The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-01-10
ATHENA, JANUARY 10, 1897
ENGLAND. FIXED FOR WAR.

ing upon The fact that England has
been for many years past making
preparations for contingency like
the present, with special reference
to an armed conflict with our gov
ernment, the foresight, wisdom and
craftsmanship of the distinguished
American, Samuel J. Tilden, be-
comes apparent. His earnest rec
ommendation to spend the accumu-
lating surplus in the treasury in
coast Notifications and naval de-
fenses, it had been needed, would
have placed this country on foot
ing that would have made her the
equal, at least, of Great Britain in
that respect, says the Olympia
Standard.
There is always much bluster
when a foreign war is broached.
The patriotic impulse Immediately
runs the blood up to fever heat,
despite reason or judgement. 1t is
doubtless proper that this should
be. "Our country right or wrong;
but may she ever be right" is n
sentiment which is and should be
accepted in all its entirety. But
Davy Crockett's maxim which
admonishes some care in keeping
the powder dry while placing i'm
plicit confidence in Providence, all
worldly observation and experience
fully justiies.
Late issues of the S, #. Examin-
er contain series ofarticles which
60 to show that our English cousins
have, under the garb of friendship,
been for long time past searching
for the precise places where they
could the most expenditiously drive
q knife intoJhe vitals of our poll
tical autonomy. The labor of these
spies have been so perfect thai the
English war Office is supplied with
maps of our extensive coast-line
that show at once all the weak
points for naval assault. The
fleets to attack the Atlantic coast
are chosen and the officers to COM
mand them have been assigned
their parts.
One Of tho details in the start
ling discovery possesses special in
teresS to people on Puget Sound.
1t is that for the past three
years work has been quietly going
on in completing u great system of
land defenscs at the southern ex-
tremity Of Vancouver Island. At
Esquimalt, tho Notifications ex-
tend from Point Macauley to the
head of the harbor encircling a
well-constructed navy yard, dry
dock, magazine and numerous
stone houses. IL is the base of
supply for the Pacific squadron,
and by its position commands the
Straits Of Fuca, the commercial
highway to Puget Sound. The for
titications are Of the latest and
most improved character, The
ordnance embraces guns which will
carry shot and shell to range onl Y
limited by vision, and these mon
sters have their station deep be-
meath the surface of the earth, from
which they rise to hurl their des-
tructive missiles and then by by.
draulic machinery are lowered for
recharging with the facility of a
modern elevator. The guns are
fred by electricity, and their opera
ton can be controlled by the same
occult power, rendering possible an
awfully simultaneous broadside OF
tho most effective projectiles. The
use Of smokeless powder may be
made to conceal the location Of
these gigantic batteries, so that an
invading fleet would not have an
overhanging cloud Of smoke to
guide their return fire. This line
Of guns extends upwards Of four
miles, and commands every mile
of water inside of Race Rocks, A
system of trenches and tunnels
connects The pits and the maga-
zines, and the location Of the latter
is utterly unknown to all except