The true Democrat., 1898-12-10


cate and difficult circumstances. ,,o, l., I
In further fulhllment Of international uu- :
ty. l issued, April 26, proclamatighn ha an an
nouncing the treatment proposed 10 pe -" {
corded to vessels and thelr nniSe ca[SU oS the
right of search and the immunity OF neu,
tral flags and neutral goods under enemy
Hae, A similar proclamation was maue ps
the Spanish government. In the conuuo sa of
of hostilties the rules OF the declaIualutn deaut 70
PARIS including abstentiOn from resort ~
nrfva tepring. have accordingly been on
served by both belligerents, although ne'-
ther was a party to that Geclartlon'
THE WAR PREPARATIONS.
Our country thus after an interval OF tonnd nani
a century of peace with all nat.VnIS Tnr
itself engaged in deadly c0nhlct WIN ~ +o |
aign enemy. Every nerve was stralneu ~
meet the emergency. The response " tre jn.
initial call for 125,00O volunteers was os,I+
| slant and complete as was alsO tne 1t 600 ad
| Of the second cali Of May 70 LOT io,Voo na@- a%
ditiOnal volunteers. Inc runkS aSo u Iimits nro-
ular army were increased to the @ lnles I,iptod Pod
uidad hv the act of April e. The enilsteu
forca of the navy on the 10Th DAY 0l Au
| puSt. when 1t reached Its maximum 0na |
| Rared 24123 men and apprentices. no
hundred and three vessels were auueu au+o1 eG 70
navy by purchase, one was pr tho fonr
the government, one leased and tne !Vuo .Gun
ynSaelS of the International NaSlsoto
Comnany, the st. Louis, st. Paql, HdI NeT
York and Paris were chartered. nd in Iu Iirht
!, tion to these, the revenue cutters aho h nSry
house tenders were turned over 10 Tue nu :t ~
/ department anu Decalne 'eAiP
of the auxiliary navy. .-,.,,, forcn of
The maximum effective fighting 1o.ce -
r the navy during the war, sepalaleu 'N'0
: classes, was as follows; o.+ o,oso. one
( Fnur battleshps Of the first CLASS, oe
bottlpshin of the second class two arlnol-
n cd cruisers: six coast defense MONITORS onc
b | ormorpd ram; twelve protected ctulsen%, ,
o three unprotected cruisers; elsIteen 9u 7or
J. hoats. one dynamite cruiser; eleVen w. VA
l. nedo boats: fourteen old vessels OF tne @ oiu
o pouU poI,y incinding monitors Auxiliary may
d Auxiliary cruisers IS; converted yachls :. .,
e nonvprted tugs 10; converted colllefs 10,
II revenue cutters s.; four lighthouse tendei'
'e and 10 miscellaneous vessels. .,,o A.
Much alarm was felt along our eutlie a.. A.
