The San Francisco call., 1898-02-27

The army leaders no longer try to withhold the information that war preparations are progressing. Activ- ity is the rule at all the military garri- sons of the country. The work neces- sary for the defense of San Francisco is going forward with commendable rapidity. There Is still talk among the timid and easily excited that a Span iSh fleet could stand six miles outside the heads and cause great destruction of property by throwing high explo- sives into the city. The fact is not taken into account that on the bluff back Of Fort Point there are five 12- inch modern high power guns. Each gun, a rified breech-loader forty-two feet in length and weighing fifty-eight tons. can throw a steel projectile weighing 1000 pounds distance of ten miles This formidable battery could be trained on any ironclad that should attempt the smelling of San Francisco.
 A Spanish fleet outside would have more than the guns of the land to en- counter. The battle-ship Oregon, the cruisers Charleston, Philadelphia and Yorktown, and the coast defense yes sel Monterey could steam out and en- gage the enemy. The business of smelling the city of San Francisco at long range would be attended with con- siderable peril to the smelling party.
 The engineer, ordnance and quarter master corps of the United States army are working together to hasten the work of putting in new guns. One of the 10-inch breech loading rifles for the Fort Point disappearing battery, which arrived at the Southern Pacific freight yards last Thursday, was placed on an immense truck early yesterday morn ing and hauled a good part of the way to the point of destination. The truck was drawn by forty horses. The gun was taken from Fourth and King streets, along Fourth to Market, thence to O'Farrell and out to Polk street, along Polk to Vallejo, thence to Van Ness avenue, along the avenue to Green street and thence along Octavia. Un- lon, Greenwich, Fillmore and Francisco to the Presidio reservation. The weight of the gun is thirty-four tons and the contracting draymen, Morton & Co.,. had to be careful of the street pave ment and the car tracks When these
 
 be five in the disappearing battery.
 From the Fort Point position the fire or five 12 and five 10 inch rifles could be directed against an enemy's war fleet seeking to enter the harbor of San Francisco. The 12-inch rifles planted on the high bluff at Lime Point. just across the channel, could join the guns at Fort Point in standing off the en- emy. Should large fleet menace the city the fire of the big rifles could be supplemented by the dynamite guns, the mortars and the 15-inch smooth bores. There should be no alarm about san francisco. AS matters stand to- day the city is well defended. The chief requirement is a force of trained artillerymen to handle the modern guns. Much work in the way of elec- trical apparatus and range finding methods remains to be done before the guns can be worked up to the modern methods of operation, but the guns are there and the ammunition is on hand. The rifles can be trained for direct fire and a good many military men of ex- perience believe that the direct fire principle is better for actual conflict at short range than the modern system of calculation by the range finder.
 Quite joyous commotion was caused in army circles of this department yes terday by report that the House If Representatives had passed the hin an thorizing the creation of two ad3itiona regiments of artillery There is hardly doubt that the bill will pass some time this session, but there was 2 feel ing of disappointment when it was found that the measure had not been called up in the House
 Increase of the artillery by two reei- ments will promote Lieutenant-ColoneI E. B. Williston of the Third and Lieu tenant Colonel William Sinclair of inc Fifth to the full rank of colonel. The majors who will be advanced to the grade of lieutenant-colonel are: w. F. Randolph. Third; Fully McCrea. Fifth: Frank G. Smith, Second, and James e. Ramsay, Fifth. The captains who will be advanced to the rank of major are: Frank W. Hess. Third Artillery: George W. Crabb, Fifth; Charles Nor ris, Fifth; J. W. McMurray, First: John W. Dillenback, First; James B. Burbank. Third; Samuel M. Mills. Fifth; John P. Story. Fourth; William F. Voss, Second. and George G. Gren- ough. Fourth Artillery.
 The addition to the army of two