The Saint Paul globe., 1898-03-26
SPAIN FIXING HER FORTS
PREPARING TO DEFEND THE
CHIEF CITY OF PORTO RICO


ington, Showing That the Au-
thorities at Madrid Are Awake to
the Seriousness of the Situation
Liberal Allowance of Money
for Gums and Carriages by AIger.
WASHINGTON March 25 Word
reached Washington today that the
Spanish authorities have taken steps
to supplement the existing fortifica-
tions at San Juan de Puerto Rico, the
main port of the island of Porto Rico
The news is regarded as significant.
Porto Rico is the only other possession
which belongs to the Spanish govern
ment on this hemisphere besides Cuba.
Officials, while acknowledging that
information of the foregoing character
has reached them, are very chary
about imparting any of the details to
the press.
The city of Porto Rico is fortified
after the Old style prevalent in early
days. The defenses include a wall,
which completely encircles the city,
and several forts at strategic points,
while the only points Of egress and
| ingress are through massive gates.
These Notifications are being strength
ened, and the armament has been in
creased by two large guns of formida-
BILE pattern and caliber. San Juan has
23,414 inhabitants.
Gen. Flagler, chief of ordnance of
| the army, today had a long conference
with Secretary Alger with reference to
additional guns and gun carriages A
few days ago Secretary Alger allotted
/ to Gen. Flagler S1,60O.000 from the
| emergency appropriation made by
! congress to be used by the ordnance
| bureau at the discretion of Gen. Flag
! ler.
This amount, although large, was
not, IN the opinion of Gen. Flagler,
| sufficient to meet the requirements of
| the present emergency, and his con-
ference with the secretary was to OBJ
tain an additional allowance After a
careful canvass of the situation Sec
retary Alger gave Gen. Flagler a lib
eral additional allotment from the ap-
preparation, but no information could
be obtained, either from Gen. Flag
Ter or from the secretarys office, as
to it's amount.
Liberal Allowance.
The sum must be very considerable.
however. as Gen. Flagler said that it
was to be used to cover provisional
contracts entered into for the construc-
tion of new guns of various calibers and
their necessary carriages
| No additional contracts for ordnance
supplies were closed today, but it is
likely, now that Gen. Flagler has an
other large sum at his disposal, the
| provisional contracts to which he re-
ferred will be made definite within a
| few days.
Except in the Office of Secretary AL
ger, who left the department early for
| the cabinet meeting, there was the
usual activity around the war office
today. Both the ordnance and the en-
gineer department are busily at work
making ready to expend the money al
| lotted to them out of the $50 900, 900
emergency fund. in purchasing NUM-
tions of war, shipping them to the sea
coast Notifications. and putting the lat
ter in effective condition.
1t is expected that the work on the
Notifications at Dry Tortugas, at which
place the navy department is to estab-
lish a -coaling station, will begin as
soon as the plans for that purpose have
been accepted.
1t is thought that Capt. Duvall, the
military aid to Secretary Alger. who
left here last night and is regarded as
an expert in artillery matters. will
make an investigation of the reoufra-
ments of the service at Tortugas.
The ordnance bureau expects to oh
tain in all about forty-six rapid-fre
guns from abroad for the sea coast
Notifications. Twenty Of these were
obtained through Vickers Sons, and the
remainder through the Hotchkiss peg
pie. The former con.ignment, it is un-
derstood, is already on it's way to this
country. These guns are of Al caliber
and the officials say the contract pro,
viding for their purchase includes be-
tween two and three hundred rounds
Of ammunition, a very desirable thing
at the present time.