The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-14
THE EVENING TIMES WASHINGTON MONDAY. MARCH a. 1898
PREPARATIONS REVIEWED.
America Now In Good Condition
for War.

than would have been ordinarily possible
i'm months The $5G,G00,000 appropriation
already has been depleted one-ffth in con-
tracts for war material. This fact alone
is sufficient to indicate the extraordinary
efforts put forth.
In the existing crisis marvellous celerity
has marked the preparations of this Gov
ernment for defense and aggression. The
preparations made all along the line of
military equipment have applied to scat
tered sections and attracted little atten-
tion in detail. Taking the results as a
whole. it is found that the country today
/ is in good condition for war. Work to
: this end has been carried on in every
military branch. The division of the un-
dertakings for defense and aggression
may be thus classified:
! l. Naval-Assembling the Navy and put
! ting additional vessels into commission;
enlisting recruits for service upon the
| ships: providing ammunition, coal ana
| supplies.
, Coast Defense-Manning the coast
and harbor Notifications; shipping delay
| ed consignments of guns; furnishing am
! munition to poorly ly-equipped forts.
/ :. Army-Enlisting arJiileryn1en; moving
| troops to the seaboard; contracting for
| rifles for the Army creating new dlVlS-
ions and shifting commands.
| These are the general features Of the
| work. comprising innumerable details. "A
J gratifying proportion of the task has been
| completed or is 50 far under way as to
bring the end in sight. America is ready
| for business.
Reviewing the results accomplished un-
| der the several branches mentioned In
order, it is found that the Navy is on
! a good footing The powerful lighting
10 rtaI
monitors have been put in commission
| and placed on station. one in New York
! harbor and one IN Hampton Roads. They
ara Tor coast defense purposes. The
cruisers Minneapolis and Columbia have
| been manned and will 80 into commits
sion tomorrow. They are at the League
| Island navy yard. Philadelphia, and form
part Of the flying squadron which is to
hover about the North Atlantic sea-.
board. The cruiser Brooklyn is now ON
her way up the coast to join them and
| become the flagship.
The monitor Miantonemah carries four
1G-inCh guns She has secondary bat
terry of rapid-iire guns and her turrets
are armored with eleven inches OF steel
| The katahdin. which Will go to New
! York harbOr is a ram, designated to ride
down warshps She is almost submerg-
ed. with turtle back of steel. Nothing
| but her coming tower and smokestaCks
will be above water
The Navy Department is overhaulinG
the old monitors which have been out of
| commission at League Island. They are
armed with smooth-bore guns. but would
make good harbor defenders. There are
| eight Of these vessels.
Warships on the Pacific Coast are be-
ing fitted out. The Oregon has sailed
from San Francisco. and may come
! around to the Atlantic. The Yorktown
! and Philadelphia are fitting rapidly for
sea To the American squadron in Chi
nese waters, which will menace the Phil
ippine Islands. ammunition has been sup
piled The cruising vessels OF the Gulf
squadron have been modified at Key
West and Dry Tortugas, and have filled
up with ammunition and supplies. Th'
two small vessels Of the European squad
! ron have been ordered home.
Active steps have heal taken to increase
| the enlisted force of the Navy. Recruit
ing stations have peen opened IN the large
| cities 4 board of officers, consisting oi
/ Can't Hawley, Chief Engineer Webster
and Surgeon Persons, has zone South I,
enlist men.
, The colonel commandant Of the Marine
Corps has issued orders to recruit tht
corps and bring it TO its fun strength OF
e 800 That work is proceeding.
h The department mas ordered armor
a piercing projectiles worth $l.5D)o'J from
b. the CARPENTER Steel Company. the MID
vale Steel Company. ana the Firth StIrl
u ing Company. all Pennsylvania firms. :
contract signed for $4,000 Of cartridges fo
- immediate delivery AM q contract fo
Sl21 00a Of rapid-iire suns from the Dr-gs
Seabury Company gre some OF the lOca
deals made. Bids we're opened today fO
b more projectiles and shells. In addition
. contracts for several million dollars o
IA arms will be awarded as soon 1S the ar
- | rangements can he completed in England
=. p. fr
Gnpowder has been shipped to the sea
:. coast from two points. Twenty tons hJv
e gone from the Government magazine
:. near Boston. The Du Points have ship
o ped $4,000 pounds from their Dtlawar
= works ConsiEnments from Western pow
e / der firms are now on the road u the Eas
; and South.
Torpedoes have been shipped from VII
= lets Point. y. Y. and from Newport Il
5 l.. To Southern points. orders Tor owe
n 2Jo050 tons Of coal have pacn placed. an
l. many thousand tons are now being E4r
: ried by rail to the South.
e Great activity has been displayed il
coast defense preparations. Guns haV
c been put in position at every fort ol
II the coast: other guns are on hand need
ing only the assembling and mounting
Work upon these has been prosecute
night and day. The batteries for tn
defense of Philadelphia, Baltimore an
|
[ completion where attention may be pai
to other forts in the direction of man
ming the defenses. and unusual quick
, ness has sgnalized the disposition o
N the forces. Regiments of artileTyme
Is from the West have been scattere
IN along the coast. These will he re-en
forced this week by the new enlistment
- authorized under the artillery bill jus
- passed by Congress.
Plaus are working out in the quarter
y, portation to the coast of aTtilleryme
of the State militia. These men,. a
ready trained. will form in case of nee
lie the nucleus for assembling additional al
he tiIery regiments from volunteer re
| cruitS
'y The Army officials have been diliger
in perfecting the equipments of tn
dt present force. Going further. partis
o. | arrangements have been made for arm
lu ing many thousand volunteers. Order
r have been placed with the manufactul
ne ers of rifles in New England. and gun
at will be obtained as needed. Commandin
Fl officers at western and central point
OF have arranged the preliminares for tn
s. shipment OF regiments and equipments
Is the Regular Army to the East upO
short notice. and the railroad companie
have been communicated with to tn
Z. end