The San Francisco call., 1895-07-16
Sent to Secure Information
Regarding Great Britain's
Strongholds.
WAR DEPARTMENT CAUTIOUS
Inaugurates a Policy of Secrecy In
Relation to the United States
Defenses.

ington special to the Sun says:
A carefully concealed policy is now
being pursued by the War Department
toward rendering more valuable the
Bureau of Military Information, established
some years ago, and which, up to the
present time, has practically confined its
labors to gathering statistics relative to
the standing and available force of the
National Guard in the event of call to
arms from the National Government.
1t has been recognized for years that
both the War and Navy departments have
been exceedingly backward in procuring
data with reference to the progress made
by foreign powers toward their defense both
on land and sea, and while military and
naval attaches at Washington have been
given every opportunity to gather for their
Governments the results of our armor tests
and to secure plans of warship building,
but little has been accomplished by our
military attaches abroad of any great value
to the service.
The department is now about to make
third attempt to learn something of the
Typographical and geographical situation
in Canada, with view OF preparing to
meet certain situations which may be pre-
sented in the event of trouble between
Great Britain and the United States from
the Canadian frontier. These experts
recognize that if the two countries ever
come to war Canada will be the most
probable basis OF operations for the
British troops, and it is proposed to gather
data showing the exact strategical import
ance of certain points in the Dominion,
xrhio oh E1yaIx ha hryG
Britain for the mobilization of her armies.
Two attempts in the past few months
have been made by the department. to de-
tail an officer who might reach Canada and
gather these data before the object of his
visit became known, but IN each instance
the fact and the name OF the officer has be-
come public through the officiousness of
some one and the object defeated.
Three months ago the Secretary detailed
an officer, who succeeded in reaching
Canada, and had just begun to gather valu-
able information, when an old admiral in
the navy, whose daughter he had married,
gave away the fact that an officer was in
Canada on Government mission, and the
result was that the army man was recalled
at once, for fear of his identity being
known by the Canadian officials. Later a
second detail was made, and this officer
was promptly frustrated in his effort
through some friends, who could not help
mentioning the fact that he had been
chosen to study the Notifications and mill
tary strength OF the Canadian forces.
Again the War Department has detailed
q third officer, who will shortly be on his
way to Canada, and it is believed he will
finally succeed in reaching there without
the intent of his visit being known. This
officer will travel incognito, and no one
outside of the War Department officials
know of the purpose of his inspection Of
the various military points in the Do
minion. The result of his investigation
will be reported to the department, and it
is expected that full particulars will be re-
ceived of the real military situation which
would be presented on the northern
frontiers should the United States and
Great Britain again come to blows.
It is the purpose, also, of the War De-
partment to greatly increase the value of
the Bureau of Information in other direc-
tions. Military attaches abroad are to be
instructed to be more alert and to keep
the authorities here informed of every
thing transpiring relative to progress in
military matters. Greater caution is to be
observed, further, in preventing foreign
attaches to the United States from secur-
ing information regarding the proposed
strength of the principal coastwise cities
and the location of the main batteries and
submarine mines. For years the Sandy
Hook proving station has upon nearly
every important mortar or gun test wit
messed the presence of representatives of
foreign Governments, who have watched
every trial and have duly reported results
to their home Government. 1t is under
stood here that practically every European
Government is now in possession OF the
proposed sites for submarine mines to
blockade channels to the leading cities on
the coast, and are in possession of much
other valuable data bearing on coast. de-
fenses and Notifications.
The same is true of the navy, where un-
usual facilities have been given naval
attaches to Keep their Governments ad-
vised of every advance made here in armor
manufacturing and in ship construction.
Until recently every armor trial at Indian
Head was witnessed generally by some
representative VI - AOICiSu POWCAy oub
within the last few months Secretary Her
bert has issued instructions that hereafter
no one aside from the United States officers
shall be present when the heavy armor
plates are fired at.
Compared to the obstacles placed in the
way of American military and naval at
taches abroad, foreigners at Washington
have but little trouble in finding out what
is transpirlng relative to military and
naval matters here. 1t is only after the
greatest difficulty that the United States
attaches finally secure information which
is of any real value. They are seldom in
vited to armor tests or trials of great guns,
and have no means of finding out the ma
ture of the land Notifications, while here
everything is practically open to the IN
spection of all foreigners. The War De-
partment, however. proposes to be more
particular hereafter in concealing its plans
relative to harbor defenses, and it is doubt
full if in the future military attaches will
come into possession of any data which
will be of much real value to theii Govern
ments.
The defenses of this city are being care