davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12
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 EXPLOSIVE GRAPNEI.

ships go in first, as they may avoid contact mines. The water of the chan nel is swept by a fire of small guns for the purpose of exploding mines that may be floating in the surface, and every ship uses it's anchor chains as drag, and puts out explosive grapnels for the protection of the vessels behind. Otherwise it is matter of trusting to luck that the small vessels ahead will bear the brunt of the mine explosives and the large ships get through safely
 Perhaps the difficulties of destroy ing mines under fire may be over come by the dynamite cruiser. Many of our officers believe that the Yesuyius can destroy all the mines in Havana harbor She can lie out of range of the guns of the forts and drop dynamite into the bay with sufficient accuracy to explode all the mines in the chan nel; or she could go past Morro Castle under the protection of the other ships and clear a way for them. The Fesuvius is in no condition to use in an open sea fight, for her guns display an iDac- curaey that is quite Spanish, but she will do her duty by. her country if she solves the question of countermining, and if she does not it will probably re- main unsolysd duringdhis war
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12
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vation mine is attached to an iron sink CT weighing about a quarter of a ton.
 Each row of mines is strung on one. electric cable, which is attached to the. sinkers and runs along the bottom. The wire mooring rope, by which each
 mine is attached to it's sinker, is be- tween ten and fifteen feet long, so that
 the mines float at this distance from thel bottom. If the mines are nearer than this to the bottom, the explosion
 of the first one is liable to break the cable and cut off the electric current from the other mines before they ex- plode. Each mine is joined to the main electric cable by a branch cable meet ing it at the point where it is connect ed to the sinker. For the guidance of the operator, buoys are placed at the ends of each line of mines. At night Holme lights or something similar are used. These lights are an ingenious invention and are used whenever it is necessary to make temporary marks in the water at night. They consist of a chemical composition that in contact with water generates a gas which ig- mites and burns with dull light when it reaches the air. The light is placed below the surface and the rising bub- bles mark it's position. Mined harbors are filled with false buoys and lights to deceive the enemy. Observation mines of the ordinary kind should be from 40 to 60 feet below the surface.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

exploding all the mines, but to blast a way through for fleet.
 The surest and best way of dealing with mines fired from the shore is by grappling in small boats for the wires. The wires are caught and brought to the surface and either cut, which rem ders the mine useless, or if there is time the wire is connected with a bat tery and the mine exploded. Crap bling is usually carried on at night To undertake to grapple for wires in
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

evidently could not be expected while a single gun of the enemy was in range and in working order.
 Countermining is employing obsefFa- ton mines to blow up other mines with. The mines used are the same pattern and power as ordinary observation mines. They may be laid under quite a heavy fire by simple automatic meth cd. The mines are weighted and pro- vided with buoys and an electric cable. The whole outfit is then arranged on small boat in such manner that after the first buoy is cut off it's weight will pull overheard the mine nearest to it, and this will detach the next mine, and so on until row of mines is laid along the channel. The end of the cable is usually held on board the near est ship of the fleet. A gunboat takes the eountermining boat in tow and steams rapidly up the channel. At the proper point a rope attached to the first buoy is pulled and the mines be- gin to fall into the water. These coun- termines are usually laid side by side, and two sets of six mines each may be carried hv q good-sized countermining boat. This would clear a passage 240 feet wide and more than TOO long. Counter1nining is not directed toward
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

"Cover the enemy's feet" says the celebrated Lord Brassey, maintain supremacy on the sea at any cost. <" The proper time to attack cities is after the hostile fleets are destroyed, when there is no danger of exposing home port for the sake of bombarding an enemy's. War of reprisal is no longer in vogue, the British naval authority, Admiral Colomb, tells us, for the debris of hostile town furnishes no bricks toward rebuilding home ports that ,have been demolished while the fleet was away smashing things on the enemy's coast. The law of naval war fare, as eXponnded by strategists and upheld by two centuries of naval bat
 ties, is that the outcome must be de cided fleet to fleet. Our course in the present war has been in close conform ity with the law. If Spain had fol- lowed it and strengthened her navy and established naval and coaling sta- tions about the world she might have remained power of the first class.
 Probably one of the effects of our brush with Spain will be that coal will be declared eontraband without quali- fieations, and there will be no more exhibitions of the kind of neutrality that, under preteXt of giving war yes sels coal to get home with, loads them with enough to take them half around the world. But in the coming npheav- al which all the great powers are pre-
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

