The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-05-12
The Local Phases Of War.

ment exchanges tne hiiiPPinoo "iUH dred1
Britain for the Bermudas, that we retain
enough of Manila to hang Weyler with.
Thursday, May 9TH was great day for in
formal flag rasings in this city. Critichett,
sibley g. Co.'s shoe factory was decorated
in every window from the basement to the
ton of the tower; the hotels and a great
manv places of business and residences
were similarly adorned Large flags were
put up at the Knights Of Pythias and Odd
Fellows halls, the Catholic r"-sonage and
at number of residences.
When the report that Spanish war ship
was coming up the bay reached Miss Cleora
R. Hanev she wes evidently among the
number who did not fully believe the rumor.
She went into the house and wrote the paro-
DIV on the "Elf Child, which she afterwards
read before the Waldo County Veterans
Association, and which is published in our
report of that meeting on the I'd page.
The first formal flag raising of the war in
this section was by Mrs A. B. Cox, at her resi-
dence on Congress street, Wednesday even
ing, May 4th A large number of neighbors
and others assembled, and after they sang
THE Star Spangled Banner" the flag was
hoisted to it place amid hearty cheers. The
company then retired to the house where
refreshments were served and an evening
very pleasantly spent.
One of our local inventors, who is striking
ly original in everyth he does, says he is
at work upon a machine for harbor defense
that will prove more effective than torpe-
does, and still carry with it no loss Of life
and but little of pr operty The apparatus
Will consist of an arInature, similar to those
in electric dynamos but with the shaft per-
pendicular The shaft will be surmounted
by large and powerful magnet, and the
machine put in motion by electric connec-
tion with the shore. 1t will be necessary to
closely encase the armature, as water imme-
dlately destroys the working OF electrical
machinery, and the magnet must be magnet
iZed before immersion. The inventors plan
is to place the machine in a channel through
which the enemy's ship must pass, and to
have it large and powerful enough for the
magnet to attract the largest stee, or iron
ship and hold her fast. When she is thus
secured the dynamo is set in motion and the
ship begins to revolve, slowly at first, but
gradually increasing until she appears to be
nothing but a great revolving circle on the
surface of the water. As the speed of his
dynamo is 3 600 revolutions per minute a
vessel going around at that rate would be a
very uncomfortable craft to live and work
and fight upon, After few minutes of this
at he wi IA Of
and if the officers are ready to surrender,
all we'll and good if they still feel like fight
ing, start the machine again and open on them
with the land cannon. With a vessel for a
target revolving at the rate of even 2,347
revolutions per minute, considerably less
than the maximum, she would be raked fore
and aft, athwart ships, Oh the bias and cork
screw wise, all by one shot, and the work of
demolition would be complete
Belfast has three citizens who knew Com
modore Dewey during his early service
Thomas Taylor was carpenters mate of the
frigate Mississippi, of which Lieut.. Dewey
was executive officer, from 1861 to 1868
when the vessel was blown up i'll an engage
ment at Port Hudson Mr.. Taylor says OF
his former officer. 'He was a perfect speci-
men of a naval officer a strict discipinarian
but very kind hearted. He always treated
| his men as men, not as machines or ser
wants. His relations with all on board Were
of the most friendly nature" Henry Staples
was in the same fleet, but not the same YES
sci, with Lieut.. Dewey before Fort Fisher
and heard of him as a model naval officer
Robert Whitehead, who served through
the Rebellion in the navy, was trans
ferred to the Flagship Colorado OF
Admiral Goldsboro's fleet after the war.
Dewey was Lieutenant Commander OF
the Colorado during a cruise of two
years and a half in the Mediterrane
an, and Whitehead was fireman. His es-
innate of Dewey as man and an officer
agees with that of Mr.. Taylor. He says
further, that when Lieut.. Dewey came
aboard the Colorado her crew was consider.
ed one of the hardest and most unruly in
the navy. The Lieutenant soon changed il
to one of the best disciplined, and at the
same time won the love and admiration of
the men.
Howes Mayo says he has put in bid tt
build monument to Blancos mule-the
only life lost at the first bombardment Of
Matanzas
| A Belfast citizen came out on the day
| when Com. Dewey's report was received
| wearing miniature flag above bit o.
| manila rope-the stars and stripes floating
| over Manila.
| The victory at Manila was celebrated il
this city by two public demonstrations
Last Thursday evening the Belfast band
came out and gave two selections, Stal
| Spangled Banner and Yankee Doodle. Some
| fireworks were displayed and crackers anG
guns fred but the rain stopped the celebra
| tion. Saturday evening after the official re
| port of Commodore Dewey had been receiv-
| ed. there was great rejoicing. Stores, houses
and public places were illuminated, an(
| flags and patriotic emblems We're every
| where. The Belfast Band marched dowl
| High street to the junction of Church street
| up Church street to Main; down Main t(
| High; up High to Market up Market tt
| Church; over Church to Custom House
| square. Each member of the band wore
/ small flag in his cap, and a transparency
| showed ''Sea shells in Manila bay" as burst
| ing bombs and Philippine presenJs,'' as ex
ploding dynamite shells Throughout the
|