Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-11-25

stances. Some are i'll the machine shops and
Others are in tents. The barracks accommo-
datlons are insignificant and insufficient.
ENGINEERS EXAMINING THE BRIDGES.
Engineer officers yesterday and to-day ex-
amined the Acqueduct bridge and Long
bridge, the two bridges connecting Wash
lngtOn with the Virginia shore, to see if they
would bear the weight of the guns which viii
within ten days be mounted at Fort Whpple.
That fort is the only one which directly COM
mands the whole city.
WHAT AN ARTILLERY OFFICERshYs.
One of the artillery officers here. in a con-
yersation tonight, profesSed not to under
stand the reason Of so much secresy at army
| headquarters. He said: a. don't see what
the devil is the good Of trying to keep this
thing Il seeret ~ soon as we got here. He
| came from South Carolina the papers had It.
| He said that only Colonel LOdOr knew where
| they were bound for up TO the time they
reached Norfolk on Friday night, and all the
men expected that they were returning to
| their former station at Fortress Monroe. Cen
eral William +. Barry, colonel of the Second
artillery, who Is now in command of the ar
tilleIy school and Fortress Monroe has been
ordered to turn that command over to Cen
eral Joseph Roberts, heutenant-coIonel of the
Fourth artillery, and to report here III person
on Thursday morning. He has been instructed
to go direct to the arsenal and assume com
mand and stay there
ISsPECrING THE FORTS.
Army officers who are believed to know
something of what Is going ON were to-day
making inquiries about Forts lincoln and
Bunker Hill, two of the old sandstone earth
works on the northern front of the city and
which comprised the main defense during the
war of the approach to the city from Balti
more. Fort Lincoln is about three miles
northeast of the capitol, ON the highest ground
In the neighborhOod, and during the war was
armed with a battery of One-hundred- pound
ParTott guns, and controls the turnpike lead
ing from Baltimore, as well as the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. 1t is now dismantled, but
could be sufficiently repaired IN twenty-foT
hours to receive an armament of dozen
heavy rihed guns. Fort Bunker Hill is on a
lower elevation to the north and west Of
Fort Lincoln, is covered by its guns, and is 50
situated that guns placed there can rake all
the approaches to Fort Lincoln, as well as
control the same railway and the turnpike as
far away as Bladenburg. This fort can also
be placed in condition for service in a brief
time, but Will require more work upon 1t.
\ PROMINENT OFFICERS STATEMENT.
The most plausible theory yet afforded in
explanation of the necessity claimed to exist !
for the presence of an armed force here was |
given tonight by prominent officer of the
war department during conversation with |
your correspondent. He says that the adver- |
tisement has been widely made of the Dem |
ocratic ratification meeting to take place IN /
this city ON the twenty-ninth Of this month, !
1t is understood that it is to be one Of the |
largest of its kind ever had at the capital 1t |
is thought that it will be characterized by il |
Illuminated transparencies and banners which 1
may prove offensive and irritating. Belknap, !
BabcOck, and others whose regulations have |
suffered, and who have hosts Of local admir- |
ers, are to be caTtOoned and satirized. Now, |
as there are about ten thousand cOlOred Re /
publicans in Washington, it Is possible that |
here and there on the street-cOrneTs disturb ,
anceS may arise, and result in a conflict be- |
tween the two parties which viii end in riot .
or other disastrous breach of the peace, /
and in fatal consequences to both sides, /
from the indiscI1minate use Of firearms; !
unless quelled no one can tell where the trOu- /
Bile may end. This probability Is increased by /
the fact that several thousand visiting cele- /
brants of the iollifcat'on will come varlOusly |
from Baltimore and Maryland, adjacent to !
Washington, while almost the whole Of the /
population from Alexandria and other near /
points in Virginia will help to swell the .
crowd. In the present high state of partisan .
feeling it is feared that this mass Of process /
sionists may not be possessed OF any iarge /
amount af goal fnrliIa,, and IN the event OF
a collision It would be most requisite that q +
sufficient force should be at hand to check I
disturbance at its outbreak
THE REASON FOR ASSEMBLING TROOPS.
This is alleged to be the immediate reason |
for assembling troops in the national capital /
at this time, and why they have been 50 /
hastily summoned here. 1t IS argued on the ,
part of the administration that since the pres |
ence of troops had such good effect in South /
Carolina and Louisiana. they will also be OF /.
great advantage here IN preventing any /
breach Of the peace or any danger to the |,
safety of the capital, which has an insignii I
cant police force. The administration say I.
there IS no intention on its part to Interfere |
with the political doings of either party, but |
that it is its bOunden duty to take all meas /
ures to prevent any outbreak or breach of the /
peace About one thousand troops in all will /
constitute the extent of the force, which viii /
be kept at hand subject to the orders Of the I
government. The statement that force Of I
ten thousand would be gathered is declared /.
to be absurd.
WILL VOLUNTEERS BE CALLED FOR?
1t is asked where could they be brought |.
from; but should any great danger become /
imminent, requiring large force, volunteers /
could he called for. As an additional pre-
caution against disturbance on the day Of
procession the authorities of the district will,
it is said, be requested to order the places |
where liquor Is sold to be closed.