The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-24
COAST GUARDED.
Most Complete Signal Service
Yet Attempted.
Entire Atlantic Coast Connect
ed by Telegraph Wires.
1890 MEN In TOWERS
Light House, Life Saving and
Naval Militiamen
United to Warn the Govern
ment of Approaching Vessels.

w aSn1nRIOn, May Z4-AlLSE SSNGl al
weeks of work along the entire stretch
of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the ma
wy department has completed the most
comprehensive and efficient system for
observing the approach of a hostile fleet
that has ever been put into operation.
a new bureau has been created for this
purpose, known as the coast signal ser
vice, in charge of Captain Bartlett, who
attends to this as we'll as the work of
the naval board of information.
The system has the service of $500
men stretched along the coast from Bar
Harbor, Maine, to Galveston, Texas.
These are divided into thirtyfour CEN
trail stations from 60 to 100 miles apart,
along the coast. The stations are in
turn connected directly by telegraph
with the coast signal office of the navy
department and operators are on duty
night and day keeping the navy de-
partment in constant Geographic touch
with the entire stretch of Atlantic and
Gulf coasts.
Secretary Long projected this plan a
month ago and $4,000 was set aside to
establish the points of observation along
the coast. After selecting the thirty
four central points from Maine to Tex
as, rush orders were given to build tow
ers for the observers. The naval mill
tlanen, with the rank OF naval quar-
termasters are now on duty at each of
these stations. The towers are COM
pleted and also the small houses for
their living purposes. There are 233
of these milftiamen now in the service.
The next step was to have the light
house service made an adjunct to this
coast observation. This was done
through the cooperation of the treas
ury department and the light house
force of !, 200 men scattered from Maine
to Texas assist in the work of observa-
ton.
The life saving service was brought
into similar cooperation, so that now
1.060 life savers are added to the OBJ
servation forces. The thirty-four CEN
trail stations with the numerous light
houses and life saving stations make a
complete chain of observation points
all connected by telegraph, or telephone
with one another and with the navy de-
partment.
By arrangement with the telegraph
companies, the reports from these OBJ
servers take precedence over the pri-
Vate telegraphic business, so that the
navy department is enabled to get i'm
mediate Geographic notice of the ap-
proach of any hostile fleet or suspicious
ship.
The work of observation has been
thoroughly systematized. Watches are
kept on the towers throughout the day
and night. The life saving crews in
particular are assigned to night duty
and they patrol the beach throughout
the night, on the outlook for approach
ing ships. All the central points and
the observers have been supplied with
telescopes and full appliances for ma
rine observation. They are also sup
piled with torches, rockets and other
paraphernaIia for signaling.
The results already secured have
shown the efficiency of the plan adopt
ed. Naval vessels passing along the
coast are able to signal day or night by
torches and otherwise with the naval
observers along the beach and these
signals are Immediately telegra phed to
the navy department here.
Capt. Bartlett sleeps throughout the
ment, ready to convey his superiors
word of the approach of any hostile
ship. The first thing each morning re-
ports are received from every point
from Bar Harbor to Galveston, stating
briefly that everything is quiet, or 9TH
erwise, as the case may be. Thus far
the day report has been uniformly re-
assuring. The observers being alert
and new to their work report every
quently attach serious significance to
it at night.
Since Capt Bartlett has answered
some of the scare reports with the
alconic message, sea serpent" the
observers have been more cautious and
the reports show evidence of careful OBJ
servation. With this system in it's
present perfected state, the navy de-
partment feels assured that it knows
exactly the condition of affairs along
the entire Atlantic and Gulf coast. The
system is simply a precautionary one,
as the department has had no reason
to believe that Spanish ships were
menacing points along the coast.