The National tribune., 1898-04-07

The NaYal Reserves.


and fourth at cleveland.
Gov. Tanner received Il request from the !
War Departmental have the naval mltla
of Illinois IN readiness to meet any call.
He at once ISSUED orders to recruit com
mandS to the maximum strength.
Gov. Pingee= received dispatch from
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy Roosevelt,
requesting that the Michigan naval re
serves be fully equipped and made ready
for instant service in case OF call from
the Government.
Work on the eight old monitors at League
Island Yard Philadelphia, is being pushed.
Officers of the New York and Massachu-
sets naval reserves, who have been or
dered to take charge of the monitors, ar
rived and reported to Commandant Casey.
The Seacoast.
There is a serious disagreement between
the Army and Navy officers as to the ne
cessity OF fortifying the Dry Tortucas. The
Navy wants extensive fortlficationS there
to protect naval base for coal and other
supplies, and the harbor. The Army does
not think the Dry TortuCas very strong
strategic point. nor worth the cost oi the
extensive Notifications and armament re-
CURED.
Castle Island, in Boston Harbor, has
| been used for more than five years as
pleasure-ground bot the War Department
has resumed possession OF It, ana ex-
cluded all visitors. 1t will be maze tor
| pedo and SiCnal station.
An order for I 000 barrels OF cement day,
| to be used in forts and batteries, has been
placed with the works at Whitaker, ia.
Gen. Greely Chief Signal Officer, re-
| ports that the work incident to the connec-
ton by electricity of the forts ana posts
comprising the defenSeS at the SeacOaSt
| cities is well started. Connections VIII
soon be made at New York City and within
a few weeks at all the other places at
which it is proposed TO introduce TINS
method of communication. Inc range
finders and other apparatus deSigheu 10
measure with accuracy the speed ana dls-
tance OF passing vessels also Will pe III
stalled promptly at the various PAGES
along the coast where they are needed.
Veterans Ready to Fight.
Veterans of Fairbanks Post, II, Detroit,
are ready to enlist for war against opdlh.
Mai David S. Kimball writes that over tWo
hundred assembled recently ana passed
resolutions rendering their services. Gen.
Russell a. Alger, Secretary OF war, IS a
member of this Post. Fairbanks PosC IS
the largest in the State and has member
ship OF nearly six hundred. Great en-
thuSiasm prevails.
The spirit of 81 still survives in the
breasts OF the veterans of Lieut.. Josiah
White Fost, 45, PhHnixville, Pa: 1hey
feel that they could perform garrison or
coast defense duty as wei as younger
men, and in a resolution passed at a
recent meeting report themselves 10 'ne
War Department for duty. +. A. Tencate
is Commander
Upton Post, 299, Batavia, n. Y, reports
for duty in war against SPAN - w.
Griffin writes that the members are en-
thusiastic.
pledges its individual support to President
Mckinley and the National Congress In
bringing to an end SPANS control OF Cuba.
The veterans believe Cuba has been, so
misruled and the war carried ON IN such a
barbarous manner as to oTing oissIace ,, ol
American Republics, and llberty.loVlng
people the world over. The petition is
signed by Commander John Homestead,
Adj't NJ. G. Reynolds, Lewis Kelley, 10th
Ind, James. S. Eobbins, 95lh ILL.,, Sam
Farmer, s5th Ohio, member OF Committee,
and is other members OF the Post,
Mansfield Post, 181, Powersville, Mo,
tenders the services OF its members to
President Mckinley. Much enthusiasm
prevails among the veterans -. w. foi-
lock is Commander and L. /. howard
The Union, vete-ans living in Oakland,
Cal. have decided TO offer the services OF
q full company TO the Government IN the
event of war with Spain. q company OF
100; with G. X. Aing as Captain, is beng
organized.
Patriotic Spirit.
L
plauds the patriotic utteranceS OF Senators
Mason. Gallincer. Proctor and Thurston,
and demands that the Cuban barbarities
be stopped.
The Colorado Springs people are intensely
indignant that ii few Unauthorized men
should have represented them as favorinG
a "handsoff policy. They have held
mass meeting and forwarded a petition TO
the President bearing over 5000 signatures,
promising their earnest support.
Spain.
The First battalion United States Re
serves, Pennsylvania Sons of Veterans, is
organized, 200 strong, with Henry Doug
lass HUGHES as Colonel, and is actively
drilling in Philadelphia.
Defcrses of Washington.
With the laying Of submarine mines in
the Potomac the city will be regarded safe
against any demonstration from hostile
fleet The defense does not consist alto
cether OF torpedoes. There or masked
batteries on both shores OF the river, safe
distance below Washington, which would
effectually check any hostile feet that
could find water enough 10 float 1t IN the
narrow river channel
4 hostile feet would not get in sight OF
Fort Washington before il would find itself
under fire Of a 10 inch masked battery on
the Virginia side Of the river. 1t is q
brand new affair, built within the past
year. L mere are foht gums Va th' bIocAp
pearng carriage tyrc, set in emplace-
mepts Of masonry and concrete, and pro
tected by sand walls so feet thick on the
outside.
Somewhat to the north of Fort
WASHINGTON. on the Maryland side, is a
long Grassy slope without SO much as a
flagstaff to distinguish it from the rest Of
the scenery But behind this there is a
duplicate OF the Virginia shore battery,
with more Of those deadly disappearing
guns perched high enough on top al the
hill TO command at least two long bends of
the channel Between these two batteries
a hostile feet would have hard time in
the tortuous river channel.