The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-12-14
COAST SIGNAL SERVICE.
There Is q Perfect system Extendirs
All the Way sr0m Dar Har-
bor 10 Galveston.

After several weeks OF work along
| the entire stretch of the Atlantic and
gulf coasts the navy department has
com pleted the most comprehensive and
efficient system for observing the APP
! proach of a hostile fieetsthat has ever
been put into operation. A new bureau
has been created for this purpose known
as the coast signal service, in charge OF
Capt. Bartlett, who attends to this as
well as the work of the naval board OF
information. The system has the sery-
ices of 300 men stretched along the
| coast from Bar Harbor, Me-, to Calves
ton, Tex. These are divided into 81
central stations about go to 100 miles
apart from the coast. The stations are
in turn connected directly by telegraph
with the coast signal office of the navy
department., and operators are on duty
night and day keeping the navy depart
ment in constant telegraphic touch with
the entire stretch of Atlantic and gulf
| coasts.
Secretary Long projected this plan
a month ago, and $4,000 was set aside to
establish the points of observation
along the coast. After selecting the 81
central points from Maine to Texas,
rush orders were given to build OBJ
servation towers for the observers. The
naval militia was drawn to man the diff
ferent observation towers, and five mil
itiamen with the rank OF naval quarter
masters are now on duty at each of
these stations. The towers are COM
pleted and also the small houses for
their living purposes. There are 233
of these militiamen nowin service. The
next step was to have the lighthouse
service made an adjunct to this coast
} observation. This was done through
the cooperation of the treasury depart
ment, and the lighthouse force of 1900
men, scattered from Maine to Texas,
are assisting the work of observation.
! The life-saving service was brought
into similar cooperation, SO that now
1000 life savers are added to the OBJ
servation force. The "a central sta
tions, with the numerous lighthouses
and life-saving stations, make COM
plete chain of observation points, all
connected by telegraph or telephone
with one another and with the navy
department.
BY arrangement with the telegraph
companies the reports from these OBJ
servers take precedence over the pri-
vate telegraphic business, SO that the
navy department is enabled to get i'm
mediate telegraphic notice of the ap-
proach of any hostile feet or suspi-
cious ship.
The work of observation has been
thoroughly systematized. Watches are
kept on the towers throughout the day
and night.
The life-saving crews in particular
are assigned to night duty, and they pa
troll the beach throughout the night
on the outlook for approaching ships.
All the central points and the OBJ
servers have been supplied with tele-
scopes and full appliances for marine
observation. They are also supplied
with torches, rockets and other para
pnerna1a Tor signaling.
The results already secured have
shown the efficiency of the plans adopt
ed. Naval vessels passing along the
coast are able to signal day and night
by torches and otherwise with the ma
val observers along the beach and these
signals are Immediately telegraphed
TO the navy department here Thus the
naval vessels can be kept in constant
communication with the department
without the necessity of coming into
port.
Capt. Bartlett sleeps throughout the
night alongside the telegraph instru-
ment, ready to convey to. his superiors
word Of the approach of any hostile
ship. The first thing each morning re-
ports are received from every point
from Bar Harbor to Galveston stating
briefly that everything is quiet or other
wise, as the case may be. Thus far the
day reports have been uniformly as
suring, but the night reports have been
at times alarming. The observers, be-
ing alert and new to the work. report
every suspicious light seen off shore
and frequently attach serious signifi-
canoe to 1t. Since Capt. Bartlett has
answered some Of the scare reports
with the laconic message, "sea serpent"
the observers have been more cautious
and the reports show evidences Of care
full observation. With the system in its
present perfected condition the navy de-
partment feels assured that it knows
exactly the condition Of affairs along
the entire stretch of Atlantic and gulf
coasts. The system is simply a pre-
cautionary one, as the department. has
no reason to believe that Spanish ships