The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-25
THE STATE GUARD READY
CAN BID MOBILIZED HERE IN
TWENTY. FOUR HOURS,
MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR HoSTIllTIES
Notifications Being Strengthened at Fort Cas-
weIl--RaiIroads Indicate TIER Read-
ness to Move Troops for the
EnvnPnmnn4
Government.

OOfOtttttOHtt
Every Southern city. and especially
every seaport town, is now in fever of
expectancy, because of the rmors OF
war which have been ahoat during the
past few days.
Raleigh, though an inland town, is
sharing this excitement. and ull news
touching the loss eff the battleship
Maine or the situation in Cuba is eagerly
read. A large company of volunteers
might be raised here in half an hours
time. All classes feel the war spirit
and not Il few are very bitter in their
denunciations of the President for nor
declaring war againt Spain.
There can be no doubt that prepara-
tions for hostiftiss are going ON both i'll
this country and Spain. The presence
of the Spanish fleet at Cuba has
caused the Thought that it was not there
to protect the island hut for the pur-
pose of moving against this country as
soon as war is declared. The entire
fleet might sail at a moments notice
against Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile,
Pensacola. Brunswick, Savannah, Char
lSston, Wilmington or Norfolk.
All along the Atlantic coast the Uni
ted States is taking measures to protect
its seaport cities in the event of an
invasion by hostile power. Powerful
batteries are being constructed near the
PRINCIPAL ports in the South and the
North Carolina coast has not been over
looked in the general preparation.
V,. Il In ksgf4 of
Wilmington will sooner or batter be at
tackled. For sometime Notifications hav.
been going on there. Though absolute
secrecy as to what has ben done is
being maintained, it is now known that
the battery of heavy disappearing guns
at Fort Caswell at the mouth of Cape
Fear river. has been completed. Regu-
lars to man it are expected Immediately.
Work ON the barracks begins this week,
but meanwhile the garrison will be quar-
tered in tents.
At Norfolk, the gateway to North
eastern North Carolina. the most extern
sive and active preparations are going
on. A force of about /, 300 men are
working dGy and night.
Hundreds of applications from men
who want to join the navy are flowing
in, says the Landmark, from all parts
of the Union. At the recruiting office
white applicants are taken on. The ma
jority of those applying are negroes.
Work is still being rapidly pushed on
the monitor Puritan, and it is expected
that she will be ready for sea service
by the last of the week. The monitor
Terror officials say as yet they have
received no orders TO sail. but have been
ordered to hold themselves in readiness
to go at an hours notice. Where the
ship will 90 is unknown, but it is sup
posed she will be ordered to New York
harbor.
All these preparations are costing an
immense amount of money.
The war department has on file at
Washington reports from all the rail-
roads in this southeastern section, Civ
ing estimates of the number of men and
amount of munitions of war they could
move in a given number of hours, and
upon what notice such movements could
be made.
From inquiries, it appears that in case
of an emergency requiring temporary
interruption of ordinary business the
various lines could move 100000 men
from Atlanta to Brunswick, Savannah,
Port Royal or Charleston within TWEEN
ty-four hours. They could deliver the
same number of men at Tampa, Punta
Gorda and Miami in thirty-six hours.
These estimates allow twelve hours to
get the trains ready after notice. The
Southern Railway has over 60 per cent.
of its box cars equipped with air brakes,
and other roads are to some extent
equipped in the same way. There are
three lines to New Orleans that could
deliver about $4,000 troops i'll twenty
four hours.
In case of a call into active service
the number of men available for military
duty in this State would approximate
245.000. In the State Guard, which
could be modified within twentyfour
hours there are 1890 infantrymen and
200 artillerymen. The land force would
be mustered into the United States ser
vice, while the Naval Reserves would be
transferred into the Navy Department
and mustered in by it.