The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-21
IT WAS AN OLD PLAN.
Nothing Significant in Detailing Men tn
the Coast Forts

'0 SoHst
Washington. Feb 20-Referrine "a ca,
efal Miles recent order 10 General nar
ritt, commanding the department of the
| East, to Immediately detail mon ara
| oHleefS to all coast defense points where
modern guns are mounted it was said
| az a. the war department to-day that while
ny oIuer was issued. as reported. it was
nothing more than following out tba
| pan OF the war department formulated
| seNerai years ago, when the present sys-
/ TEN OF coast defense was inaupuratad
me order calls for at least 20 men AMI
ne necessary officers to take charge Of
such coast defense emplacemenfs &c
nave been completed and turned over
TO the war department
iHese detense points are planned and
| constructed by the engineer corns ana
the guns furnished by the ordnance da-
pattmeht. As soon as completed they
are turned over to the war denartnent
ana men are at once detailed Ia cara
Tor the expensive works and ordnance
II is sald that detail of 20 men. so Ear
from Delng an effective fighting force il
barely sufficient To properly care for tba
property. There have been a number ~
these coast defense works eomnIated ra.
Gently and the order detailinp men -
care Tor them is mercy a routine mat
'eE. IN ADDITION to detailing the mon
special board Is now In session jn
washington preparing plans for perma-
neIl quarters at the various new posts
and work was begun as soon as nr,nti
cable. Ihe men who are stationed NJ
those new points will be drilled in the
use or the guns and will form tho
lIueieus OF "a permanent heavy artilIerv
force which will be augmented from
time to time o'i
1t is for this service that the war do
paraneht mas asked of congress two
aadluonal artillery regiments and tbe
oiIleiais express great hope that this ra
quest VIII be speedily complied with a.
tIefe is at present not enough men ~
eiieetiNeiy man the many new works
Wnlch, IN the development of the y,odar,,
coast system. are being RAPIDLY canniat
ca ana turned over to the department
captain S1gsbee to-day sent two tela. |
= a.ls 10 the navy department on the |
subject of interviews with him The I
ilfst merely said: L have consistently
fefrained from expressing anv nninia1,
on the Maine Disaster 't.e.'
Later in the day he wired: mo pansz
paper divers have been used an the
wreck of the Maine. One man nnpaead
oy me was subsequently bought up by
! newspaper. | declined his services
subsequently,, on his being uncondition
Ally released, / might have ,ised bin,
q chafge of an officer, in reeoyerinp
1oales. but decided not to do so. Any
rue" dt5 ui-
ihc navy department tonight PC
eiVed the following telegram from CON
am Sigsbee: Following is the condition
i our wounded in Havana hosnitaIes
apprentice koehler. slightly improved
ondltfon very good; Allen. slight i'm
toNemenf. condition grave; Heffron
nea, Mattfsan. favorable; Loftus con
alescent' cahiii. improved. bur grave.
TACK, waters and Webber favora hla ;, :
me report on the same subject fron, :
apfain Forsyth at Key West saxs' :
Maine survivors are in good conditfon !
~ morning. Surgeon reports wounded /
ding we'll" 'i'steu
Inc following telegram was received /
secretary Long from New Yorsf. i
" nen | arrived al New York 7 haord i
the Maine disaster. We feel ,er,, I
sep sorrow and send our condolences :
u u me dead and their families. y
"fSigned). EfYT.tTE a
captain Spanish Cruiser Nizcaya
me published statement that Ssnator Il
rector Of Vermont, who Is now an HE h
ay to Florida, was going to The H.. 4
fiof OF Cuba as a special agent IN a
'esident Mckinley to renorf on the 60, r
tons on the island was denied 10 II
ent at the white house. 1t was sad f,
AT Senator Proctor has not even A. Il
led that he Will go to Cuba thai
might take a pleasure trip that far II "
succeeded in finding some congenial ei
mnanion, but his visit. if made would al
entirely on his own responsibility. pl
tne Machias, en route for the Ifnt,ag y.
ttes from the Asiatic station. has a. in
ed at Madeira. r.