The silver lance., 1899-08-25
WASHINGTON NEWS.

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Secretary Root has issued orders for
the Twenty-seventh, Thirty first and
Thirty fourth regiments of volunteer
infantry to proceed to San Francisco at
once. These regiments will sail for
Manila when transports are provided.
The War Department has set aside
two large tracts Of land near Honolulu
as military reservations. One tract
contains 1884 acres, situated about
three miles northwest of the city, and
the other, IA, 400 acres, Is nineteen
miles from Pearl HarbOr.
Five battleships will probably be
added to the effective force Of the navy
by next spring. Reports from naval
constructors, supervising the work,
show that the Kearsarge, Kentucky,
Illinois, Alabama and Wisconsin Will
have completed their official trials ear
ly next year.
Secretary Root has in contemplation
visit to the President at Lake Cham
plain. He has not yet finally deter
mined whether to go, but will decide in
a day or two. The fact that General
Wesley Merritt is to have conference
with the President during the week,
combined with Mr.. Roots prospective
trip, has given rise to fresh rumors of
a possible change in the command of
the troops in the Philippines.
Although it has not been definitely
decided to call out more volunteers,
there is every indication that such
course is likely. The War Department
Is preparing lists of officers of the reg
ular army who have been successful as
field officers. Secretary Root has tele-
graphed governors of states asking
them to name officers of volunteers
who had been neglected, and stating
that it was desirable to create a re-
serve list from which appointments
could be made to fill vacancies.
In a letter from Admiral Dewey to
the secretary of the navy, dated at
Naples, August 9th, the admiral gives
his plans as follows: Il propose to re-
main at this point about one week,
then to proceed to Leghorn for one
week, and then to either Genoa or
Villefrance for about the same period.
! 1t is then proposed to proceed to Glib
raltar for coal, etc, and to leave that
port about the middle of September"
This contradicts the report that Ad-
miral Dewey intended to go to London
before returning to the United States.
The Navy Department has practi-
cally decided to send the cruiser Olym-
pia, upon her arrival home, to the BOs-
ton navy yard for repairs. 1t Is under
stood to be the intention to give the
vessel thorough overhauling and to
modernize her. 1t is probable the flag
quarters will be removed SO that Ad-
miral Dewey will be the last flag Of
flcer to fly his flag on board her.
The committee appointed by the COM
mander of the Grand Army Of the Re-
public to investigate Pension Commits
sioner Evans and report to the ap-
preaching G. A. II. encampment at
Philadelphia, has completed its report
The committee exonerates Commission
er Evans from the charges preferred
against him and will report that the
pension office is being honestly and
conscientiously administered. The re-
port will say that the commotion that
exists is largely traceable to a popu-
lar misconstruction Of some of the
pension laws.
Naval Constructor Hobson has been
heard from by the Navy Department
for the first time at any length since
he was given charge of the Spanish
ships raised from Manila harbor and
now undergoing repairs at Hong
Kong. He enlarges on the need of a
large dockyard in the Orient, the in
creasing shipping at Manila and the
prospect that Manila will succeed
Hong Kong as the emporium of the
East. He also says the three Spanish
ships which are completed, Isla de Gu
ba, Isla de Luzon and Don Juan de
Austria will be worth to the govern
ment about 100000, and he contem-
plates trying to raise three more, In
cluding the Ulloa and Velasco.
Secretary Root is beginning to get a
firm grasp on the administration of
the War Department. He has made a
careful inquiry into the military stu
alton in the field. Probably the most
important military inquiry he is pur-
suing Is as to the exact fluctuations of
the insurrection in the Philippines
since the day it began. While going
over the military phases of the work
the secretary has conferred with the
commanding general. General Miles,
and with General Merritt, who is
second in command, on the military
problems presented. and beside the
military results of these counsels it
has established cooperation between
the executive head of the War Depart
ment and the ranking officers of the
army. Meanwhile the secretary has
announced oil far-reaching policies. He
proceeds slowly while the facts on
which policies rest are being as
sembled.
The secretary of war has issued an
appeal to governors of states for aid
fnr the storm sufferers in Porto Rico,
saying: 1.-The magnitude of the work
to be accomplished leads this depart
ment to supplement the appeal already
made to the mayors Of the principal
cities Of the country by a more gen.
eral appeal, and l beg you to ask the
people of your state to contribute gen.
erously to the relief of the people of
Cxxriff eto h l,o,.,