Evening star., 1898-12-05

L
| ing incidents OF the struggle that the obli-
cations of neutrality were impartially dis
| charged by ALL often under delicate and
| difficult circumstances.
| In further fulfillment of international
| duty 1 issued April 20. 1898. a proclama-
| ton announcing the treatment proposed TO
| be accorded to vessels and their cargoes as
! to blockade, contra band, the exercise of
| the right of search and the immunity of
! neutral flags and neutral goods under
| enemy's flag. similar proclamation was
| made by the Spanish Government. In the
| conduct of hostilities the rules of the Decla-
ration of Paris. including abstention from
| resort to privateering, have accordingly
though neither was party to that declara-
| ton.
| Preparing for HostiIities.
| Our country thus. after an interval OF
| half century of peace with all nations.
found itself engaged in deadly conflict with
| a foreign enemy. Every nerve was strained
| to meet the emergency. The response to
the initial call for 125oo0 volunteers was
| instant and complete. as was also the re-
suit of the second call of May 25th for
| 10000 additional volunteers. The ranks of
| the Regular Army were increased to the
| pLoNFutu ny lic act OI Al'Ili 20, 1875.
The enlisted force of the Navy on the
| 18th day of August, when it reached its
maximum, numbered 2i123 men and ap-
prentices. one hundred and three vessels
We're added to the Navy by purchase, l was
| presented to the Government, l leased. and
| the vessels of the International Naviga-
| ton Company. the st. Paul, St. Louis New
| FORK, and Paris. were chartered. In add-
| tion to these the revenue cutters and light
| house tenders were turned over to the
| Navy Department and became temporarily
a part of the auxiliary navy.
| The maximum fighting force of the Navy
| during the war, separated into classes, was
| as follows:
Four battle ships of the first class; bat
| tie ship of the second class: 2 armored
| cruisers; coast-defense monitors: / ar
| mored ram; II protected cruisers; 3 un-
| protected cruisers; is gunboats; / dyna-
| mite cruiser; II torpedo boats: vessels of
| the old Navy, including monitors H. Aux
| iiary Navy: II auxiliary cruisers % con-
| verted yachts; % converted tugs: 10 con-
| verted colliers; 10 revenue cutters: light
| house tenders, and 10 miscellaneous vessels.
| Much alarm was felt along our entire At
| antic seaboard lest some attack might be
| made by the enemy. Every precaution was
taken to prevent possible injury to our
| great cities lying along the coast. Tenn
| porary garrisons We're provided, drawn
from the State militia; infantry and light
| batteries were drawn from the volunteer
force. About 12.0OO troops were thus en-
| ployed The coast signal service was es-
tablished for observing the approach of an
| enemys ships to the coast of the United
| States, and the Life-Saving and Light
| House Services co-operated, which enabled
| The Navy Department to have all por-
| lions of the Atlantic Coast from Maine to
| Texas, under observation.
The auxiliary navy was created under
| .he authority of Congress and was Differed
| and manned by the Naval Militia of the
several States. This organization patrolled
| he coast and performed the duty of a
second line of defense.
Under the direction of the Chief of En-
| sneers submarine mines were placed at
| he most exposed points Before the out
| break of the war permanent mining case
mates and cable galleries had been con
| 'tructed at nearly all important harbors.
| Most of the torpedo material vas not 10
De found in the market and had TO be
| specially manufactured. Under date OF
April 10, district officers We're directed To
| AXE all preliminary measures, short Of
| he actual attaching of the loaded mines 10
,he cables, and on April ID telegraphic or
jers were issued to place the loaded mines
| n position.
| The aggregate number of mines placed
| was 1,o35, at the principal harbors from
| Maine to California. Preparations Were
also made for the planting of mines at Ger
Tain other harbors, but owing to the early
| destruction of the Spanish fleet these
| mines were not placed.
The Signal Corps was promptly organ
lied. and performed service of the most
| difficult and important character. Its oper-
| ations during the war covered the electri-
| cal connection of all coast fortifcations.
| the establishment of telephone and tele-
| graphic facilities for the camps at Manila.
| Santiago, and in Porto Rico There were
| constructed 800 miles of line at ten great
| camps, thus facilitating military move
| ments from those points in a manner here
| tofore unknown in military administra-
| tion Field telegraph lines were established
| and maintained under the enemy's fire at
| Manila, and later the Manila -Hongkong
| caple was reopened.
| In Porto Rico cable communications were
| opened over a discontinued route and on
| land the headquarters of the commanding
officer was kept in telegraphic or telephone
| communication with the division command
| ers on four different lines of operations
There was placed in Cuban waters a COM
| pletely outfitted cable ship, with war cables
| and cable gear, suitable both for the de-
struction of communications belonging to
| the enemy and the establishment of our
| own. Two ocean cables were destroyed un-
| der the enemys batteries at Santiago. The
| day previous to the landing of General
| Skaters corps at Caimanera. within %
| miles of the landing place. cable communi-
| cations We're established and a cable sta
| ton opened giving direct communica ton
with the government at Washington. This
| service was invaluable to the executive in
| directing the operations of the army and
| navy. With a total force of over 1900 the
| loss was by disease in camp and field, Off
| GERS and men included, only five.
| The National Defense Fund of 100000
was expended in large part by the Army
and Navy, and the objects for which Il was
| used are fully shown in the reports of the
several Secretaries. 1t was a most timely
appropriation, enabling the Government to
strengthen its defenses and make prepara-
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