, 1899-08-24

StcTeluTN lkOOl mas issued ORDERS LOT
the Twenty-seventh, Thirty .t-st 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
W large tracts of land near Honolulu
as military reservations. One tract
contains 1854 acres, situated about
three miles northwest of the city, and
the other, 14,400 acres, is nineteen
miles from Pearl Harbor.
Five battlcships 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.
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 n thorough o~verhauling ana TO
modernize her. 1t is probable the nag
quarters will be removed so that Ad-
miral Dewey will be the last flag of
ficer 10 fly his flag on board her.
Secretary Root has in contemplation
n visit TO the President Mt Lake Cham
plain. lie has not yet finally deter
mined whether 10 go, but will decide in
a day or two. The fact that General
Wesley Merritt is TO have a conference
with the President during the week,
combined with Mr.. Roots prospective
trip, has given rise to fresh rumors of
n 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 a
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 1t was desirable TO create n re
serve list from which appointments
could be made to fill vacancies.
In n letter from Admiral Dewey to
the secretary of he navy, dated mt
Naples, August 9th. the admiral gives
his plans rs follows: II propose to re
main at this point about IL week,
then to proceed TO Leghorn for II
week, and then to either Genoa or
Nillcfrancc 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 c~Ontradicts the report that Adj
miral Dewey intended TO 20 to London
before returning to the United States.
The committee appointed by the com
mandCr of the Grand Army of the Re
public TO investigate Pension Commits
sioner Evans and report to the ap-
p%roaching G.. A.. Il. 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
c~0nscientiously administered The re
port will say that the connection that
exists is largely traccablc to II popu-
lar misconstruction of some Of the
pension laws.
Secretary Root il beginning 90 get a
firm grasp on the administration of
the Wan 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 1t began. While going
over tine 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, ana beside the
military results of these cOunsels it
has established cooperation between
the executive head of the War Depart
mcnt and the ranking officers of the
army. Meanwhile the secretary has
announced OF f~ar-rcaching policies. He
proceeds slowly while the facts on
which policies rest are being as
semblcd.
The secretary of wal has issued an
appeal to governors of states for aid
fnr the storm sufferers in Porto Rico.
saying; "Ihc magnitude of the work
to bC accomplished leads this depart
mcnt to supplement the appeal already
made to the mayors of the principal
cities of the country by n more gen
crnl appeal, and | beg you to ask the
people of your state To contribute gen
crously to the relief of the people of
Porto Rico. Swift steamers have been
provided To leave the port of New
York To carry the supplies directly to
Porto Rico ns rapidly as they ran be
collected. Contributions should be
either in supplies or in money, in or
der that the supplies can he purchased.
The supplies should he sent to Colonel
+. II. Jones. Army building, foot of
Whitehall street. New York City. in
packages plainly marked Porto Rico
Relief and he should be consulted as
To the time of shipment. Money should
he sent 10 the National Bank of North
Americn, New York CITY,
Senator Clay of Georgia, Il Democrat,
Is quoted in the midsummer political
gossip here as having expressed the
belief that there would he an anti-eX,
pansion Republican ticket in the field
for the presidency next year. Accord
Ing to this gossip, the new ticket is to
hc called the continental Republican
ticket, and. though 1t is not believed
that 1t will be possible TO get former
Speaker Reeds consent to head the