It tic spaboard lest some attack might oe
lie made bv the enemy. Every precautlon was
IS taken TO prevent possible injury 10 our
ar grpot cities lying along the coast 1einpo sl
e, rary garrisOns were provided, urumn ;I4 ii hot
'e the state militia; infantry ana llsntf fopca p"
to About $4,000 troops were thus enlpiiGiSh piiSshoi vu
The coast signal service was eStaDilsnt'
re for observing the approach OF an enenlg
to shin to the coast of the United States any
in the life saving and lighthouse services " "
ur 0neratpd which enabled the navy uepu.il
le- Uiont to have all portions Of the At!aHll
" coasf from Maine to Texas under oDserNu
nd tinn, The auxiliary navy was createu u4 4
lr- der the authority Of congress ana ,S,is Mas y,
he ticered and manned by the naval militia NM ~
on the several states Ihis orsandi%aihi tho dnt m
in trOlled the coast and performed Ihe uu'
of A second arm Of defense. % or,,
act Under the direction of the chler OIL eng
IN neers submarine mines were placeu @ a. ~
ION most exposed points. Before the outple't
ng of the war permanent mining 'tr,cta C"sr.nc
,nt at oil important harbors. Most OF the 10
re- nedo material was not to be found III u u
gcr market and had to be specially manu1a
Of turpd Under date of April ~, district "
the fcers were directed to take all pEe1!iu,n''l
,er- measures for the attaching and laying
the minps TO the cables and on April - tei
var rronhIc orders were issued TO piace u
1oaded mines in position. The agSfe9d
number of mines placed was l'ooo a., a. 81 -
nrincinal harbors from Maine TO Calll0
Sod MIA. Preparations were aLso dtbor lru harhor
nal hnt owing to the early destruction OIL u
DIN | Snanish fleet these mines were not pace
in The signal corps was promptly oIsani ~ ~
hIe and performed service Of the most ulllicu
der and Important character; 1tS opea p'eaI on
,ns during the war covered the electrlcal Gu
't, CO. uecti0n of all coast fortitcations, the
,n toLiishmpnt of telephone and telegraph
hds facilities for the camps at Mania, oan
tho ago ana Porto Rico. There were constru'
vith ed 300 miles OF me a. ten So $50 =. eve
rp. inns facilitating military movements 1fC
those points in a manner heretofore u
,,,o Ennwn in military administration. tle
,inb | telegraph lines were established ana ma
onr tanned under the enemy'S 1re at Mania d
ave later the Manila Hong Kong caDAe "
of In porto Rico cable communications We
fi onnnpd over q discontinued route ana
lion land the headquarters of the commanu!
af. officer was kept in telegraphlc OF telepn'
w q ic communication with the division cO
- r mnnders on four different lines Oh ope
~ tons There was placed in Cuban wat
the romnlptely outfitted cable ship, with v
! ~ cables and cable gear suitable Dotn LOT
onJ destruction Of communications peloHS
anu 70 the enemy and the establishment or
ited own. Two ocean caDleS Were U.s. ues.iUi
: Of under the enemys batteries at Santiago,
thot d0y previous to the landing of Gen. Sh
riSb tpr's corps at Camanera, within tive
land land miles of the landing place, cable commit
nroi cations were established and cable
tions opened, giving direct communlcaI
,,+od with the government at Washington. l
or, service was invaluable in directing the
o,,nl protons of the army and navy. With
1ot, 1nfn tai force of over 1900, the loss was
tbo disease in camp and field officers and
tent included, only five. o-o,
SoIn. The national defense, under the SoO,'
'''" OO0 fund. was expended in large part
rohv the army and navy and the objects
- ~ | which 1t was used are fully shown in
- non | renorts of the several secretaries. 1t
;fcn. a most timely appropriation, enabling
,4ion government to strengthen it's defense
tbn making preparations greatly needed in
. iis Of war, This fund, being inadequate TO
requirements of equipment and for the
D cx. duct of the war, the patriotism of cong
&c ot nr0yided the means, in the war revenue
ar or at Of June 13, by authorizing 3 per
tb"t popular loan, not to exceed four hun'
bara- million dollars and by leyying addit
neb . he imposts and taxes. OF the authorized
Io TWO hundred millions were offered
eton promptly taken. the subscriptions far
SpoSts Soe ceeding the call as to cover it many Il
nheS' over, while preference being given to
Istar smaller bids, no single allotment exec
10 10 70 Ave thousand dollars. This was most
~ the couraging and significant result, sh00'
+eia- the vast resources Of the nation ana
Ioint determination of the people to uphold
70 II Country's honor.
for TEMPORARY CUBAN GOVE]
h It's MENT
conn AS soon as we are in possession
is Of Cuba and have pacifed the islanc
the will be necessary to give aid and dc
Wing ing ion to its people to form governn
:. of themselves. 1t should be underta
hoWn at the earliest moment consistent
duISn a.t., oo5 occ1Irod cuccaSS 1t is