The herald., 1898-03-13
THE CRISIS TOO ACUTE
10 LEAVE HOPE FOR PEACEFUL
SETTLEMENT
ENeLIsHMEN ARE CURIOUS
To Discover What New and Terrible
Engines Of Destruction Yankee
Ingenuity Has Produced
Associated Press specla. Wire

NEW IOfth, MarCn lz.-Ine Mall anu
Express today has the following cable
gram from London:
The acute crisis between the United
States and Spain Is the uppermost topic
everywhere in London. No one seems
seriously to believe that war can be
averted. The great newspapers are
making elaborate preparations for war
correspondents. I am told by an Ad-
uiiralty official that two or three Brit
ish war vesselN, with complete schools
Of naval officers on board, will be de-
tailed to cruise in the vicinity of Span
ish and American fleets, so as to be able
to take every possible observation.
The war between Japan and China was
revelation Of the extraordinary powers
of modern marine warfare, and 1t is
firmly believed in London that the
American authorities possess some Won
derful new discoveries in the way OF
engines Of destruction.
It Is believed here that the authorities
will be inundated with requests from
English army officers and ex-ohcers
Tor volunteers commissions.
The leading newspapers on the conti-
nent are In the main sympathetic with
the Americans. The destruction OF the
Maine, whether by accident or design,
seems to have settled that. 1t is believed
here that IL Spain goes to war she Will
be in a condition Of utter desolatlon.
The only country which would give her
moral support would perhaps be Aus
tria.
ONE NEW THING
NEW YORK, March 12.-The sub
marine boat Holland was given another
preliminary trial last evening. She
moved out a short distance from the
pier at Perth Amboy and with John p.
Holland, the inventor, and the engineer
and another man, disappeared under
meath the water. She remained down at
a depth Of about fourteen feet for nearly
half An hour and then reappeared at the
surface. The object of the test was to
determine the amount Of metal ballast
necessary for her operation under water
as we'll as to test her diving tanks and
compressed air apparatus.
After the Holland came to the surface
the inventor said that the boat worked
satisfactorily and that he was ready to
give her an open trial in deep water. 1t
has been decided to exhibit her in the
lower bay next week. The President of
the Holland Submarine Company, Capt
Jacques, Captain S. A. Morris, Superin-
tendent Thompson of the dry docks and
: only about half dozen others witnessed
the test last evening.
THIS IS ANOTHER
NEW YORK, March 12-The World
today says: The heads of the United
States Engineer Corps have discovered
that the channel at the beginning Of the
Narrows cannot be successfully mined
with torpedoes. For week or more
soundings have been made and off Fort
Hamilton a depth Of 160 feet was
reached. 1t would be impossible to place
torpedo mines at such depth and con-
troll them with certainty.
The engineers have decided to protect
the channel between Fort Wadsworth
and Fort Hamilton with fish torpedoes,
which can be shot out from the land with
the speed of bullet and can be per-
fectly controlled for a distance of $50
yards. One of these can sink the great
est battleship.
A consignment Of fish torpedoes will be
sent to Fort Wadsworth and Fort Ham,
ilton in a few days.
At Sandy Hook the conditions are all
that can be desired and if it is neces-
sary to mine the entrance to this har
Dor the torpedoes will be placed there.
ARMY ORDERS ISSUED
WASHINGTON, March 12.-The War
Department today promulgated its or
der creating the departments Of the
Gulf and of the Lakes and abolishing
the departments of Missouri and of
Texas.
The Department Of the Lakes will
embody the States of the Atlantic Coast
and North Carolina.
The Department Of the Gulf will COM
prise South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Texas, at Atlanta. The War Depart
ment Is making efforts to execute the
changes in the great military depart
ments announced in the order to which
reference was made yesterday. The i'm
portant change by the order was the
creation of the new Department of the
Gulf by the combination of the old
Department of Texas with the southern
portion Of the Department of the East.
The other changes made were in the
direction Of rectifying the lines Of the
Central Western Departments so as to
make them more symmetrical and easily
accessible in all portions from their re-
spective central headquarters. For
this reason the State of Ohio, for many
years attached to the Department of the
East, has been thrown into the Depart
ment Of the Missouri, which now takes
the name of the Department of the
Lakes. The change in name is for purely
sentimental reasons.
The Western States included In the
Department of Dakota have been trans
ferred to the Department of the Platte,
while to maintain the present propor-
tions of this department the northern
sections have been thrown into the De-
partment of Dakota. No changes have
been made in the Department of the
Columbia, the Department of California
or the Department of the Colorado.
Heretofore there had been only one
military center along the Atlantic, name
ly, that of New York, but the present
condition of affairs made it apparent
from military standpoint that It was
desirable to have another military CEN
ter at Atlanta. The same commander.
Brigadier-General Graham, will be in
command at Atlanta as he had previous
ly been in command of the Department
of Texas. He telegraphed the War DE-
partment today that he would go TO
Atlanta next Monday and establish
headquarters.
READY TO MOVE
DENVER, March 12.-Acting under
special orders received from the officials