The possessions of Holland, if they were in the hands of great power, could be made as formidable as those of England. Operations in the Vest Indies could be carried on from Cura- coa; and in the East Indies, Borneo, the Celebes and Goloio contain q dozen small coaling stations. Akeen Heads in Sumatra, is important from it's posi- tion, but the Dutch have rot made if more than thi1d-class base for coal and repairs. Their two great stations gre Batavia and Surabaya, in Jayas where fleets of large vessels may be docled, coaled and repaired. Denmark owns St. Thomas, near Puerto Rico where second grade repairing ane docking is done.
 Portugal is well supplied with coaling stations, particularly along the west coast of Africa Besides the Caps Verde islands she has the importanl station at Funehal In Madeira. Mozl ambique and Delagoa bay on the east coast of Africa are situated to com mand the Indian ocean and it's highs ways. At either place large fleet cass take coal at any time.
 Of course the shores of all the cor tinents are studded with eoaIing sta tions which are home ports of inde# pendent nations. These ports would ! an important consideration in q uniyes sal naval war; China has numbe of useful ccaling stations and Pol Arthur is Q first-elass naval base. are Yokohama and Nayask in Japal Bangkok in Siam is well equipped as base of the second rating. Constant nople has large dock yards and arsel als, and all of the South America countries have well-equipped naval st tions where coal may be had. The are TO docking or repairing faciliti at any Mexican port.
 Europe's great naval stations Kcil, In Germany; St. Nazaire, CalaS Brest, and St. Malo, in France; kro stadt, and sehastopol, in Russi Pola and Trieste, in Austria; Ne ice, Genoa and Leghorn, in Ital Stockholm and Copenhagen, in sw den and Denmark, and Amsterda in the Netherlands. There are no fir
 class stations in Portugal.
 spain's chief naval bases are Cad Carthagena and Ferrol. Ferrol Is arsenal of Spain, and E considered 1 pregnable.
 All the coast cities in the Unit States are coaling stations as matt of course. Boston, Philadelphia, N
 York. San Francisco and Seattle the only cities furnishing first-cl. < doekage and repairs. Hawaii would very useful to us just now if we taken it and made it well fortif naval base. On paper. Spain las advantage over Us in naval stations
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

GRAPHING FOR WIRES AT NIGHT. old mines were deadly enough to send over 9 ships to the bottom during the war. In the last ten years much in rentive genius has been devoted to the perfection of submarine explosives for iarbor defense. The result is that mines will do about what is expected of them.
 As independent investigation has been going on in every civilized country that has seaports to be defended, there is naturally variety of submarine mines, and only the officers in the tor pedo service of each country know just what eontrisances are prepared for keeping hostile fleets out Of it's harbors or blowing holes into them when they do get in.
 But broadly speaking, all harbors are defended by observation mines" CT
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

This delicate little machine is a remark able feature in these mines. There are many different styles of circuit closers upon which boundless ingenuity has
 been expended. One kind consists of a metal cup filled with mercury to a point just below a metal bar that enters the
 cup without touching it or the mer- cury. When the mine is floating upright
 the mercury is level and the space be- tween it and the bar breaks the circuit. If the mine is tipped to an angle of
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

