The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
MsdicGaspart~snt, 80 ono'r'. ''i enlisted
nuuH or vr1sAL PnEpARATIONs.

came this morning the War Department
was simply waiting for news, just a. IL
has done for several days. but within . few
minutes after the receipt Of the despatch
from the Secretary Of War kilograms were
aeut fiying 20 all parts Of the country from
nearly every bureau In the War Depart
ment.
The uuarter-master generals ofioe sent
word 10 It's agents to make contracts for
steamships TO carry troops from Newport
News to Cuba. The commlssary general
put well laid plans for the purchase OF
food into active operation. The surgeon
~weneral's Office sent out Instructions
gathering medical supplies, and made
arrangements for engaging the services
Of perhaps twenty-five civilians who will
become part OF the army a. contract
UurReons.' The Bureau OF rdnance
sent dispatches to three arsenals directing
that arms and ammunition be sent to New
port News for shipment to Cuba, and the
chief signal officer by a telegram started
l26 signal corps men out at Fort Omana
hacking TN TO come East Immediately.
In the other bureaus there was equal ao-
tivity. and there seems to be little doubt
that by the time the various organiza-
tions which are TO 60 to Newport News
get to their destination the plans for trans
portation, feeding, ~eQuipping and doctor
Ing will be fully completed.
The officers here have gone hard at the
work OF clearing up details which have
hitherto been left unfinished while the
Department awaited Developments. To-
night the Department 10 ss busy a. during
the day. Most Of the heads OF bureaus
are at theif desks receiving dispatches
and sendicg out instructions.
TRANSPORTS CHARTERED.
The chief thing done to-day was the
chartering Of vessels to transport the SOL
diers Of the first expedition to Havana.
Thia problem has offered more difficulties
than any other, but II now seems that Brig
Gen. Humphrey, Quartermsster-Gene OF
the Army, has enough ships to meet all
requirements.
II WAS announced that the following
vessels had been obtained: The steamship
Monterey, capacity 40 officers and SlA
men; the City Of Washington, 90 Officers
and 2O2 men; the Seneca, IS officers and S2A
men; the Niagara. 50 officers and 500 men;
the Panama, 90 officers and 1000 men;
the Admiral Ssmpson, ~ officers n $50
men; the'Admiral Schley, 4S Officers and $50
mon; the Admiral Dewey, IS officers and
$50 men; the Admiral Farragut, as officers
and $50 men; the Missouri, 700 horses; the
Lewis L~uokenbach. $500 horses, and the
J. L. Luokenbach, $500 horses. The De-
partment also has the army transport
Sumner: which has a carrying capacity OF
IS officers and 76S men.
This Owes the army nearly enough trans
portation TO carry the entire first expedition,
and the additional vessels needed al be pro-
cured easily. The work Of fitting the mer-
chant ships for wal will begin at once andin
most cases will be completed by tho time the
troops are ready to embark. Some OF the
ships viii not DO In port, or whore the Gov
srnmept can take hold Of them, for q day or
two and In some cases not until some time
next week, but no dificulty on this score
N expected. A number OF the steamship
owners have been delaying the departure OF
THAR ships while the Cuban situation boiled.
The QuArtermaster- General also ordered
aeven of the officers under him to proceed
directly to Havana. They are: Capt.
Archibald Butt, depot quartermaster In
washington; Capt. W. @. WrennJ construct
ing ouartermaster at San NranctSco; Major
Bahsr4 now In tho Quartermaster-0 Generals
of3ca here; Capt. Normoyies constructing
4MkEUSEWnNpoK ~ " 49,
CAbbeT. now In San Francisco; and Capt.
HaiDes; now at Fort Niagara; N. Y. Major
eIavens; now attached to the Quartermaster-
Generals ONCE has been ordered to Newport
News to be In charge there.
RArroNs ARR
Brig .-Gen. Sharp; Chief OF the COmmis-
mrv. directed the immediate purchase Of
an 600 rations by his agents in various
parts OF the country. A ration is COM
poeed Of sufficient food for three meals and
that which has been ordered bought will
last the 5000 men OF the first expedition
thirty days. Preparations are being made
for two shipments TO follow the expedition,
each large epoegh 70 feed thes soldiers for
n month. Thus they will be supplied with
food for three months. After that tho
commissary officers In CubaHwil provide
THAR own food under the direction OF the
commanding officers In the field.
Gen. Sharp also made arrangements for
the Immediate shipment 10 Newport News
az 1000 emergency rations. These came
from Kansas City. whore they ara manu-
Sactured. An emergency ration Is In a
called oany weighs but twenty ounces and
has enough condensed food In IL for three
meals. These ratiOns are used only In
oasss Of great necessity and viii be given
20 tho men who 60 out on long hikes which
might take them away from the base Of
supplies.
PLENTY OF AMMUNITION.
The Bureau Of Ordnance Of the War
Department, Of which Bng.-Gen. Crozier
a the head, has q sufacient supply Of am
munition within easy reach TO meet al
possible demands. Orders were sent to-day
to the army arsenals at Frankfort, Spring
aeld and Rock Island to rush ammunitio 4
and arms to Newport News. Every man
win carry with him about 200 rounds oil
ammunition for tho small arms he carries
and the artillery which will 90 will have an
equal quantity for it's guns.
Capt. W. H. Tschappat will be the chiei
ordnance oficer OF the FIRST expedition,
Small arms TO the extent OF 10 per cent
Of the total amount In the expedition will
be sent to Newport News n thence "a
Havana.
The army Is now fully equipped with the
new magazine rife, recently adopted, which
may get a thorough test of its usefulness
The new sword bayonet will also Be used
IL was adopted by tho army experts because
Of It's great effectiveness, a. hown In the