The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-30
TYBEE is WELL PREPARED.
WORK THE SOLDIERS ARE DOING
on THE ISLAND.


ervatiOn-The signal station
Towards the south End-sOme La
dies Who wanted to visit the
FOrtincatiOnS.
Tybee is ready for any emergency. There
are not many troops there, but there is "a
sufficient number to handle the weapons
OF defense that guard The coast, and a
stranger would meet with very vigorous
reception should he attempt to make an
experiment in that direction.
The military reservation is now in com
mand of Capt II. X. Bailey OF Company
H, Fifth United States Infantry, who
brought his command down here from Nc
Pherson barracks about a month ago. His
regiment Is now split up in sections, and
its companies are scattered at different
reservations all the way from Charleston
ITO Dry Tortugas.
Capt. Davis Of the heavy artillery bat
terry was in command of the reservation
until he was made a major of volunteers
and ordered to Chickamauga, leaving
Lieut. Hayden, his first lieutenant, in COM
mand. Lieut.. Hayden and the heavy bat
terry have moved their quarters from
where they were formerly located, about
500 yards to the east of the lighthouse, up
to the Notifications and the men are now
enjoying the sand dunes and answering
early calls TO duty.
1t had been reported that the heavy bat
terry was being put through daily series
of emergency drills, so to speak in order
TO prepare them to meet any sudden call
for actual service should they be needed
suddenly on the fortihcauons. This how
ever, is not the case, though, as a matter
of fact, the drills are somewhat out of the
ordinary. The call for duty is liable to
come at any time in the morning between
6 and 1880 O'Clock, and the men are being
trained with view TO answering to 1t a
once. There is also another df1l of the
same kind In the evening. This battery
is one of the old ones, however, and is
well instructed in the duties il has to per
form. There is no doubt that when an
emergency actually exists that the bat
terry will be at post on short notice. The
signal corps of the battery is also being
put through the usual instruction, and al
together il is being worked up 10 d high
state of efficiency
This battery mans the four S-inch dis
appearing guns now commanding the for
tihcations at Tybee, and will also have
charge of the auxiliary battery of 4.7-inch
rapid fire guns as soon as that battery Is
put in place. The rapid fire guns are
there, but the battery for them has not
YET been completed.
There is to be a searchlight on Tybee
shortly but so far it has not been put up.
There are, however, a couple of beacons,
one 10 the east and the other west of the
lighthouse. Ii is expected that the search
q will he
days.
Capt. Bailey's company of infantry is
still located on the point the most pleas
ant place on the reservation. He has now
only fifty men in his company, but it is
being slowly recruited, very slowly. in
fact, as it gains now by about one recruit
a week. One man arrived from Rome, Ga,
yesterday, and during the course of a
week II is likely that another will be re-
ceived Capt. Bailey has applied for per
mission to open q recruiting office here for
the purpose of films up his company, but
so far he has heard nothing from his APP
DIication.
The infantrymen are being used now as a
guard at the Notifications and at Fort
Pulaski. A detail from the company is
sent to both places each day, and the
strictest guard is kept to prevent the in
trusion of strangers. Capt. Bailey's COM
pany will remain on Tybee until il is re-
heved by volunteers, but when that will be
is matter of much uncertainty.
As commander Of the reservation he has
charge Of all matters military connected
with the army here. He called on Judge
II. L, Ferrill on Saturday to confirm the
report that the two deserters from Col.
Browns regiment at Tampa had been dIs-
charged on writ of habeas corpus. The
matter. 1t is understood, has been refer
red TO the war department, but so far
nothing has been heard from it,
There are frequent visitors a the camp.
but since it has been reduced to one
company Of infantry curiosity with regard
TO IL has fallen off somewhat. A few days
ago, however, a party of ladies went over
to the camp ground of Company II, and
one of them asked one of the men If they
could go up and see the fortihcations.
No" was his reply, you can't go UP
there unless you get permission from the
captain"
Where is he?" she asked.
The captains tent was pointed out and
the ladies called on him. Having found
Capt. Bailey they informed him as to their
mission, and asked his permission to visit
the Notifications.
Il am very sorry. ladies'" Capt Bailey
said, but l have no authority 10 perni,
you TO go there. Otherwise it would give
me great pleasure"
Well said one of them with mucn
emphasis, were no Spanish spies; were
loyal Americans"
Capt. Bailey informed the ladies that he
was satisfied on that point, bur the regli
lations We're inexorable. which he regret
ted very much under The circumstance.
The ladies then gave up their trip with
much disappointment
One OF the most Interesting features that
the war situation has brought about is the
extension of the signal service. Chief
Quartermaster W. n. Beckett may be seen
on the beach at Tybee most any day look
ing after his tall signal pole, which stands
on the beach toward The south end. Il
looks very much like the mast Of a bark.
He has under him Quartermaster D. NJ
Spring and S. A. Torlay and Quartermas-
ter Robert Marshall as telegraph opera
tor.
These men are all from the Savannah
Naval Reserves, and have been mustered
into the naval service. They take turns
or duty, the period of service being four
hours on with eight hours off. The men
have their own cottage there, and are
quite comfortably located.
This Is a station of the Coast Signal Ser
vice recently created and put in charge
of Capt Bartlett who attends to this as
well as the work of the naval board of
information. The system has the services
of 200 men stretched along the coaet