The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-29
JANUARY 2 1898
SONS OF NEPTUNE AT PEACE
NAVAL RESERVES HAVE NO NEW
 ORDERS TO PREPARE FOR VAR.

The Monitor Wyandotte is Still Aground
 on a Harbor Bar--The Regular Routine
 Drills Are Continued and All is We'll
 Another Spanish War Story Taken at u
 Discount.
 In these days, when the country is daily fed on rumors of war, it is not much of a newspaper correspondent who cannot discover Spanish armadas and Uncle Sam's preparations for meet ing the same every time he comes in sniffing distance of sea air.
 The following item from the special Washington correspondent of the Hart ford Courant appeared in yesterdays issue of that paper:
 Since the latest excitement in Cuban affairs the navy department has sent communication to commanders of the several state naval militia organizations of the country instructing them in ref erence to the placing of guns on the vessels of the auxiliary navy and mak- ing inquiries regarding vessels in their districts which might be made avalla- ble in case of war. Drawings are sent out by the bureau of constructions giv- ing definite directions for the mounting of guns and separate drawings descrlo- ing the wooden and iron gun carriages to be used. Particular inquiry is made in the communications to ascertain the names and description of all vessels in the neighborhood of the places where the naval organizations are stationed which could be used in maintaining blockade or in naval engagements as rams. Navy department officials claim that the institutions to the auxiliary navy are being issued merely in accord ance with the authority of congress, but coming at this time and being pur- sued with such method and detail, 1t is believed that the step has great signifi- cance''
 If the naval militia of the state is likely to figure in real, genuine Span ish war there are fond fathers and mothers of this city. whose sons belong to the local organization of amateur tars, who will be deeply interested to learn of the same. Last evening was the regular drill night of the First divi- sion and a reporter from this paper visited the armory for the purpose of seeing what active preparations for war were really going on in our midst. The division, in white fatigue uniforms were having their regular artillery drill and the interesting movements were watched by quite large crowd of spec tators, in the galleries. There was none of tbo h,1,, nd which are generally supposed to accom- pany urgent preparations for war. On the contrary, the officers and men seem ed to take matters in a very cool and peaceable manner. Commander Buck land was in Waterbury, whether to mo- biize the land forces there does not ap- pear. At any rate, he could not be in terviewed
 Lieutenant Commander Goodridge was shown the report and he remarked that he had heard of no new orders having been received by the Connecti- cut naval battalion from Washington, and did not believe that any had been received. The orders mentioned in the report, he said, were nothing more than what several of the state naval battal- loiio iietd ptCh AtoiiS loi SOiilC liliC' Lieutenant Goodridge thought it old, but gave some interesting information as to work that has been done along this line by the New York naval militia. That naval organization has completed chart of all of the wharves of New York harbor and detailed information as to their location, depth of water, nearness to restaurants, lodging houses and places where supplies could be ob- tained; also regarding all the vessels in the harbor which might be made availa- ble for war service. The New York na- val militia has extended this chart sys- tenn all along Long Island sound. As an instance of the information that is charted, the New York amateur tars have placed the Bigelow company's s boiler works Of this city down on their chart as a point at which steamers could get repairs for boilers,
 Lieutenant Goodridge stated that the Connecticut naval battalion had never thought best to undertake any work of this sort The only thing ever done along this line was the formulation of plan whereby torpedo boat or launch could be lowered from the Mantle rail- road bridge and launched ready for 'ac- | tive service at that point of the coast By this plan, for instance, the launch belonging to the First division of this city could be transported by rail to Mi antic much quicker than the trip could be made by water. This plan is in the adjutant generals office in Hartford.
 Ensign Baker read the report and re- marked that he shOuld hep-in eatino ra w meat at once to get his war spirit up On the whole 1t looks as though the members of the Connecticut naval bat talion will be spared to their fond par ents and others for some time yet, till after their brilliant ball in April, let it be hoped, at any rate.