The times., 1897-09-11
NO MORE FOREIGN SPIES
Strict Measures to Be Enforced
by the War Department.
VISITORS NOT TO BE ADMITTED
Enemies VIII Not Again Have an
Opportunity TO Enter and study
American FOrtifications anu
Coast Defenses for the. Benefit
OF Their Government.

The report that Spanish spy has been
prving into the secrets Of United states
coast defenses has Interested the War ana
Navy departraents, even if no sensation is
annarent on the surface. 1t is time that
the United States Government publishes
annual reports In which the Government
tells all II knows about its Notifications
70 the other powers.
There has apparently been, however,
change for Ire better in this respect L,
is L. lie inferred from communication OF
recent date from the Secretary oil War
10 Capt Abbot, engineer In charge at
Charleston, 5. c., that the rules muct De
enforced. that there viii be no further op-
portunity for foreign spies to take notes
of the interior OF forts andth presentplans
for defense.
There appears to BE- some ground for be-
believing that Spain has been looking into
tie fortifications Of tie coast. 1t IS not
q new story, and, in fact, one OF the
most natural things IL the world for spain
10 do to examine everything in sight.
IL is fairly well authenticated from
Charleston that a spy Of the Spanish gov
eminent has been doing this WORK lot ms
government.
rs explained that a complaint TO the
Spauisl, government in the matter could
only be made upon unimpeachaole eVl-
aence that the man had acted In an
t,nderhand manner in carr ying out mis- OF
fetal Instructions, which are similar TO
those OF ali United States military and
naval attaches abroad, that f., to lind out
and report all about. the offensive and
defensive works OF the countries to which
they ere accredited Army and Navy
Officers declare there is very little abroa d
regarding guns ships and foTts that we do
not know. and IL is impossible 30 Keep
foreign powers from finding out ali they
want 70 know about our war preparations.
By a stipulation which Congress stub
bornly attaches 20 foruflcation apprD-
priatiunS, contracts have 10 be let 70 the
lowest bidder, and consequently anyone
who represents himself as an intending
bidder must be permitted 10 examine de-
tailed plans, and To estimate on the work
be must be given exhaustive information.
Unsuccessful bidders have been known 10
make public this information aud il is be-
Iieved hat foreign spies have frequently
representcd themselves as contractors and
thereby secured information for their gov
ernments.
When the news of the spying on the
Charleston. defeases was sent 10 tile War
Department, Brig. Gen. Wilson, chief
Of engineers, seat a dispatch TO Capt.
Albert, in Charleston. in charge of the
Government works, to catch him.
Later informs ton from Charleston in
tirnated, indeed said, point blank, that a
person was niaking secret memoranda Of
this country's foruifications.
II IS not an unlikely story. Charleston
IS the key 10 the Southern country, as VIII
be recalled by those who reInembe- or who
have read Of the war OF '61-'65. The
princioal defenses Of the harbor are For;
AiGlItrie and Sulivan's Island, and the
famous Fort Sumter, nearer tile city.
Tie work on these defenses is conducted
with secrecy, and IL is only by some
treachery OF abuse of privilege that view
Can be had OF the operations.
IL was, of course, desired 10 know what
the Spanish represe eRtattves here had TO say
on this report. All of the legation people are
away at Lenox.
at heWa. Department inquiry was made
of Chier Clerk Tweedale if the depart
ment had anything to say about The
Times dispatch, which was handed 10
MIN. Mr.. Tweedale said very cheerfuny
that tie War Department did not dis
cuss its affairs. The Secretary of War is
not in town.
1t was learned, however, that Brig. Gen.
Wilson knew something about il. Gen.
Wilson was RffabIe, and disposed Of the
Hory, which is practically as above given:
with relation 20 the dispatch to Capt
Abbot Gen Wilson further said that he
had instructed Capt. Abbot TO carry out the
instr uctions Of the Secretary Of War.
Gen. Wilson possibly meant by this that the
engineer In charge Of the works shoGlo
see 20 IL that no observations were made.
he also might have meant THAT If Capt