The Washington herald., 1911-03-09

believed demanded immediate action.
The departments Of the Quartermaster
General and the Commissary General were
particularly busy yesterday, They were
being subjected to the hardest test that
has been put upon them since the mobi-
lization of troops for the Spanish war.
They were going full blast all day, direct
ing the shipment of supplies, wagons, and
animals to San Antonio and other points.
1t Is expected that the last supply and ami
NAL trains will have left the several sup
ply stations by to-day noon, and by that
time sufficient subsistence supplies will
have been dumped into San Antonio, Gal
weston, and San Diego to support the
troops for many days. Most of the sub
sistence consists of emergency or field
rations.
May Run Short of Horses.
The Quartermasters Department is
likely to run short of horses and mules
for the transportation required for the
division with headquarters at Fort Sam
Houston. 1t may, therefore, be necess-
ary to buy 500 or more animals The
probability that these animals will be
purchased is a futher indication that
the movement of troops to the Mexican
frontier is not for the sole purpose of
conducting war exercises. The troops
to be landed at Galveston will be put
under tents. Brig. Gen. j. w. Duncan.
in command Of the Department of Texas
has been ordered to lease additional
ground for government reservation at
Fort Sam Houston. where the Quarter
masters Department will establish
modern military camp
From extensive preparations that are
being made by the War Department It
is evident that the troops are to remain
in Texas for a longer period than would
be required II the purpose of the mooil-
ization was merely TO conduct maneuVers
1t is believed that preparations for the
care of the troops in Texas have been
made with the idea that they may be
there several months.
No Estimate of Cost.
No accurate estimate has been made as
yet of the cost of the present mobiliza-
ton. The chief items OF expense will be
for transportation and incidenta such
as telegraphing and other expenses
caused by increased correspondence. The
cost of feeding the army is expected by
officers of the Commissary Department
to be about the same in Texas as 1t is
at their usual stations. The enlisted men
will receive the same rations at the ma
neuver camp as they do their usual sta
tions.
All the kitchen cars and field ovens
available have been ordered to San An
tonic. and are now on their way there.
Further evidence of the completeness
OF the arrangements is found in the fact
that the pOntoon division of the En-
gineer Corps, together with all necessary
equipment for the construction OF pom
hoS
Leavenworth. Kans., to San Antonio.
The building of pontoons across the Rio
Grande in the event OF the necessity
of entering Mexican territory would de-
volve upon the pontoon division.
On account Of the sudden mobilization
the class Of the Army Medical School
Hospital in this city will be terminated
in about two weeks. Ordinarily this |
class would have continued to receive |
instruction at the medical school in the |
higher branches Of military hygiene and |
surgery until June. In view of the ne
cessity Of mobilizing an army division at
San Antonio. the members of the class !
have been directed to hold themselves in |
readiness for active service with troops. |
Plan Maneuver Details.
War Department officers for the first |
time yesterday devoted themselves to |
the details of the joint man
euvers which are to take place in Texas. |
II these plans are carried out, there will |
be an attack upon the city of Galveston. |
to be conducted by the naval squadron !
and the marine detachment, acting to-
gether. The defenses of the city will |
consist Of thirty-six companies of Coast
Artillery. acting temporarily as infantry
stationed at Galveston. The army divi-
sion at San Antonio, in command OF
Gen. Carter, will. however, act as the
main defense of the city.
Similar exercises will be carried on at
San Diego, on the Pacific coast, where
the vessels of the Pacific Fleet and a
land force, consisting of two regiments
Of infantry, will participate.
The trifiing Importance attached by
army officers to the maneuver phase OF
the mobilization was illustrated at the
War Department yesterday when in
quiry was made as to the umpireS in
the war game. Apparently the question
Of selecting umpires had been overlooked |
altogether. The War Department au-
thorities seemed somewhat embarrassed
and said that this question will be taken
up Immediately and that umpires would
be named.
Government authorities in Washington
admit, regardless of their statements in
regard to the purpose of the troop move
ments, that the gathering of the force
along the Mexican frontier undoubtedly
will have a SOLDERING effect upon the
Mexican revolutionistS. The revolution
lists have found encouragement recently
in statements by jingo representatives
from the Pacific Coast, who have de-
clared in Congress that the United States
army was totally disorganized and in
effective. The gathering of two-thirds
Of the army now in the United States
upon the Mexican border in five days
will be an impressive refutation of this
statement, and is expected to have a cor
important effect upon the
Mexican insurgents.
Believe Mexico Gave Assent.
1t is this feature of the mobilization
programme which undoubtedly appeals to
President Diaz, of Mexico, and which has
ed his representative in Washington to
say that the massing of the American
roops in Texas was entirely satisfactory [
10 the Mexican government There is
good reason to believe, IN fact, that
Mexico gave her consent to the movement
III troops before the orders were issued
Il was said Tuesday that in the course h
If the war games brigades would be sent
out from the headquarters of the division
1t San Antonio to several points in Texas
including stations along the border. The
movement of these brigades would, of
course, result in a strengthening of the
patrol along the Mexican boundary line,
md in doing this the United States
would be meeting the objection which
'ecently prompted the DiaZ government