erly fortified. Sagua, Cardenas, San- tiago and Cienfaegos, in Cuba, are eoal- ing ports of the first grade, and so are San Juan and Ponce, in Puerto Rico.
 France is very short of stations and !. is difficult 10 see how she can act against English possessions. With the exception of Algiers, in the Mediterra- mean, Port-of-France, in Martinique, is her only station of importance. 1t is one of the best=defended harbors in the Americas and it is first-class coaling. docking and repairing station. Even engines for warships are built at it's shops. The neighboring islands of Guada1oupe and St. Pierre, off New foundland, are not of much account as stations, for only a few hundred tons of coal can be obtained at either island at one time. Nossi Be, little island near Madagascar, is the French station in the east.
 Russia's only station besides her home ports is Petropax loysk in Kamsehatka- This is said to be a second-cIass sta- tion, but the world does not know much about what is happening in the shadow of the black eagle. At pres ent Germany has no station unless we so consider Heligoland, mile or two off shore. She used to have the Carr olines until she ceded them to Spain, and Kaio-Chou, which she has taken from China, will shortly be put into shape as a great station.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

contact mines" and operations in mine destroying will be directed against these two kinds of mines.
 Observation mines are mines con neeted with the shore by electric cables, by means of which an operator sta- toned at point-usually a protected and masked pit-whenee the move ments of attacking ships may be ob- served, can turn a key and explode a series of mines at the moment a vessel passes over thera. These mines are
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

Two kinds of contact mines are in general use, the electro-contact and the mechanical or automatic. They are in tended to explode only when they are struck by the bottom of a ship. The proper depth for these mines is 15 feet. They are about one-ffth the size of an observation mine; are moored to sink CTS, and the electro-contaet mine is joined by an electric cable to battery at the firing station on shore. \ num-
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

Der of these mines, arranged in groups
 of from three to half dozen, are usual
 Iy connected with one main cable. Where the branch cables meet the main
 one there is what is called diseon- hector box that protects the eonnee- tions. Electro-eontact mines are quite harmless until the electricity is turned on; they are ready 10 explode when ship hits them and completes the cir cult by acting upon the circuit closer.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

Even an expert in the branch of mili- .,rv science that deals with blowing tbines up possesses little more knowl- aaae . of the action of mines in actual 'sarfare @ than the royal astronomer has of inc man in the moon. The mines ,sed in our civil war-the only war in mbich they have been exploded under .hins-were crude affairs and electric ,+v as. applied to war was then in an nndeyeIoped state. Nevertheless, those
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

about 70 degrees, as will happen when a ships bottom pushes against it, the mercury reaches the metal bar, the cir cult is closed and there is an explosion.
 There are varieties of automatic mines. One in general use is like the electric-contact mine except that it's battery is part of it's internal organs and it has no connection with the shore.
 When a hostile fleet is expected the regular mine defense is in most cases
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

raced r.s in rows across channel. Each ral IS spherical or cylindrical cop Ss. m case containing about 500 pounds of SaA S;a cotton. It is about three feet in ti. tisalneter. The explosion of this quan- sh: g or gun cotton will be fatal to any r4lp na within 8 radius of GO feet from the ~ ns'l' on the surface above it. A line oh, sN mines will, therefore, guard naa nannel 720 feet wide. Gpn cotton is
 'Su'er than water, so nil closer
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-12

the daytime, while exposed to a sharp fire, is work that no life insurance com pany would countenance. Though this may be done by brave men, as was shown by our sailors, who did practical ly the same thing when they grappled for cables off Cienfuegos. For grap- bling under fire steam launch should be used rather than gig, and the ex- plosiye grapnel used. The ordinary grapnel, athree-pFonged grappling hook
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
Women to Women

bled her for years and she was worse than ever She endured untold pain, and suffered the breaking out of three running sores. I thought from the looks of the leg the only relief would come from. cutting it off.
 She decided to take Hoods Sarsa- parilla again, thinking it might pre- vent the case from becoming worse. Her treatment resulted in healing two of the sores, while third continued to require attention. She clung stead lastly to Hoods Sarsaparilla, used Hoods Pills, gave special attention to cleansing the eruptions and applied Hoods Olive Ointment. For a time the discharge of matter was more pro- fuse than formerly. She continued the treatment uninterruptedly and now the limb is to all appearances as healthy as ever.
 Our experience proves that when Hoods Sarsaparilla is taken faithfully and persistently it will do it's work thoroughly and effect a perfect cure. We have waited some time before writ ing this voluntary testimonial to see if the cure was permanent and we are glad to write that in all fairness it now seems to be our duty to state that Hoods Sarsaparilla did it's work per fectly and we'll" N. B. TRAVIS. 563 Troup avenue, Kansas City, Kans.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

