The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-08
ARRANGING FOR SIGNALS.
GEN. 4. W. GREELEY HERE TO
GATHER IMPORTATION.


Has the Data for Proper Signalling
Arrangements on Tybee-GOvern-
ment VIII Use the Telephone Line
Between the City and the Island.
Policy of the Government, Gen.
Greeley Says, to Use the CONNER
cial Wires i'm Existence and Not TO
Parallel Thtm-SignaI stations to
BE Established at All the Coast
Fortihcations.
Gen. A. W. Greeley, of Arctic fame. now
chief of othe United States signal service
bureau, spent yesterday in the city in the
interests of that bureau, which will prob
ably establish a signal station at Tybee,
beside the new fortifications within a
very short time.
Gen. Greeley did not visit Tybee, but
spent part OF the day in the Office of Capt.
c. f. Gillette studying the maps and con-
sidering plans in connection with the sig
nal service work. He was seen at the De
Soto by a representative of the Morning
News, just as he was about to take the
train for Atlanta, from where he will re-
turn to Washington. When asked If lie
had been to Tybee, he replied:
mo. did not consider that there was
necessity of my going there. l have spent
some time in the engineer office studying
the maps, and secured there all the infor-
nation I will need. 1 am looking into the
matter of providing the proper signalling
facilities at the Notifications along the
coast. and Tybee is included in the list"
"WHl the government establish a tele-
graph station here or at Tybee?" ne was
asked.
NO, l do not think So, he replied
There is a wire already running between
Savannah and the island, the telephone
wire. There is no reason why we should
put up another parallel to it. The gov
ernment's policy is 10 use the commercial
wires already in existence wherever that
can be done, instead Of going to the ex-
pense of putting up parallel lines. There
will be no difficulty whatever in using the
telephone wire from Tybee and the gov
eminent will save considerable expense
thereby"
"Will Savannah be made the center Of
a government telegraph disLrict?'
There has been some talk on that line
in the navy department" Gen. Greeley
said, but 1 hardly think anything of that
kind will be done. A system of commune
cation between the coast fortifcations and
the departments at Washington will, If
course, be arranged, but it will be largely
if not almost altogether, through the use
of the commercial wires. 1t would do the
government no good to establish tele-
graph system here and there Sporadic
systems would complicate matters and re-
quire considerable time to complete COM
municatiQn between points at some dis
lance from each other. The quickest and
most satisfactory system can be had by
the use of the commercial lines already
existing"
The subject was then turned upon the
question of Arctic explorations, and Gen
Greeley was asked about the missing bal
foonist, Andre. He thought ii practically
impossible that Andre should ever be
heard of again, and at that moment the
call for his train caused him to leave He
will spend to-day in Atlanta and probably
leave there for Washington tonight or to-
morrow.
Gen. Greeley was quite well acquainted
with many of the officers now sitting on
the court martial. He spent much of mis-
time during the day in their company and
visited the court in the morning. Gen
Greeley did not much like the idea OF
war, but it is his opinion that il can
hardly now be averted