The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-30

tcric microbes. eaten bareback and SOW
belly. and never Il murmur or a question
as to the reason why. 1t will not be
safe to laugh at the tin soldier for Il
time.
Everybody is familiar with the story
Of Young Hamilton Fish. Of New York.
| shall not soon forget a picture that |
saw shortly after he was shot by the
Spaniards in the underbrush near sam
tiago de Cuba. 1t was drawn by
Wagner. in the bold strokes character
istic of that artist. Only two colors-
red and black-were used. The sun re-
fected d lurid light upon the overhang-
ing sky. Against the far horizon We're
men marching to death through tropical
underground. Shells We're bursting
above the palms. At the foot Of a tree,
in the foreground. was poor Ham Fish.
with cantecn by his side. trying to
staunch the wound III his head. And
underneath it all We're these words:
And they called him only a dude
This tells the whole story.
Then there is the hobo. Surely some
GOOD can come ont Of Nazareth. lie
like the dude. has developed surprising
QUALITIES as Il SOltlltF. y Hcih'i llIi-
ii camp az plun@ing through Cuban
! tlicknts. he has often been in the fore
front Of his company Perhaps he had. in
civilian life. slammed his Nance: perhaps
his conduct was the worst and his record
one Of crime and dcbauchery. All these
things fade before his heroiSm. lie has
made n good soldier and hereafter in
the light of that record he will be read.
90 not wish to indulge in any clap
trap about the glory Of dying for the
! flag or read anyone 4 cheap moral leo
! ture. hut il may not be out of place to
say that this war having given many Il
man an opportunity to redeem himself
and show the stuff that is in him. his
i career hereafter viii be watched by his
friends with the keenest interest and
pride.
Another important lesson taught this
country by the war is that it stand
greatly in need Of I system Of signal
stations. Qualifications and submarine
mines with which to guard the entrances
to its ports and harbors, and protect its
SpacoaSt cities from bOmbardment
Spain's experience has proved that forti--
cations are more cheaply and quickly
constructed than battleships. and if
damaged they can be repaired at COM
paratively little cost. The Notifications
and the fleet must be countcrparts Of
each other.
We already have 4 fine fleet. though
we are adding to it very materially. We
have practically no Seacoast fortlilca-
tons. but it will be only Il matter OF Il
few months more before we will hnvc
such defences rs will make it we'll nigh
impossible for Il foreign feet to enter
1-. -,4ln. NN';t,,.c Tho p.anpt1y- nJ.D9t-
ed batteries and the forts now being
built all along the Atlantic coast from
Bangor. Maine, to Key West. Fla. OF
those | have recently had the pleasure
of visiting in the South, the new fort at
Tybee is perhaps the most interesting
and best.
Guarding the mouth of the Savannah
river. are no less than three old forts.
! all in use during the Civil War. but
| since diSmantled and allowed to fall into
decay. About Il year ago the govern
ment decided that it ought to erect here
some sort Of defence against hostile in
vasion and destruction of the city. To
this end work was commenced in Il
desultory sort OF way on Fort Tybee.
but little was done until the breaking
out of the SpaniSh-American war. 1t
is situated on Il point Of land. west of
the town Of Tyhee. just in front of and
near the Tyhee light. where its guns can
sweep the whole entrance to the har-
Dor.
The fort. when completed, will be one
of the best on the Atlantic coast. In
deed it is in every way a marvel of en-
eineering skill. and strictly speaking.
ought to be called Il fortification rather
than Il fort. Save for the dismantled Did
wartime fort standing out on the beach
Just to the left of the new fort. Il
stranger coming into the harbor would
never suspect 4 hostile gun near. But
he would. in case OF war. not have to go
far before he would find four great s
inch guns lcaping to the top Of Il grassy
mound just i'll front of the lighthouse.
and heiching forth flame and deadly
shell.
The fortification consists of an ON
bankmcnt. over three hundred feet long
and twenty-five feet high. turfcd over.
Back of this is 4 concrete wall. with
classmates extending under the cmbank-
ment. Over these are the four pits for
the huge S-inch coast defence guns.
With Il carrying power of twelve miles
and an ability to penetrate over twenty
inches Of steel ut closer range. These
heavy weapon are mounted on Il diSaD-
pearing carriage, which is on steel r0l-
lerS SO that the muZZlc of the gun may
be turned TO the right or left. The gun
is loaded and sighted below the para
pet and ont of sight of the enemy. 1t
comes into view above the parapet for
Il few seconds only at the moment of
firing-thc recoil serving to throw il
! back and down to the loading position.
These SeacoaSt guns are among the
most perfect weapons of their kind in
the world. Profiting by its experience
with Spain. the United States is having
them placed on Notifications all along
the coast.
) The Tybce fort is yet incomplete. and
: two forces Of hands, over o in all,
are working on it day and night. The
main part Of the fertilization, as above
l described. is finished, but on either end
and slightly back. two great gun-pits
l are being built for two Pinch coast
guns These are most powerful Wea-
nonc Th4y uaiub IL TONS oocb how