Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-28
HAVE HOPES OF A
PEACEFUL OUTCOME
Continued from First Page.)

fered with by the storm along the Gulf of
Mexico. Col. l. T. W. Waller, who was or
| dered from Norfolk to Cuba, where he is to
| assume command of all marines in the is
| land, is delayed at Jacksonville, Fla. Brig.
| Gen. q. F. Elliott, commanding the Marine
Corps received a dispatch today from Col.
! Waller. saying that he hopsS-to get from
Jacksonviile to Miami, Fla, tomorrow. and
| will proceed to Havana on the first boat
, Efforts to get In touch with the marines
ia .aeionsa az PENSACOLA. Fla, and New Or
| leans have been unsuccessful, and 1t is
| reared that the detachment OF marines or
| oered from Pensacola to New Orleans, to
san from that port tomorrow for Cuba. will
De unable to reach the vessel because of
| Wasnouts along gulf railroads.
Neither the army nor navy has been able
90 get any reports from gulf points, and it
| is reared that much damage has been done
| to government property in the path Of the
gulf storm. a. -, =
To Prepare the Hancock.
Orders have been sent to the New York
navy yard to prepare the receiving ship
hancock for the transportation OF sailors
ana marines to Cuba In case more are
needed q.
Inc hancock, which was formerly the
transatlantic liner Arizona, was purchased
by the government in the Spanish American
war as troopship. She relieved the cruiser
Columbia, which had been acting as a re-
ceNlng ship at the, New York navy yard
ABOUT three years ago, the Columbia being
considered too valuable for that prosaic
service. Inc Hancock is an iron schooner
rugged single screw steamship of 1000 tons
displacement She-was built at Glasgow in
1873. Her principal dimensions are 45S feet
water line, 40 feet ) inches beam and Fl
feet inches draft. Her engines are of
400 horsepower, her speed is fifteen knots
ana her coal capacity 900 tons.
orders have been sent to Fort Monroe to
snip SIX carloads of torpedoes and mine
shells to Tampa. Fla. 1t is understood that
the explosives, with caps and anchors, will
be sent to Havana. The shells and torpe-
does to be shipped away have been to Fort
Monroe since the maneuvers there some
months ago. Je--
Col. Crowder Going to Havana.
Among the army officers who will go to
Havana in advance of the regular assign
ment is Col. E. H. Crowder Of the Judge
advocate generals department, who dur
ing the recent absence of Gen. Davis judge
advocate general, filled his place. Col
Crowder. is member of the general staff,
and was summoned to Havana by Score
tary Taft. to whom he will act in an ad-
visory- capacity. He will remain at Ha-
vana with Gen. Funston. He is one of the
best lawyers in the army and he goes to
Havana primed with legal references which
VIII aid Secretary Taft in establishing
either provisional government or purely
military administration in Cuba.
Hard to Get Horses and Mules
Difficulty is being experienced by the
quartermaster generals department of the
army in obtaining horses and mules. Cav
airy horses particularly are scarce and of
high price. Even at high prices good cav
airy horses are nearly Impossible to pro-
cure The scarcity is not local, but ex-
stock-raising regions of the west and north
west animals suitable for cavalry purposes
are difficult to procure. A few weeks ago
a contractor In the state of Washington
was awarded a contract to supply the army
with about 800 cavalry horses at his bid of
S92 head. He thus far has been unable
to I'LL the contract and 1t is possible that
he may be financially crippled in his eff
forts to meet his obligation to the gov.
eminent. short time before Gen. Fun
ston was ordered to Cuba he requested au-
thority to purchase, in an emergency. fifty
cavalry horses at $50 a head The re-
quest was refused by the department be-
cause of the contract which the govern
ment had made for such horses at 500 a
horses, animals suitable for the cavalry
now are worth about $40 a head. Mules
are even scarcer than horses. Good mules
are worth about $50 head. and are diff
fcult to get at that price on account of
the great foreign demand. Returns from
the bids opened in the west for cavalry
horses and mules have not been received
at the War Department yet but it is ex-
pected that the prices will be high, par
ticularly the specifications require de-
livery within fifteen days of the award of
the contracts.
Use of Panama Railway Ships.
The War Department has in view the pos
sible use Of the five ships of the Panama
railroad which ply between Colon and
New York. These ships are the Finance
built in 1888. of 1908 gross tons, and hav
ing speed of thirteen knots; the Advance,
built in 1888, 2.605 tons, speed thirteen
knots; the Alliance. built in 1886, 1885
gross tons. speed thirteen knots, and the
Panama and Colon. the latter formerly the
Ward liner Mexico. The Havana, pur-
chased by the isthrnian canal commission
about year ago at a cost of $6o0OO0, will
also be available. Each of these ships will
carry six or seven companies.
More Force Wanted at Cienfuegos.
Ap appeal for more men to assist in pro-
tecting property at Cienfuegos, Cuba has
been received from Commander James T.
Smith of the cruiser Cleveland, now sta
gunboat Marietta. III addition to the regular
complement of marines and bluejackets on
the two warships, 225 other marines have
been sent to Cienfuegos to assist in looking
after foreign interests there, and at pres
ent the Navy Department has no more
available men who can be sent to that
place.
Practically all the marines who can be
and from Warships preparing to go to
Havana. AS Secretary Taft asked to have
these sent to Havana it is not believed by
the Navy Department that any of the men
now at Havana or any on their way can be
spared to assist at Cienfuegos.
Lines of men have been thrown out from
the two warships at Cienfuegos to protect
plantations of foreigners against maraud-
ers. These men have been worn out by
constant duty, and Commander Smith said
in his request to the Navy Department that
relief is needed at once.
The Navy Department is greatly in need
of more officers and men. and will have
much trouble in providing crews for a num- !
Der Of warships which have been stripped |
to man ships now in Cuba about to go |
there. The Tennessee Washington, Georgia |
and Connecticut have been drained of Off |
GERS and crews to man the Prairie, Brook |
Ign and Texas, which are already under |
orders to take marines to Cuba. The |
Marine Corps is about GOO men short of its !
full quota, but 1t is believed that with the |
prospect of immediate service outside of the |
United States the Marine Corps will have
no difficulty In recruiting to its full legal |
strength. |