New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-01
PRESERVING ORDER IN CUBA.
LITTLE FEAR OF TROUBLE WHEN
SPANS FLAG CONES DOWN TO-DAY.


/ STATES AvTHoRITIEs-FoU NEW MILITARY
DEPARTMENTS CREATED AND MORE
TROOPS ORDERED TO THE ISLAND.
Washington. Dec. 31.-The prospects for a
| peaceful change of administration In Havana
/ have frightened greatly result Of the ener-
| getic measures taken by the War Department
| and the Army officers in charge az Havana TO
| prevent trouble. Advices to this effect appear
/ in a cable dispatch received to-day by Assistant
| Secretary Meiklejohn from General Brooke,
/ Military Governor of Cuba, in which, after re-
ferring some routine matters. he says: There
will be no breach Of order; OF that l am as
sured You may rest assured that there has
been nothing beyond the usual In q city Of this
size"
The War Department is also informed that
General Ludlow. In charge of Havana city. is
proceeding with vigor TO organize the police
force there. 10 replace the dismissed Spanish
force known as the Orden PubcO. After ex=
amining a number Of applicants for appoint
ment on the force. he has selected and appoint
ed one thousand Cubans He is being assisted
In his task OF recasting the police force by John
/ McCuagh. formerly superintendent OF the New
York police force who is serving him in purely
advisory capacity. General Ludlow has dscov-
cred to his surprise that there never was de-
tective force in Havana, so he has called In an
expert member of the New-York Detective Bu-
reau 10 organize a corps for Havana immedi-
/ ately
STRENGTH OF THE AMERICAN FORCES.
The War Department is confident that there
will be an adequate force oi.troops in the Island
TO carry out It's plans and to maintain order.
Adjutant- General Corbin has prepared a state
ment showing that tomorrow when the Span
ish flag comes down there will be an American
Army in Cuba numbering 1894 men. made up
/ Of 80 45S enlisted men and 456 officers. These
are distributed among the provinces as follows:
In Havana Province, 1894. Tinsr del Rio.
/ 2100; Matanzas. 1868. sai Clara 24oo;
Puerto Principe. ! 405; Santiago 7.f05.
orders have been issued for the dispatch of
additional troops to Cuba to assist In the main
| tenance Of good government there The orders
are addressed 10 Major-General j. H. Wlison'
| commanding the First Army Corr with head
| quarters at Macon. Ga. The Secre AIRY Of war
directs that the headquarters Of the corps, orig
! inally fixed at Cenfuegos, Cuba, be changed to
Matanzas and that General Wilson, with his
! HEADQUARTERS and the Sth Massachusetts, the
| 16Oth Indiana and the Sd Kentucky. be put in
readiness for transportation Cuna' fuily
armed and equipped for field service win thirty
| days rations and forage in ADDITION 10 tilal re-
| quired for the journey.
In another order General Wilson is directed
to proceed with his headquarters and equip
ment from Macon TO Savannah in time to en-
bark on the transport Panama. The Sth Massa-
chueetts and the Sd Kentucky will embark from
| Savannah on transports to be provided and the
/ 16Oth Indiana will proceed to Charleston, one
battalion at a time, and embark on the sara
toga. which will convey the regiment to CUBA
I'm three trips.
NEW DEPARTMENTS AND COMMANDERS
To simplify the administration Of military af-
fairs and prevent a possible conflict of author-
~ the War Department to-day issued nm order
creating four new military departments in
| Cuba namely Pinar del Rio. MatanzaE. santa
! Clara and Puerto Principe. bounded by she pro
vincial boundaries Of the same name. Inc three
departments heretofore established are Sanu-
! ago Havana and the City of Havana, SO that
/ the island now is divided into seven dlsthct
/ military departments each under the command
! ~ An Army officer independent Of the others,
| but all responsible to General Brooke, the MILL
tary Governor of the entire island
General Lee already commands the Depart
ment Of Havana Province; General WOOD the
! DEPARTMENT of Santiago and General Ludlow,
| the Department OF the City Of Havana To-
days order assigns officers to command the re
| naming departments The order is addressed
| 10 General Brooke at Havana and states that
/ NV direction OF the President the following geo
| granhjcal military departments are established:
| The Department Of Pnar del Rio, the Depart
/ ment of Matanzas the Department OF SANTA
! Clara the Department Of Puerto Principe ana
| the Department Of the Province or havana
/ whose limits will include the Isle or Pines.
Rrieadier-General George w. Davis Is assigned
to the command Of the Department OF pinar dei
Rio Maior-General James H. Wilson to the
Department Of Matanzas. Major-Generai j. Z.
Bates 10 the Department of Santa Clara, and
/ Rr,gedier General /. H. Carpenter 10 the De
| partment OF Puerto Principe.
| The War Department has come 10 'hs ol-
! cusion that IL will be necessary 10 ailoIp 'eh-
! eral Brooke the Military Governor OF Cuoa' the
| assistance Of a special Cabinet. approaching III
J functions the late autonomous Cabinet oi Cupd,
! in the administration Of the civil anairs OF the
! island 1t has not been decided "he,her 'hs
| Cabinet when appointed. shall be made up OF
/ ARMY officers specially detailed. or whether as
! sistants from civil life shall be called IN.
| one Of the most difficult questions 10 pe sVised
at short notice by the war Departure ~ -
| TO the collection Of taxes in CUBA Inc I'M
portance OF this subject VIII be realized from inc
| statement lust made TO the War Department M
| that there are taxes 10 the amount OF Sl,"V'V'v
| OF the current fiscal year the arrears VIII De
/ 81 600 900 Two methods are under cohsdera-
| ton TO collect these taxes The hIst ~ 10 ap
! point an officer OF the Army. probably or tne
nav corps as collector. The second method is
! 10 continue temporarily under a special arrange
/ ment the tax gathering plan pursued by tne
/ Spanish Government which contracted win lhe
/ Spanish Bank OF Havana 10 collect the hi'pu'
! of taxes agreed upon. authorizing the pahk 10
! collect an additional sum Of per cent 10 az
/ fray the cost OF collection. The hank mas
/ branches in every province IN the isIahu' WIZ"
/ a thoroughly organized staf OF collectors