Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-25
GREAT SIGNAL SYSTEM.
II, s. Coast From Maine to Texas Under Close
Watch.
NO SURPRISE BY A HOSTILE FLEET.
,..,r, Movement on shore Can be Report
cd Quickiy-a,aoo Men En-
gagged.

washington, May 2i.-After several
.aoi,s of work along the entire stretch
from the Atlantic and Cur coasts the
navy department has completed the
most comprehensive and eiicieht sys-
,or, for observing the approach oil
nnsti,e fleet that has ever been put INTO
.,,, new bureau has been
S.a,,ad for this purpose, known as the
.,,,,ai service, in charge of Cap
tuin Bartlett, who atterus " inns 40
well MS to the work OIL the NAVAL "oai
Of information. The system has the
,,r,,,ces of $500 men stretched along
49, ooost from Bar Harbor. Maine, to
Ga,veston. Texas. These are divided
ipto "a central stations about 80 TO lJo
miles apart along the coast. me sta
finns are in turn connected directly ny
telegraph with the coast signal olhce,
al The navy department and oper-
ntors are on duty night and day keep
ing the navy department in constant
topographic touch with the entire
stretch of Atlantic and Gulf coasts
Secretary Long projected this plan
q month ago and $4,000 was set aside
TO establish the points of observation
along the coast. After selecting the
"a central points from Maine to Texas,
rush orders were given to build OBJ
servation towers and towers for the
observers the naval milltiamen, with
the rank of naval quartermasters, are
now on duty ut each of these stations.
The towers are completed and also
the small houses for their living pur-
poses There are 233 of these militia
men now in the service. The next step
was to have the lighthouse service
made an adjunct to the coast observa-
ton. This was done through the CO.
operation of the treasury department
and the lighthouse force Of 1,20O men
scattered from Maine to Texas are as
slsting the work of observation.
The life saving service was brought
into similar cooperation so that now
1000 life savers are brought into the
observation force. The "a central sta
tons with the numerous lighthouses
and life saving stations make n com
plete chain of observation points. all
connected by telegraph or telephone
with one another and that with the
navy department.
BY arrangement with the telegraph
companies the reports from these OBJ
servers take precedence over private
Geographic business so that the navy
department liz enabled to get immedi.
ate telegraphic notice of approach OF
any hostile feet or suspicious ship.
The work OF observation has beer
thoroughly systematized. Watches are
kept in the towers throughout the day
and night. Life saving crews are as
signed to night duty and they patro
the beach throughout the night on the
lookout for approaching ships. All the
central points and the observers have
been supplied with telegraph and full
appliances for marine observation
They are also supplied with torches
rockets and other paraphernalia fol
signalling.
The results already secured have
thown the efficiency of the plan. Nava
vessels passing along the coast are able
to signal day or night with the OBJ
servers along the beach, and these sig
mails are Immediately telegraphed to the
navy department.
Capt. Bartlett sleeps throughout the
night alongside the telegraph instru-