th instant, and is due In New!
York on the 18th. The steamer st. Louis
Is ut the English port and the date ot
her return isinot stated. These vessels
will be armored and armed at the New
York navy yard and put in condition for
naval service. as rapidly as possible.
They probably will be used mainly as
transport ships, or as commerce de-
81 IA Ia ns
their speed power makes them especially
adapted for such service.
Signs OF activity for what now seems
to be a probable conflict were continued
at the war department. Everything Is
In readiness for prompt moyemen: Of
troops toward some central point. par
ticularly OF the forces east OF the Rocky
mountains, but General Miles says that
nothing Is.likely 10 be done In the way
OF moving any large s,ody OF troops
southeas;ward until there Is more evil
dence that their services Will beneeded.
Complete arrangements have been made
for the immediate, mobilization of prac-
tically5:the4entire' military force OF the
government at tho Chlcknmaug,l Ma
:lonal Park at the first signs of trouble.
1t Is expected In case OF necessity a call
will be; Issued for about 10000 troops.
preferably from the national guard OF
the different states and territories. In
the event that the war policy contem-
plates the Invasion OF Cuba. the army
may be increased to 100000 men. OF
this the regular troops and the national
guard will aggregate about $1,000 men.
and tho remainder will be made up of
volunteers. In the event OF a call upon
the rational guard attention will be di-
rected to the organizations in the states
Of New York. Pennsylvania and Ohio
and the District OF Columbia. };
General Miles plan Is to mobilize sev-
enteen OF the twenty-five regiments of
infantry and five OF the ten regiments
OF cavalry at the Chickamauga Park as
speedily as possibly. E