days an official announcement to this effect will be made
 Sensational news is expected at any time from Rear Admiral Samp- sons fleet. Actual hostilities may be in progress at any moment, for, although the blockade has been in augurated for the purpose of ending the war in Cuba, the instructions to Admiral Sampson are of such nature as to warrant his sinking any Span ish ships that may interfere with the purpose of the blockade.
 While the authorities are nervously awaiting tidings from Admiral Sampson they are not neglecting other points of deep interest just now A night force ef telegraph operators has been placed on duty in the State Department. War Department and Navy Department. They are now engaged, together with the clerks, in receiving and translating cipher dispatches from every quarter having any connection with the move ment of vessels and other matters rclat ing to the Hispano-American war.
 The military and naval strategic boards are also at work practically night and day and there is little rest for any one here in Washington in these exciting times.
 The President has delayed his call for volunteers in accordance with the act ot Congress passed to-day on account of the legal questions involved relating to the number of men to be called out and to the distinction made between volunteers and militia The matter has been referred to the Attorney General, who is expected to render decision in time for the President to act in the matter
 A special session Of the House has been called for 10 o'clock tomorrow for the purpose of passing the army reor- ganization bill in time for final action on that measure by the Senate when il meets at noon.
 The Secretary of the Navy has asked Congress for authority to enlist a naval auxiliary force to man the torpedo fleet intended for coast defense purposes
 There is a difference of opinion be- tween Secretary Alger and General Miles as to the time of movement Of necessary troops and fleets into Cuban territory Secretary Alger, carrying out the wishes of General Lee, 1t is under stood, wants the troops to go ahead without waiting for the call for volun- teers. General Miles, on the other hand thinks it dangerous to send less than
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
DYNAMITE CAR WRECKED
 AT MENDOZA

g 22Th to-day  both ives of badly Orleans the Government Tranmen loss the danag believed that hobos
 
  liter cooHy inquired what he The O kandr miles 
  tchvhen 
 
  behind those of the h Tn leaving their
   freight piled upon each
   of wrecked cars the ironben alateho tonight beencl
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
Seamen Barely Escape D,ath.

SEATTLE, April 22-The news has been received tonight of the wreck of the schooner Atlanta. Captain Wyatt con- manding. She went crashing on the rocks off Yellow Rock lighthouse, Den man Island. at l o'clock this morning. A strong southeasterly gale was blowing and those on board the schooner had a narrow escape from death. They were, however. all saved.
 The steamer City of Nanaimo arrived at Nanaimo, B. C., this evening, having on board the following shipwrecked men: John illiard, Seattle; Charles Allen, New Haven: +. E. Coulton, East Hamp- ton; Thomas Washington. The other members of the expedition on the Atlan- ta were George Rooney. George Prescott. Yates. Nate Stephens. Denver; Morgan. Massachusetts; Rowan, Minnesota; J. Schneider. Indiana; Joe Sapp, Indiana
 The Atlanta left Seattle April [, bound Tor Southeast Alaska, and has sailed only four days since. on account of being manned by green hands. When Texada Island was reached Captain Wyatt dis Rock light, striking the beach broadside on.
 The passengers managed to lower a boat and get lifeline tied to a tree on the beach, and left the vessel by this means and went to the lighthouse. There they secured boat, went to Denman Island and caught the steamer City of Nanalmo. Captain Wyatt is still with his vessel
 The schooner was owned by a syndi- cate of twelve, who have abandoned her. The cargo Is a total loss and the people are returning to Seattle for new outfits ana VIII take steamer north.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23

