The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-03-01

Until the conclusion of the inyestiga-
ton of the court of inquiry at Havana,
the principal business of the navy de-
partment in connection with the Maine
will relate to the conduct of the wreck
ing operations.
Wrecking Operations.
Capt. Lemley, the judge advocate
general who has this branch of the
work Immediately in charge received
kilograms from the Merritt and Chap
man Wrecking company, at New York
stating that the steamer Merritt and
Wrecking Lighter Sharp had sailed
for Havana and that the tug Under
writer with the chief would leave New
York Saturday for the same place. The
assistant wrecking master was going
to Havana on the Ward Line steamer
Saturday and it was suggested to the
department that its inspector should
take the same steamer. Inasmuch as
Lieut.. Commander Kimball who is now
at Havana has been assigned to the
duty of inspecting the wrecking oper-
ationS it will not be necessary to OBJ
serve this suggestion.
The navy department gave out the
figures showing the strength of the
naval ulllllId tiD " Ills OAONS -
total force of 4,445, officers and en-
listed men, which is gratifying increase
from the 3,103 shown by the last re-
port The number of officers and men
by states is as follows:
California, $50: Connecticut, 165;
Florida, 1856; Georgia, 225; Illinois, 523:
Louisiana, 262; Maryland, 240; Massa,
cllusetts, AL; Michigan, 1913; New Jer-
sey, 364; New York, 472 North Caro-
Ira, go; Ohio 216; Pennsylvania, PIG;
Rhode Island, 1870; South Carolina, 1o2;
Virginia, A. Total, 4,445.
New Brigades Forming.
Aside from the forces shown in the
above list, new brigades are i'll pro-
cess of formation, which promises to
swell the total to much larger figures
at an early day. The organization of
this auxiliary arm of the naval service
is under the immediate direction OF
Lieut. Gibbons, u. S. n, whose energy
has accomplished much in securing
state organization and in the harmonic
ing of the bodies into one compact
force, capable in emergency OF CO.
operating with the regular navy. Ia
his last report Mr.. Roosevelt said that
the state naval militia in the event of
q sudden emergency could be utilized
at once for manning thesmaller ma
tional cruisers. 1t could be depended
upon mainly, he said as second line
of defense and also be used in placing
mines and the establishment OF signal
stations for coast defense.
Thanks to the promptness and eff
cheney of the chief Of engineers and
the chief of ordnance of the army, the
city of Washington is now regarded as
being well nigh safe and secure from
attack by water, The Notifications at
Fort Washington and Sheridan point,
on the opposite side of the Potomac
are sufficiently advanced to be able to
repeal an ordinary fleet of Invaders
and in case of necessity they could be
vastly strengthened in comparatively
short time. These defenses are con-
sidered sufficient to keep all hostile
vessels beyond the range of gunshot
of the national capital.
Moreover the river has been blocked
off and prepared for mines and tor
pedces at a point below the fortifica-
lions already mentioned SO that it is
probable some of the ships OF an
enemy would be blown out of the
water before it would be necessary to
use the guns at the forts.