Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-03-19

is absolutely no reason Tor denial TINT the
president does know that the court il ex-
nectrd to report that the explosion
was due to outside agencies. or
course he has no official knowledge
of this fact. To this extent the 'lenials
mr., accurate: beyond this they are false.
Ordinances firms have been authorized to
re and deliver without delay am
munition and ordnance stores TO the full
caracitv of their plants. The contractors
have been advised that the government will
take all the material they can produce until
further orders. Among the contracts signed
was one sl20. 900 In amount for rapid lire
guns and other material, to br furnished by
the briggs Seabury Gun and Ammunition
company OF New York city. A contract has
also been signed for Il. OO0, 900 cartridges. to
he divided between the New hampshire
Cartridge company of Lowell Mass. the
Union Metallic Cartridge company and the
Winchester Repeating Arms company. The
firms report their ability 10 produce the
material at the rate Of 100, 600 per day.
WASHINGTON, ID. G., March lS-The cy-
pec,ation Of u peaceful settlement 81 the
Maine incident and the Cuban question is
much stronger here. largely rs Il result of
the effective war preparations which have
brought Spain and all the rest VI Europe to
realize the possibilities Of the United States
and so have Quicksned the interest OF the
European governments aud the European
tlnnnciers to prevent hOstilities. The
strongest political and financial powers
in Europe are working earnestly to
save Spain and the Spanish bonds and the
Spanish credit from the inevitable effects OF
war with the United States. Cablegrams
have come from every capital OF Europe.
signed by the representatives, OF great Imam
cia houses, calling attention to the remark
able drop In Spanish IS and rightly attrihut-
ing the decline to the danger of war be-
tween the United States and Spain.
These frightened s-IInanclers ask that
this cn,Ise-be removed. The ROlhSchllds
in LONDON have told the president that
Spain can borrow no more money and that,
in ngnrative language, it would be- like u
giant thrashing II child for this country to
iisht Spain. The ROthschilds In Paris have
also cabled here that II the war talk con-
tinues 1t will be impossible to- hold up Span
ish bonds, and they will simply depreciate
until almost absolutely worthless.
NEW YORK, March l8--FOrt Hancock ut
Sandy Hook presents more Warlike ap-
ppnrance than ever before The two batter
les Of IS men each from Fort Slocum, David's
Island and two battaliOns from Fort Wads-
worth, Staten Island. have arrived there In
General Wesley Merritt, commander OF the
department Of the east. With the 300 men
who previously arrived, there are now more
men at the fort than since the civil war. As
there are no accommodations for the new
corners, the men are living In tents. The
latest arrivals are all trained men and
expert gunners. There are now about
$50 extra men at Fort Hancock.
Orders have been issued for the wives
and children of all government employees to
hold themselves in readiness to leave at a
moments notice. SO strong was the order
that many Of the soldiers and labOrers en-
ployrd by the ordnance department In the
construction OF new buildings and fortiilcn-
tions are already seeking habitations in At
lantc Highlands. the Highlands OF Navesink
and other New Jersey towns. The state
ment made Il week agO that the troops mt
For. Hancock were to be reinforced by sew
eral batteries is confirmed. Preparations are
being made to quarter the new troops.
, A big coast defense rife can he seen above
the par,.pet OF the fort at Willet's point l.. l.
The muzzle is pointed up Long Island sound
and the position Is significant. The exposed
rifle il one OF the new S-inch battery recently
put in position Mt the fort. Somewhere In
the vicinity OF that piece are two others OF
larger calbrc and greater penetrating
power Visitors are not allowed to approach
very near the new guns ut the fort. The To-
cation of them is known only to the officers
and men, and they express the greatest ig-
noranee when asked where the ordnance is
plared. Beside the two giant rifles and sew
eral Of the S,inch size, the fort has several
smooth-bore Rodman guns and oil OF the
rifles are mounted on modern disappearing
carriages, and when ready to be fired re-
main on the sufaee for so short time that
it wonld puzzle IN nnemy's ship
to locate them. II t1kes only
from three to four seconds to fire one
OF them. and tho reeoil from the discharge
takes them ont Of sight. About three min
utes ara required to load one of the rifles
and aim Ii for another shot. When in
position the guns are deep In their EN- place
ments, and In order to wreck them and kill
the men operating them an enemy would
have to get the range so accurately rs TO
drop q shell into the emplacement. As it
would be absolutely necessary for n hostile
warshp to be continually on the move while
fighting the fort. il would be difficult for the
most expert gunners to accomplish this feat.
The chances Of hostile ship being able to
dismount one OF the big guns would be de-
creased by the fire the ship would be subject
to from battery OF big guns at fort Schuyler,
this fortidcation and the works on the
Long Island shore, in the event OF
war, yeritsble hail OF armor-per-
cling and Understanding projecti|es could be
sent up Long Island sound. md could hardly
fail to disable any hostile warship. Besides
the fire OF the fort, however, o ship or fleet
would have to take chances with many well
located mines and totpedoes. The channel
approaching the fort IL such that the ships
would have very little SEA room. and, being