Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-08
OLD POINT COMFORT.
ACTION ON THE foRTifIcATioN BILL
WATCHED WITH INTEREST.
A system Of Torpedo Defenees~Ihe WORK
Bcgup-An Anti War "Biadcnsburg
Military and Civil Personals.

nrorrespcn6once OF tho Richmono p'spa"ti
Orn porr COMFORT, Va, February T.
Military men are watching with agood deal
90 interest the action of Congress on the
forti6cation bill, and much surprise Is ex.
pressed at the position taken by SO well
informed statesman as Senator Cockrell.
II is a well-known fact, however, that ootn
the army and navy have had TO contend
against the action Of representatives from
inc interior whose constituents are not d.
ractlv interested in matters that lie 50 far
awav from their immediate SURROUNDINGS.
Rut 10 jewellers by the sea the subject as
sumes an entirely different aspect, as they
would be the first to feel the effects OF
On enemy's fleet, and whats al the worio
10 a man when his wife IS O widow
The engineers department, wnich mas
charge of such matters. have been engaged
for n number of years past ueyislng means
IN strengthen the old Notifications left on
their hands at the close of the war, but
thew are not furnishing anything at present
for publication. Some twenty years ago
series of experiments were MADE mere 70
test the relative strength of different KINDS
of Notifications.
EXPERIMENTS.
For this purpose targets OF granite, con-
crete. iron. &C.. were constructor on tpe
beach lust north of the fort. When the
works-wbich had occupied about year
were completed q board OF ordnance,
artillery. and engineer officers were oruer.
ed here to witness the experiments.
twelve-inch rifle then at the post was t ~ i.
cd on them. and one by one tney
went down before it. The only thing
that came up smiling after each round
ras an immense sand butt which had been
thrown UP to sec what resistance III WouIu
offer 10 modern artillery. While one or
two shots served TO shatter the strongest
iron target the pile of sand. after mar
dozen shots. presented about the same APP
pearance as it did before the hrlng COM
menced. The only work done here 10
strengthen the fort since that time was s
The bniIding of n new redoubt at the north
angle, some fifteen years ago, upon WHICH,
no guns have yet been mounted.
ToRPEDoEs.
But If our Notifications IN their present
state are of little use there is no reason
why our harbor and its approaches should
not be defended by system OF torpedoes,
and arrangements are now BEING. made 10
that end. For this purpose mining case
mate will be built in the vacant lot near
the main entrance to the fort, which is on
the side least exposed to the fire of an
enemy's feet. From this a cable gallery
will lead down to the water in rear of the
new hotel, from which the torpedoes can
be distributed to any point In the channei
or in Hampton Roads. 1t VIII take aDout
six months to complete this work, when
the officers under instruction at the Artli-
lerv School will be instructed in the mode
of handling them. There are now about one
hundred and fifty torpedoes here, and when
the system is completed it will embrace
about 1--WE hundred. They ore elliptlcal IN
form. made of galvanized iron, and will
hold about two bushels Of explosive mat,
ter. With these little jokers distributeed
around at convenient points we could
make 1t rather lumpy for hostile heet.
"BUCKRoE BOUGHT.
Major John r. McGinniss, commanding
the United States arsenal here, has pur-
chased "Buckroa." which lies about two
miles up the bay shore, and has been run
for several years past as summer resort.
This was the Biadensburg" OF Old Point
before the war, and many little disputes
between the guests OF the Hygela hotei
were settled here before breakfast and at
fifteen PAGES. Commodore Barron, of the
navy, figured in one of these affairs and
later on his nephew, Captain james Barron
Hone. who founded the Norfolk Landmark,
exchanged shots with Catesby App. Jones,
then a midshipman in the navy. who was
wounded. There has been only one at
tempt to revive the practice here since the
war closed This occurred about three
years ago. when two prominent young gen.
tlemen of Hampton arranged a meeting,
but the sheriff of the county having got
wind of the affair arrived on the ground IN
time to prevent either waste Oh powder
or an effusion of blood.
OPENING OF THE SEASON.
The spring season of 1891 was opened at
the Hygeia Hotel on Monday, when the
Artillery School band, under Professor
Roderidee. assumed their old places in the
pavilion. where they will remain until
late in October.
Colonel and Mrs. Charles Bird gave a
charming reception at their quarters on
Thursday evening in honor of their guests,
Miss Bowman, of Wilmington, and MISS
Gordon, of Middletown. Del. 1t was
full-dress affair and was attended by the
officers and ladies of the garrison ana
many prominent guests from the Hygeia.
General Joseph G.. Breckenridge, IN
spector-general United States army, ar
rived from Washington Thursday on MS
annual inspection of the posts anu re-
ceived the usual salute.
THOROUGHLY REFRESHED.
Senator ]. Donald Cameron, who has
been spending week with his famny al
the Hygela, returned to Washington Tues
day.
Mrs. Tucker, wife of Major Tucker, pay
master United States army, arrived from
Washington Thursday evening.
Mrs. Captain Story, Of the garrison, has
gone to New York on visit.
DR.. and Mrs. Yarrow, of Washington,
spent Sunday at the Hygeia, where he was
called to see patient.
Mrs, Lieutenant Foote gave dove"
party on Saturday evening IN honor of her
guest, Mrs. Lieutenant Trout.
Major John II. McGlnniss, ordnance
corps, left yesterday for Fort Leavenworth
to exhibit his knapsack shelter-tent To
board of officers. Ii is neat device and
will no doubt be adopted in the service.
Lieutenant George IL. Anderson, Fourth
artillery, in charge of the electrical de-
partment of the school, has returned from
short business trip to Washington.
IN TIE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS FATHER.
Mr.. Harry Phoebus, who has been al.
tending school at Sing Sing. returned home
on Monday to take a position as clerk in
the hotel.
Lieutenant Willougbby Wake. Second
artillery, instructor in Chemistry at the
school, left for New York Wednesday on q
short business trip.
Mr.. Will Baulch has been retired as post
trader and q canteen will DOW be establish
cd in the garrison. He is moving his
effects into Arctic Hall near the main
entrance, where he will continue in bust
ness.
The street railway between Mill Creek
and Hampton will be completed by the
end of the month. but the right OF way
over tho reservation has not yet been
granted by Congress.
OUR REPRESENTATIVES,.
Richmondcrs: William Henry Jones. L.
II. Lightfoot, Il. j. Cabell, +. w. Scar.
borough, A. ID. Landerkin, Miss Annie Lee
Boiling, Miss Edith Boiling. Miss Sue
Starke. John V. L. Klipp, o. l.. Black, and
A. L. Keyser and wife.