The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-21

| Oohpoo, pOSlueS bnOSo BfGdG military
highways. the St. Lawrence river and
the Canadian Pacific railroad.
The control by us of the two routes of
travel and the capture of the three
cities mentioned, would practically put
an end to any war with Great Britain on
land, and would do much to cripple her
! upon the sea. For the attainment of
such an object troops could only operate
by way of New England, and While SO
doing they would at the same time be
protecting Portland (the real winter
port OF Canada), Boston and other
i large cities to the southwark
AS points for concentrating troops ana
supplies for operating against Quebecf
and Montreal on the one hand, and New
Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Halifax on
the other, at least two regimental posts
are needed. A glance at the map
Will show that the first should be To-
Gated in New Hampshire, at some point
on the Concord & Montreal railroad be-
tween Wing Road and Grovetion juno
ton. Lancaster would be an excellent
| position. From there troops could move
| either alone or in conjunction with
others from Essex Junction, northward
along three railroads, and could protect
| tour leading to the south. The impor-
| tant Canadian railroad centres of Sher-
brooke and Lennoxville, just north of
the Vermont line, could be easily seized.
The second post should be at Bangor.
Extensively, for capturing Halifax, cut
| ting off Nova Scotia from the rest of
Canada, or oyerrunnlng New Brunswick,
| troops could move from there along the
| Maine Central railroad or over the Ban
| gor & Aroostook, now practically fin
ished. They would also protect Port
land, and be able to cooperate with
troops further west over the Maine Cen
trail or Canadian Pacific. Bangor or Lam
caster are accessible in winter or sum-
mer, and during the latter season large
steamers can reach Bangor with ease.
In time of peace the troops stationed
at these posts would become familiar
with country they would have to oper-
ate in during war, and could, if desired,
take part with the National Guard in
the summer encampments, as they do in
other States. The climate would be a
boon to regiments which have been sta
toned a long time in southern ATTITUDES,
and cheap. Neither is land as expensive
as near some of our large cities.
Few people are aware of the amount of
money brought into community by
military post. In the first place, the
mere construction of a regimental, post
costs the governments half a million
dollars, and the material and labor are,
in large measure, procured from the
locality. Then the pay of a regiment is
about 100000 year, nearly all of which
is spent in the vicinity, and the supplies
bought in local market. such as food,
fuel, hay and grain, cost neat sum in
addition. And this is not all, for the
railroads and other transportation COM
panies make large sum for transport
ing recruits, discharged soldiers, men on
furlough, and the like. Any city, near
which post is located, is glad to have
it enlarged, for the residents understand
the benefits that will surely follow.
And time and again it has happe ned
that the War Department has been pre-
vented from breaking up a useless West
ern post because the community around
it had too big political "pulI.n A
post can only be established by Act of
Congress. Preliminary to introducing
the bill it is usual for tract OF land
to be offered the government, within
three miles or so of the city near which
the post is desired. This is not always
done, however, for sometimes the gov
eminent purchases what land it wants;
the area varying from 100 to 1000 acres.
1t is confidently believed that when
our people realize the benefits to be de-
rived from having regulars stationed in
their midst, they will make the utmost
endeavor to accomplish it.
C.G. MORTON,
LIST Lieut.. Regt. Quartermaster 9th us.
Infantry.
Cigarette Smoking is High Life.
An incident in the london nolice court