The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-26
PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.
Big Guns shipped to the Pacific Coast
The Nayy Is Ready,

ALBANY, n. Y, Jan. 25.-There were shipped
from the Watervliet gun factory yesterday to
san Francisco three S-inch breech loading steel
guns, supposed to be for coast defense Each
weighs 81, 200 rounds, is 33 is feet long and
carries projectile weighing 800 pounds. With
a charge of $50 pounds the range is eight
miles. There are twelve more of these guns
completed which ready for shipment at
short notice. There are also receiving finishing
touches ten twelve-inch breech and field siege
guns forty five small guns and ten large guns
The factory is being run at its utmost capacity
WASHINGTON CITY, Jan. 25-[Special. 1.-THE
navy is ready for congress to say the word
This remark dropped from the lips OF Secretary
Tracy as reporter walked with him from navy
department to the White House this afternoon,
and sums up entirely the status of
the navy department now that the message
and correspondence has gone 10 congress. "It
is now Tor congress 70 say" continued the sec
retary, "what the policy shall be in dealing with
Chile. The administration can do nothing
more at present. Congress is IN possession
of all the facts aud the presi-
dent, by his message, transfers the re-
sponsibility to that branch OF the government.
His message understates rather than overstates
the strength of the against Chile, and be-
lieve that congress will so conclude after a
thorough examination of the correspondence
now Ill its possession. Whatever may be the
decision of congress, the navy will be found to
be fully prepared to carry out its wishes
Secretary Tracy received adspatch tonight
from Commander Evans, of the Yorktown, an
nouncing the arrival of that vessel at Callao,
Peru. This is tho port to which the Yorktown
was ordered to convey the Balmaeedist refugees
taken aboard the ssel at Valparaiso. He said
he could not tonight make public the full text
of the dispatch, it being in cipher.
1t looks like war. Everybody here, with the
exception of few disgruntled persons, is with
tfea ont in hiS str
honor of American citizens should be protected
wherever they may be. The very aggressive
message delivered to congress today has given
rise to considerable talk on the question OF forti-
heation OF Puget sound, and Senator Squire has
been very active in getting together informa-
ton and facts with which TO enforce his de-
mands that the Sound be not only well fortified
but that the chief cities be protected He
has secured order from the chief of
engineers, directing the board of engineers in
New York having charge of fortiication mat
ters to take up at once the matter OF fortlfca-
tion for Puget sound, and it has been suggested
that plan be prepared which will
along the sound to keep the
feet of vessels afloat under IRE for
at least an hour and q half when they are enter
ing the sound. Senator squire wiz call together
on Wednesday the COMMITTEES on coast defcnses,
of which he is chairman, and will lay before
0eiensSS
as may seem feasible under the pres
ent state of affairs aud the out
look for war with Chile. Before
this committee will appear the chief of the
ordnance bureau of the war department who
will give his views TO the best method OF
fortiiying the different points OF this country
but especially points on the Pacific coast. where
the Chilean gunboats would first do
their damage. 1t IS believed that while
the people are now awake TO the
fact that great damage could be done TO our
sea coast In ease OF war by even so insignificant
a power as Chile, the country will take an the
question of fortihcations, and that Senator
squire viii be backed up in any action he may
take looking TO the protection Of the great com
nercial interest and the great business center OF
the East and the West.
In connection with the protection of the
sound interests, Senator Allen has been giving
his attention to the navy, and together with
Representative Wilson he has urged upon the
secretary OF the navy the necessity for having
stationed in this great body of water war
vessel which win protect the interests
of such places as may not be covered by ade-
auate forts aud Publications. Senator squire
is OF the opinion that Chilean gunboat could
never reach the sound: that the war depart.
ment would have posted az the various points
most important some of the best rlsed
guns that can be used lie seid
To the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES correspondent
today that the war department. was doing eyery-
thing in It's power 10 facilitate his demands re-
garding sound protection, and that ne believed
there would be rush in the direction for mo-
teeting that portion of the Pacific coast which
has received little attention.
A bill introduced BY Senator Hale today Is of
speciai interest in view Of the Chilean imhrog
llo For the purpose Of increasing the naval es-
tablishment. the bill authorizes the president 70
have constructed by contract three battle ships
OF 1900 10 1900 tons displacement, two srrnorei
coast defense vessels, FIVE gunboats OF
SO 10 1910 tons displacement, and
eight hrst-eisss torpedo boats. In the con-
tracts for construction of the vessels
such provisions for increased speed aud pre-