The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-21
DEFENSE GETTING READY.
What the Court Martial Might Do in
Case of War.

! The defense in the Carter court martial
| viii begin putting in its testimony to-day.
| The court will meet at 10 o'clock, an hour
earlier than il has been accustomed to
meeting while the prosecution held sway.
| The fact that Col Barr, Judge Advocate,
had had so little time to prepare the case
| when he first took hold of it was response
bic for the late meeting hour. But it is
understood the defense has its work well
in hand and will ask the court to meet at
10 o'clock every morning while the ses-
sions will no doubt last right up to
o clock.
Capt. Carter and his Counsel with sew
eral others went down the river yesterday
afternoon on the government launch An
gler, which was loaned them for the pGr-
pose upon request of Mr.. Blair. There
has been testimony for the prosecution
with regard TO several matters connected
with the work in the lower part of the
river, and the trip had something to do
with these features. Among other things
it was testified by Inspector S. NJ. Hale
that about 10000 square yards of brush
had been washed away from the new
breakwater near Tybee, and thrown up on
Hilton Head Island beach by the waves
looked into by the defense and it will no
doubt be heard from during the progress
of the testimony.
1t is understood that an expert chemist
will be put on the stand by the defense
to-day for the purpose of giving some
information as to methods of obtaining
the specific gravity of a substance, that
question having been discussed at some
length during the introduction of evidence
hzr hn -
the defense in this matter is that the
specific gravity of any chemical substance
is the same, no matter in what physical
form that substance may be found. For
instance it is stated that carbonate of
lime would have the same specific CRAWL
ty whether porous or compact. In de-
termining the specific gravity of some
of the stone used however, some of the
witnesses for the prosecution took porosi-
ty into account, and held that the lighter
the rock the less would be its specific
gravity.
Then Lieut.. Thomas H. Rees of the
engineer corps or Mr.. George G. Wisner of
Detroit, civil engineer may go on the
stand to testify as to the quality of the
engineering work done, or other points
in connection with it. 1t is presumed the
defense will take up about three weeks
or perhaps a little longer on account of
NA4S eANehS NO4hiilS VI lSSlitiOuy ttldl mas
been put in by the prosecution. Then the
rebuttal, summing up elaboration of the
court and other matters will no doubt re-
quire something like three weeks longer
and it may be safely stated that May l
will still find the court martial in Savan-
nah, unless the outbreak of hostilities
with Spain, so much talked of now
should cause it to be held in abeyance
for time.
1T has been asked by many what eff
feet the outbreak of hostilities would have
upon such court. The question is one
which cannot be answered by reference to
any precedent. The officers of the court
would of course be subject to the orders
of the President, through the Secretary
OF war; and it would depend upon the
war department as to what would be
done.- Some of those interested seem to
think that unless the situation should
prove serious one, the court would go
right on with its sessions, while others
think that any event which would bring
the troops of the country into action
would cause the adjournment of the court
for the time being, leaving the matter in
aDeyance until there was no longer anv
necessity for the service of the officers
in the field The general opinion seems
to be that unless the situation really de-
manded it, the court would go right on
with its sessions until it has concluded
the case and made it's report to the war
department