Experience is the great teacher. The
 true test of a medicines merit is in
 the taking and result thereof. Thousands of women are to-day tell ing to others the story of their cures
 by Hoods Sarsaparilla. If you are
 half sick" ailing, weak, weary.
 nervous, or suffering from impure
 blood, such hearty indorsement
 should lead you into similar satis- factory experience. AS Mrs. Travis
 was led to take Hoods Sarsaparilla
 by another woman's testimonial, so
 let the frank statement below con-
 vince you of the merit of Hood S
 Sarsaparilla, and lead you to take 1t and rejoice in restored health.
 "C I. Hood 6 Go, Lowell, Mass
 "Gentlemen-It was by reading a lady's testimonial that my wife was in duced to take Hoods Sarsaparilla, and now she wants me to write you her ex- perience. Twelve years ago she be- came afflicted with milk leg Our family physician did her but little ben eft, and finally stated he could do no lasting good and advised the use of poultices to ease the pain as best we could. For a few years her trouble was confined to the limbs swelling dur ing the day. In recent years, however, Jumps or punches formed and red spots appeared.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
APPROVED
 BY CONGRESS-
Conference Report on the Volunteer Army Bill
 Disposed Of.
Call Office, Riggs House,


 During the brief open session of the Senate to-day the formal announce ment of the death of Senator Walthall of Mississippi was made and arrange ments were perfected so far as the Senate is concerned for the funeral ceremonies, which are to be held in the Senate chamber tomorrow at noon A secret session of two hours was held, during which the conference report on the volunteer bill was agreed to, but no business was done in open session
 At o'clock the Senate resumed leg islative business in open session.
 The House to-day displayed it's en- thusiasm for the war upon which the country has entered byrushing through without debate the conference report on the bill authorizing the President to call out the volunteers and agreeing by unanimous consent to meet at 10 o'clock tomorrow to take up the con- sideration of the army reorganization bill. The passage of the latter bill is considered imperatiyely necessary by the department.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23

reply, and said he would give half a years pay to be at New York to see how the news of the first capture was received there. In Key West the cap ture created the greatest en- thusiasm. When the Nash vile led her prize into port the water front was black with people, who simply cheered themselves hoarse. At the naval station Captain Forsythe was beaming with satisfaction. gave him the first news of the capture and nearly lost my right hand as a result of his grasp of con- gratulations.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23

only for the purpose of putting the United States on prop,r status with other nations, but in order to legalize any and every act that he may take Tn regard to the use of the naval and land forces of the United States
 It is the present intention of the President to send message to Con- gress tomorrow asking for formal declaration of war.
 The day has been busy and active one for the Chief Executive, his ad- visers and all branches of the Govern ment While all hands have been busily engaged in perfecting all the necessary machinery for carrying on the war, they have also been waiting for news from our naval commanders engaged in the hazardous work of blockading the Cuban ports.
 Word was received carly in the day of the capture of the Spanish ship Buena Ventura by the cruiser Nashville Al though two shots were fired to stop this vessel before she was captured the au- thorities do not consider that the act of the commander of the Nashville was necessarily an act of war, and there IS still chance of making Spain fire the
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
TO COMBAT
 YELLOW FEVER

NEW YORK, April 22.-A Washing ton special to the Herald says: With the prospect of transporting large army for the invasion and occupation of Cuba within the next few weeks Secretary Alger has issued instructions to the proper officials to make special preparations for prevention of disease among the troops and for the care of sick and wounded. The officers to whom these instructions apply with particular force are the surgeon general, quarter master general and commissary gen. ere. Surgeon General Sternberg, who is a yellow fever expert, has issued par ticular instructions to the medical corps for the prevention of contraction of the dreaded disease by the men who may be sent into Cuba. These instructions deal particularly with the quantity and quality of rations which should be is- sued: a matter which chiefly concerns the commissary department.
 Especial stress is placed upon the